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Moreno’s talent and influence has also been recognized by the White House. She won several ALMA Awards for her work.

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She also voiced the role of Carmen Sandiego on the Fox cartoon series Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego? In the late 1990s, Moreno continued to star on television and played a psychologist in the HBO series OZ. Shortly after, Moreno earned another Primetime Emmy for her role on the television show The Rockford Files. This award solidified her as the third person in history and first Latina to win all four major entertainment awards: an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony. In 1977, Moreno appeared on The Muppet Show and earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.

During this time, she also appeared on various television shows as a guest. A few years later, Moreno appeared in the musical The Ritz and subsequently earned the 1975 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress. Moreno won a Grammy in 1972 for “The Electric Company Album” based on her contributions to the show’s soundtrack. Upon her return, Moreno also starred as a main cast member of the PBS children’s television series The Electric Company from 1971 to 1977. In the 1970s, Moreno decided to return to the entertainment industry with popular films such as The Night of the Following Day, Carnal Knowledge, and Marlowe. Moreno decided to leave the mistreatment of Hollywood and mostly acted in summer theater for the next seven years. Even after winning the Oscar, Moreno’s agents still only submitted her for “exotic” and Latina roles. For her portrayal, Moreno won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 1961, Moreno was cast as Anita in the film adaptation of the musical West Side Story. Casting directors asked her to depict various ethnicities including Hawaiian, Native American, Egyptian, Filipino, and a young Burmese woman named Tuptim in The King and I. Moreno was often typecast and remembers frequently being offered stereotypical “ethnic” or sexualized roles. Two years later, she landed a small role as the actress Zelda Zanders in Singin’ in the Rain. Her first role for MGM Studios was in the musical The Toast of New Orleans. Mayer’s MGM Studios where she adopted the stage name Rita Moreno.įor the next few years, Moreno was offered smaller roles in feature films. After this role, she signed a seven-year contract with Louis B. Her first film was called So Young, So Bad, and was released in 1950. This role caught the attention of Hollywood filmmakers and she started receiving offers from Hollywood agents. Shortly after this, Moreno made her Broadway debut at age 13 as “Angelina” in Skydrift. She was first hired at age 11 to record Spanish language versions of American films. When she arrived in New York City, Moreno began taking dance classes and quickly started working in the film industry.

Her mother saved enough money for them to move to New York, but Moreno’s little brother Francisco had to be left behind.

She spent much of her childhood on a Puerto Rican farm until she was five years old.

Given the nickname “Rosita,” when she was young, Moreno’s birth name was Rosa Dolores Alverío. Rita Moreno was born on Decemin Humacao, Puerto Rico. After earning the four major entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, Moreno became the first Latina woman to have an “E.G.O.T.” In 2004, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her many contributions to the arts. Rita Moreno has influenced the entertainment industry for over 70 years as an actress, singer, and dancer. NWHM biographies are generously supported by Susan D. It was written by Kerri Lee Alexander, NWHM Fellow (2018-2020).

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This biography is reprinted in full with permission from the National Women’s History Museum (United States of America).

Rita moreno young skydrift