By: Pamela Stern
Hispanic Heritage Month is annually, September 15th through October 15th in the United States. Initially, this observance began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and only later was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover an entire 30-day period.
Why you may ask does this celebration start in the middle of September and go through the middle of October? Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of the month because on September 15th five Latin American countries all declared their independence from Spain. The countries that celebrate their anniversary of independence on September 15th are: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico’s independence is celebrated on September 16th and Chile celebrates its independence on September 18th.
Hispanic Heritage Month’s historic celebration encompasses many unique cultures and contributions that Latinos have made to our country. The Spring Creek Sun would like to showcase some famous Hispanic Entertainers.
Rita Moreno– is one of the very few performers to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy. She was born Rosita Dolores Alverío in Humacao, Puerto Rico on December 11, 1931, to seamstress Rosa María (Marcano) and farmer Francisco José “Paco” Alverío. Her mother moved to New York City in 1937, taking Rita with her while leaving her reportedly unfaithful husband and Rita’s younger brother behind. Rita’s professional career began before she reached adolescence.
She performed as a professional dancer in New York nightclubs. At age 11, she landed her first movie experience, dubbing Spanish-language versions of US films. Less than a month before her 14th birthday on November 22, 1945, she made her Broadway debut in the play “Skydrift” at the Belasco Theatre. She appeared in the classic Singin’ in the Rain(1952) and The King and I (1956).
Director Robert Wise, co-directed West Side Story (1961) (the film version of the smash Broadway musical, a retelling of William Shakespeare‘s “Romeo & Juliet” with the warring Venetian clans the Montagues and Capulets re-envisioned as Irish/Polish and Puerto Rican adolescent street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks), cast Moreno as “Anita”, the Puerto Rican girlfriend of Sharks’ leader Bernardo, whose sister Maria is the piece’s Juliet.
Moreno won a 1972 Grammy Award for her contribution to “The Electric Company”‘s soundtrack album, following it up three years later with a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for “The Ritz” (a role she would reprise in the film version, The Ritz(1976)). She then won Emmy Awards for The Muppet Show (1976) and The Rockford Files (1974).
She has continued to work on screen and on stage. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in June 2004.
Sofia Vergara-was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia. Her mother, Margarita Vergara Dávila de Vergara, is a housewife. Her father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo, provides cattle to the meat industry. She has five siblings. She was educated at a private bilingual Spanish/English school. Later she went on to study pre-dentistry. However, Sofía was discovered by a photographer, at the beach, and this led to her modeling and television career. At age 23, she was a runway model. From 1995 to 1998, she co-hosted a travel show, Fuera de serie (1995), which gave her exposure in the United States. Her first film role was the criminal comedy Big Trouble(2002). Her breakthrough role was as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the American television series Modern Family (2009). In 2010-2013, she received four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for this role.
Edward James Olmos-was born February 24, 1947, in East Los Angeles, at The First Japanese Hospital to Pedro Olmos and Eleanor Huizar. He graduated from Montebello High School in 1964. After which he received an Associative Arts Degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice at East Los Angeles College in 1966.
He has achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer and humanitarian. The Tony, Emmy and Academy Award® Nominated actor, is probably best known to young audiences for his work on the SYFY television series “Battlestar Galatica” as Admiral William Adama. He directed the HBO movie “Walkout” in 2007, for which he earned a DGA Nomination in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television category. Olmos’ career in entertainment spans over 30 years.
Mario Lopez-was born in San Diego, California, on October 10th, 1973, to Mario and Elvira, Mario Lopez’s first professional role was on the series, a.k.a. Pablo (1984). Mario is probably best known to youngsters, however, as A.C. Slater from NBC’s popular 1980s teen comedy series Saved by the Bell (1989). Among Mario’s other credits are several other popular television series, such as Pacific Blue (1996) and the movies Colors (1988), Depraved (1996) and Eastside (1999). Mario has proven himself as a talented and prolific presenter, having hosted such series as Name Your Adventure (1992), The Other Half (2001) and Pet Star(2002).
Eva LaRue– grew up in California. At the age of 6 she began her show-business career. She starred in television commercials and sang many “jingles” for them. She still often sings at sports events and any other opportunities that arise. Eva likes to ride horses and has shown horses for over a decade. She also enjoys Tae Kwon Do. She’s the oldest of three children. She loves acting.
Rosie Perez-was born in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York City, to Lydia Perez and Ismael Serrano, a merchant marine. She is of Puerto Rican descent. Rosie attended Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, Queens, New York, and later enrolled at Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, California. Rosie Perez was in her second year of college, and just about to move back to New York from Los Angeles. Her friends had given her a going-away party. This is when Spike Lee proposed that she work in his film Do the Right Thing(1989), she accepted.
Cheech Marin– was born on July 13, 1946 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Born in East L.A. (1987), Tin Cup (1996) and Up in Smoke (1978).
Erik Estrada-was born on March 16, 1949 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for hs role on the television show CHiPs (1977), Sealab 2021 (2000) and Loaded Weapon 1(1993).
Mark Consuelos– was born in Zaragoza, Spain, to an Italian mother, Camilla, and a Mexican father, Saul Consuelos. He grew up in Lebanon, Illinois and Tampa, Florida. He attended Bloomingdale High School in Valrico, Florida and Notre Dame University. While living in Illinois, Mark appeared in “Hello, Dolly” at the Looking Glass Playhouse. Before joining All My Children in February 1995, Mark has guested on television shows such as Fortune Hunter (1994) and SeaQuest 2032 (1993). Mark enjoys traveling to Italy, which he does once a year. His hobbies include working out and playing many sports, particularly softball and soccer. He has one brother, who is a doctor, and a sister, who is a lawyer. He is married to former All My Children co-star Kelly Ripa.
Eva Longoria-Eva Jacqueline Longoria was born on March 15, 1975 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Ella Eva Longoria (née Mireles), a special education teacher & Enrique Longoria Jr., a rancher. She grew up in a Mexican-American family on a ranch near Corpus Christi. After graduating from Texas A&M University-Kingsville, she entered a talent contest that brought her to Los Angeles, where she was spotted and signed by a theatrical agent. She landed roles on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), General Hospital (1963) and co-starring on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), she auditioned for and won the role of Isabella Braña on the popular series, The Young and the Restless(1973). Eva became well known worldwide thanks to Desperate Housewives(2004), where she played a main character, Gabrielle Solis. She also has a contract with L’Oreal and has been named one of the most beautiful people. She founded The Eva Longoria Foundation which helps Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship.
George Lopez– was born on April 23, 1961, in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California, the son of Frieda and Anatasio Lopez, a migrant worker. He is of Mestizo Mexican descent. He was deserted by his father when he was two months old and by his mother when he was 10 years old, but was raised by his maternal grandmother, Benita Gutierrez, a factory worker, and step-grandfather, Refugio Gutierrez, a construction worker. Lopez attended San Fernando High School, graduating in 1979. He is known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican American culture. Lopez has received several honors for his work and contributions to the Latino community, including the 2003 Imagen Vision Award, the 2003 Latino Spirit Award for Excellence in Television and the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award. He was also named one of “The Top 25 Hispanics in America” by Time magazine in 2005.
John Leguizamano– was born John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez on July 22, 1960, in Bogotá, Colombia, to Luz Marina Peláez and Alberto Rudolfo Leguizamo. He was a child when his family emigrated to the United States. He was raised in Queens, New York, attended New York University and studied under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg for only one day before Strasberg passed away.
Leguizamo started working the comedy club circuit in New York and first appeared in front of the cameras in an episode of Miami Vice(1984). His first film appearance was a small part in Mixed Blood (1984), and he had minor roles in Casualties of War (1989) and Die Hard 2 (1990) before playing a liquor store thief who shoots Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry (1991).
Leguizamano has continued to impress movie audiences with his versatility: he can play roles such as cold-blooded killers like Benny Blanco in Carlito’s Way(1993).
There is no doubt that he has been a breakthrough performer for the Latino community in mainstream Hollywood. He takes pride in his Latino heritage.
Martin Sheen- was born Ramón Antonio Gerard Estevez in Dayton, Ohio, to Mary-Ann (Phelan), an Irish immigrant and Francisco Estevez, a Spanish-born factory worker and machinery inspector (from Parderrubias, Galicia). On the big screen, Sheen has appeared in more than 65 feature films including a star turn as Army Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Francis Ford Coppola‘s landmark film Apocalypse Now (1979), which brought Sheen worldwide recognition. The film also starred Marlon Brando, Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall. Other notable credits include Wall Street(1987) (with son Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas), Academy Award-winning film Gandhi (1982) (with Sir Ben Kingsley), Catch Me If You Can (2002) (with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks), The American President (1995) (with Michael Douglas and Annette Bening).
In 2006, the actor played ill-fated cop Oliver Queenan in Martin Scorsese‘s Academy Award-winning film The Departed (2006).
Sheen is best recognized for his six-time Emmy nominated portrayal as President Josiah Bartlet in The West Wing (1999).
Sheen has appeared in several made-for-television movies and mini-series including playing President John F. Kennedy in the television mini-series Kennedy (1983) in which he received a Golden Globe nomination.
