In Pal Joey, which actress played Vera Simpson opposite Sinatra?

In Pal Joey, Rita Hayworth played Vera Simpson opposite Frank Sinatra.

The 1957 film, directed by George Sidney, adapts the Rodgers and Hart stage musical. Sinatra plays Joey Evans, a womanizing nightclub singer who dreams of opening his own club in San Francisco. Hayworth plays Vera Prentice-Simpson, a wealthy widow and former performer whom Joey hopes will finance that dream.

Kim Novak plays Linda English, the younger chorus girl who becomes Joey’s romantic interest. That triangle explains the most likely mix-up in this question: Novak is a major female star in the film, but she plays Linda, not Vera. Hayworth is the actress credited as Vera, while Sinatra plays Joey.

Pal Joey also features songs that became closely linked with Sinatra, including “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” and “I Could Write a Book.” Hayworth’s Vera is central to the plot because Joey initially treats their relationship as a route to money and social access before his feelings for Linda complicate the arrangement.