Rita Moreno
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Humacao, Puerto Rico
Energetic dancer, singer, and actress Rita Moreno was born Rosa Dolores Alverio in Puerto Rico to a family of independent farmers. She moved to New York City with her mother at age five and went on to become one of the few people to win an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy throughout her long career. At age 13, she took her vibrant stage presence and star quality to Broadway, and by the next year she had made it to Hollywood, where MGM studio executives suggested she change her name to Rita.Mostly appearing in musicals, her most notable roles of the '50s include Zelda Zanders the Zip Girl in Singin' in the Rain and Tuptim in The King and I. During this close-minded time period in American cinema, she was showcased for her "exotic" qualities in films like Pagan Love Song, Latin Lovers, and The Fabulous Señorita. She also starred in the costume drama The Vagabond King as well as various adventures and Westerns, usually providing the musical entertainment. Her big breakthrough came in 1961 with her role as the spitfire Anita in West Side Story, winning her an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. During the '60s, she took her talents back to the stage and got married, but she did appear in the films Carnal Knowledge with Jack Nicholson and Popi with Alan Arkin. As a mother during the '70s, she turned to television and got involved with the PBS children's series The Electric Company, which led to a Grammy award for her recording contribution to the soundtrack album. She also won Emmy awards for her work on The Rockford Files and The Muppet Show. Meanwhile, she reprised her Tony-winning Broadway role of entertainer Googie Gomez for the 1976 film version of The Ritz. In the '80s, she appeared in the TV sitcom 9 to 5, the detective series B.L. Stryker, and several made-for-TV movies. In the '90s, she provided the voice for the title character in the PBS educational program Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? She started making features again, taking supporting roles in independent comedy dramas, including Slums of Beverly Hills. In 1997, she turned to confrontational drama as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO prison drama Oz. Since 2000, she has been a leading advocate of osteoporosis awareness and has appeared in the John Sayles ensemble feature Casa de los Babys in 2003.In 2007, Moreno appeared in a cameo role on the hit series Ugly Betty, playing the title character's aunt. Later that same year, she joined the cast of the drama series Cane, a show about a Latin family and their trials and tribulations running a family owned business. In 2011 she was cast as one of the leads on the sitcom Happily Divorced alongside Fran Drescher.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | West Side Story |
|
— | 2021 |
No Score Yet | Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It |
|
— | 2021 |
No Score Yet | Still Laugh-in: The Stars Celebrate |
|
— | 2019 |
No Score Yet | West Side Story Presented By TCM |
|
— | 2018 |
No Score Yet | Elena of Avalor: Song of the Sirenas |
|
— | 2018 |
No Score Yet | Remember Me |
|
— | 2017 |
91% | Every Act of Life |
|
— | 2017 |
No Score Yet | The Latin Explosion: A New America |
|
— | 2015 |
No Score Yet | A Gift of Miracles |
|
— | 2015 |
50% | Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks |
|
$74.1k | 2014 |
48% | Rio 2 |
|
$113.7M | 2014 |
No Score Yet | Nicky Deuce |
|
— | 2013 |
No Score Yet | I Know a Woman Like That |
|
— | 2009 |
No Score Yet | Hispanic Hollywood - Then and Now |
|
— | 2007 |
No Score Yet | Life and Times of Frida Kahlo |
|
— | 2005 |
71% | King of the Corner |
|
— | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Open House |
|
— | 2004 |
No Score Yet | Happy to Be Nappy and Other Stories of Me |
|
— | 2004 |
58% | Casa de los Babys |
|
$0.4M | 2003 |
43% | Piñero |
|
$0.2M | 2002 |
No Score Yet | Hispanic Hollywood |
|
— | 2000 |
20% | Blue Moon |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Carlo's Wake |
|
— | 1999 |
81% | Slums of Beverly Hills |
|
— | 1998 |
No Score Yet | Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Sound of Movies |
|
— | 1996 |
67% | Angus |
|
— | 1995 |
80% | Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My Business |
|
— | 1995 |
No Score Yet | The Wharf Rat |
|
— | 1995 |
No Score Yet | Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Bowl |
|
— | 1994 |
82% | I Like It Like That |
|
— | 1994 |
No Score Yet | Italian Movie |
|
— | 1993 |
No Score Yet | Age Isn't Everything |
|
— | 1991 |
No Score Yet | The Spree |
|
— | 1988 |
No Score Yet | Portrait of a Showgirl |
|
— | 1982 |
No Score Yet | Working |
|
— | 1982 |
77% | The Four Seasons |
|
— | 1981 |
No Score Yet | Happy Birthday, Gemini |
|
— | 1980 |
No Score Yet | Anatomy Of A Seduction |
|
— | 1979 |
No Score Yet | The Boss' Son |
|
— | 1979 |
60% | The Ritz |
|
— | 1976 |
87% | Carnal Knowledge |
|
— | 1971 |
No Score Yet | Best of the Best of The Electric Company |
|
— | 1971 |
71% | Marlowe |
|
— | 1969 |
No Score Yet | Popi |
|
— | 1969 |
83% | The Night of the Following Day |
|
— | 1968 |
No Score Yet | Cry of Battle |
|
— | 1963 |
No Score Yet | Samar |
|
— | 1962 |
No Score Yet | Summer and Smoke |
|
— | 1961 |
92% | West Side Story |
|
— | 1961 |
No Score Yet | This Rebel Breed |
|
— | 1960 |
No Score Yet | The Deerslayer |
|
— | 1957 |
96% | The King and I |
|
— | 1956 |
No Score Yet | The Lieutenant Wore Skirts |
|
— | 1956 |
No Score Yet | Untamed |
|
— | 1955 |
No Score Yet | Seven Cities of Gold |
|
— | 1955 |
83% | Garden of Evil |
|
— | 1954 |
No Score Yet | The Yellow Tomahawk |
|
— | 1954 |
No Score Yet | Latin Lovers |
|
— | 1953 |
No Score Yet | Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation |
|
— | 1953 |
No Score Yet | Fort Vengeance |
|
— | 1953 |
No Score Yet | The Ring |
|
— | 1952 |
100% | Singin' in the Rain |
|
— | 1952 |
No Score Yet | Cattle Town |
|
— | 1952 |
No Score Yet | Pagan Love Song |
|
— | 1950 |
No Score Yet | The Toast of New Orleans |
|
— | 1950 |
No Score Yet | So Young, So Bad |
|
— | 1950 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
99% |
One Day at a Time
2017
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Jimmy Kimmel Live
2003
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
To Tell the Truth
2016
|
|
|
98% |
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Wendy Williams Show
2008-2020
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The $100,000 Pyramid
2016-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Talk
2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Chew
2011-2018
|
|
|
84% |
Grey's Anatomy
2005
|
|
|
100% |
Jane the Virgin
2014-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Lidia Celebrates America
2011-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
CBS This Morning
2012
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Sunday Morning
2011-2018
|
|
|
44% |
Happily Divorced
2011-2013
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
In Plain Sight
2008-2012
|
|
|
55% |
Cane
2007
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
George Lopez
2002-2007
|
|
|
97% |
Ugly Betty
2006-2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001-2011
|
|
|
78% |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Strong Medicine
2000-2006
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Guardian
2001-2004
|
|
|
89% |
Oz
1997-2003
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Resurrection Blvd.
2000-2002
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Murphy Brown
1988-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Touched by an Angel
1994-2003
|
|
|
100% |
The Larry Sanders Show
1992-1998
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Nanny
1993-1999
|
|
|
0% |
Top of the Heap
1991
|
|
|
72% |
Miami Vice
1984-1990
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
9 to 5
1982-1988
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Cosby Show
1984-1992
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Golden Girls
1985-1992
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Trapper John, M.D.
1979-1986
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Rockford Files
1974-1980
|
|
|
100% |
The Muppet Show
1976-1981
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Zorro
1957-1961
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Father Knows Best
1954-1960
|
|
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Quotes from Rita Moreno's Characters
Mimi: | I saw it in the droppings. |
Lucille Pompi: | Don't be shocked, I know what it is: queer. Yea, Nick and me had a long talk, there ain't been no girls around that house except to sell cookies. |