Rita Moreno
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Although the name Rosita Moreno appears in the credits for the films "The Scoundrel" (1935) and "A Medal For Benny" (1945) and some sources attribute these films to her, it is not Rita Moreno but another actress, Rosita Moreno, who appeared in Hollywood films from the 1930s on. Rita Moreno made her film debut in 1950 in "So Young, So Bad" (1950) as Rosita Moreno. She changed her name to Rita Moreno for her second film, "Toast of New Orleans" (1950).
Moreno was one of 32 private citizens named by President Bill Clinton to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Biography
A much-loved star of the stage and screen, Rita Moreno achieved a rare feat in the entertainment industry by winning an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony, and a Grammy Award throughout her illustrious career. From her early years in theater to the height of her film stardom, Moreno proved she was a force to be reckoned with, delivering scene-stealing performances in timeless classics such as "Singin' in the Rain" (1952), "The King and I" (1956), and "Carnal Knowledge" (1971). She also fell victim to blatant stereotyping in show business, often landing roles as a sexpot or foreigner in film and on television. Moreno challenged the system with her show-stopping performance in "West Side Story" (1961), one of the most loved film musicals of all time. The role earned Moreno an Academy Award in 1962, paving the way for Hispanic actors to land sizeable and profound roles, while also cementing the hardworking and multi-talented star's place as a shining legend of the stage and screen.Rosita Dolores Alverio was born on Dec. 11, 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico to a farmer and a seamstress. In 1937, she moved to Spanish Harlem in New York City with her mother, Rosa Maria, and shared a tiny apartment with their relatives. Moreno began her professional career before she reached her teen years. At 11, the future star earned money by dubbing Spanish-language versions of American films. Just a few days shy of her 14th birthday, Moreno (who had adopted her stepfather's surname) made her Broadway debut in the 1945 Belasco Theatre production of "Skydrift," opposite Arthur Keegan and Eli Wallach. Using the stage name Rosita Moreno, the young actress landed her first feature film role in the drama "So Young So Bad" (1950). This led to more musical film appearances for the up-and-coming star, including supporting parts in "The Toast of New Orleans" (1950), "Pagan Love Song" (1950), and a featured role as silent screen vamp Zelda Zanners in the what most consider the greatest musical of all time, "Singin' in the Rain."In March 1954, Moreno graced the cover of LIFE magazine, posing in a seductive, over-the-left-shoulder profile along with the headline "Rita Moreno: An Actresses' Catalog of Sex and Innocence." Even though the article pushed Moreno's career to the forefront of the entertainment industry, it also glorified the Hollywood stereotype of Hispanic actresses as "sexpots." During a Miami Herald interview later on in her career, Moreno revealed she felt humiliated whenever she was offered a role as a "Conchita" or "Lolita" in Western films, where she was often asked to act barefoot. When Moreno was not cast in vampy roles, she played exotic characters, from an Indian exchange student on the television series "Father Knows Best" (CBS, 1954-55; NBC, 1955-58; CBS, 1958-1960), to the young Burmese wife Tuptim in the 1956 musical "The King and I." Moreno admitted she took on the roles, no matter how stereotypical and degrading they were, simply because she wanted to remain in show business.Moreno finally broke out of the Hollywood mold when she was cast in the feature film adaptation of "West Side Story." The groundbreaking Broadway musical debuted in 1957 and retold William Shakespeare's classic "Romeo & Juliet" in an urban New York setting with rival street gangs the Jets and the Sharks. The 1961 film, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, wanted to cast actors who looked believable as teenagers. Moreno stepped in for the role of Anita - originally played on Broadway by Chita Rivera - the Puerto Rican girlfriend of the Sharks' leader Bernardo (George Chakiris). As Anita, confidante of the film's heroine Maria (Natalie Wood) and the equivalent of the Nurse in Shakespeare's play, Moreno stole every scene she was in, especially with her rendition of the song-and-dance number "America." She also delivered a moving performance in a scene in which rival gang the Jets assaults Anita, which was considered the film's climax. The role earned Moreno a well-deserved Academy Award in 1962 for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. "West Side Story" won several other Oscars that year as well, including Best Picture.Despite her breakout performance and Oscar win, it took a decade for Hollywood to cast Moreno in a role that truly showcased her depth and versatility as an actress. In the 1971 Mike Nichols-directed drama "Carnal Knowledge," Moreno played a hooker, starring opposite Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel as longtime friends faced with sexual and emotional issues concerning their relationships with various women. Moreno's career reignited even further that year when she appeared on the children's variety series "The Electric Company." The program employed sketch comedy and musical performances geared to help elementary age children improve their reading skills. Moreno was part of the original cast that also included Morgan Freeman and Bill Cosby. At the height of its popularity, that included a Grammy Award and several Emmy wins during its run, "The Electric Company" was cancelled in 1977 because it could not generate profit, unlike its more successful counterpart "Sesame Street" (NET, 1969-70; PBS, 1970- ), which licensed its Muppet characters for merchandising.Moreno continued working in the world of children's television, often appearing on "The Muppet Show" (ITV, 1976-1981) for which she won her first Emmy Award in 1976 and hosting "The Muppets Go Hollywood" (1979). Moreno made a triumphant return to Broadway in 1975, starring in Terrence McNally's play "The Ritz." Her portrayal of a gay bathhouse entertainer with Broadway aspirations earned her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She reprised her award-winning role in the 1976 feature film version. Moreno continued to work steadily in feature films and on television, earning more accolades for her guest appearances on "The Rockford Files" (NBC, 1974-1980), and recurring roles on "American Family" (PBS, 2002-04) and the harrowing prison drama "Oz" (HBO, 1997-2003). She solidified her status as a Hollywood icon when she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995. So moved was the actress at being recognized that she wept uncontrollably during the unveiling ceremony. U.S. presidents often recognized Moreno's contribution to the arts, as well, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2004 and a National Medal of Arts from Barack Obama in 2009.By Marc Cuenco
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Music (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1935
With her mother, moved from Puerto Rico to NYC at age four; father and brother remained in Puerto Rico
1936
Made nightclub debut at age five (date approximate)
1945
Broadway debut at age 13 in "Skydrift"
1950
Feature acting debut, "So Young, So Bad"
1952
Had bit part dancing a tango in the classic movie musical "Singin' in the Rain"
1952
TV acting debut, "Saint and Senorita" on "Fireside Theater"
1956
Played Tuptim, one of the monarch's wives, in the fi lm adaptation of "The King and I"
1961
Attempted suicide when her multi-year affair with Marlon Brando ended
1961
Won acclaim and a Best Supporting Actress Oscar playing the fiery Anita in the film version of "West Side Story"
1964
London stage debut as Illona in "She Loves Me", directed by Harold Prince
1969
Appeared opposite Alan Arkin in "Popi"
1969
Played supporting role in "Marlowe", featuring James Garner
1970
Returned to the Broadway stage as Sharon Falconer in the short-lived musical "Gantry", based on the novel "Elmer Gantry"
1971
Co-starred in "Carnal Knowledge"
1971
Was a regular on the children's series "The Electric Company"
1972
Received Grammy Award for contribution to the recording "The Electric Company"
1974
Earned first Emmy nomination for the variety special "Out to Lunch" (ABC)
1975
Offered an hilarious, Tony-winning turn as entertainer Googie Gomez in Terrence McNally's "The Ritz"
1976
Reprised Googie Gomez in the film version of "The Ritz"
1977
Introduced the character of Rita Capkovic in an episode of NBC's "The Rockford Files"; first of four appearances over the next two years; received second Emmy Award for a 1978 guest appearance
1977
Made Emmy-winning guest appearance on "The Muppet Show" (syndicated)
1978
Starred in pilot for a proposed CBS sitcom, "The Rita Moreno Show"; show not picked up by the network
1981
Appeared in the unsuccessful play "Wally's Cafe"
1981
Last film for a decade, "The Four Seasons"
1982
Received Emmy nod for her turn in the CBS movie "Portrait of a Showgirl"
1983
Began appearing in a one-woman show, mixing singing, dancing and storytelling
1985
Starred on Broadway in a female version of "The Odd Couple" (reworked by Neil Simon) opposite Sally Struthers
1986
Filmed unsold pilot for own CBS sitcom, "Rita"
1991
Returned to feature films playing Jonathan Silverman's mother in "Age Isn't Everything/Life in the Food Chain"
1994
Voiced the title character in the animated children's series "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?"
1994
Portrayed Jon Seda's highly critical mother in "I Like It Like That", helmed by Darnell Martin
1995
Appeared Off-Broadway in Anne Meara's comedy "After-Play"
1995
Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1996
Played Norma Desmond in the London production of "Sunset Boulevard"
1996
Starred with Louis Zorich and Frank Whaley in the Off-Broadway show "The Size of the World"
1997
Returned to series work as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo, the prison's psychological counselor, in the HBO drama "Oz"
1998
Had small role as Alan Arkin's wealthy sister-in-law in "Slums of Beverly Hills"
1999
Made NYC cabaret debut at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel
1999
Reprised her Emmy-winning role in the TV-movie "The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds ... It Leads" (CBS)
2001
Had co-starring role as the title character's mother in the biopic "Pinero"
2017
Starred on Netflix's "One Day at a Time"
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Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Although the name Rosita Moreno appears in the credits for the films "The Scoundrel" (1935) and "A Medal For Benny" (1945) and some sources attribute these films to her, it is not Rita Moreno but another actress, Rosita Moreno, who appeared in Hollywood films from the 1930s on. Rita Moreno made her film debut in 1950 in "So Young, So Bad" (1950) as Rosita Moreno. She changed her name to Rita Moreno for her second film, "Toast of New Orleans" (1950).
Moreno was one of 32 private citizens named by President Bill Clinton to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
Moreno remains tightlipped about her relationship with Marlon Brando, the breakup of which led to a 1961 suicide attempt. As she told People (September 12, 1998): "I don't talk about him. We went together for [almost] 10 years. That's as much as I say."
"I am Latin and know what it is to feel alone because you are different. When you are ignored, you lose your sense of identity. So I can be the Latin on television in 'The Electric Company', and my presence can tell a lot of children and some adults, 'We do exist, we have value.'" --Moreno quoted in InTheater, November 8, 1999.
About the perils of her career, Moreno told Jan Breslauer in Los Angeles Times (November 21, 1996): "Now, not only being Hispanic but older really compounds the problems. Yes, I've had to spend a good deal of my life putting up with the whole business of the stereotype."
About acting on stage: "I always get nervous ... What I love is the immediacy of a live performance. In concerts, of course, I can be much looser, because it can go almost any way I want. But there is something absolutely fabulous about interacting with wonderful actors on stage, and it all comes back so fast, it's amazing: 'Oh, that's what I have to do. I have to find my light.' You can't drop the ends of sentences in an ensemble piece." --Rita Moreno quoted in TheaterWeek December 25-31, 1995.
