Los Beltrán
Encyclopedia
Los Beltrán was a ground-breaking Spanish-language situation comedy
series, which aired on the U.S.-based network Telemundo
from 1999 to 2001. Although canceled after two seasons, Los Beltrán received a number of media awards. Los Beltrán was the first sitcom in two decades to deal with the Cuban American
experience (following the PBS
bilingual sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, USA?
, which aired from 1977 to 1980) and the first-ever Spanish-language entertainment series to feature sympathetic gay
characters as regulars.
, and on its 1960s British antecedent, Till Death Us Do Part. The lead character, Manny Beltrán (Emiliano Díez
), was an ultraconservative Cuban exile who owned a small bodega (neighborhood market) in southern California. Manny was comically obsessed with money, and with reason: he was financially supporting not only his wife Letti (Margarita Coego) and law-student daughter Anita (played by Yeni Alvarez), but also his daughter's militantly liberal husband, Miguel Perez (Demetrius Navarro), a Chicano
art student who was constantly challenging his father-in-law's prejudices and politics, while living under Manny's roof and eating his food.
Unlike the families of Archie Bunker
and Alf Garnett
, however, the Beltráns in the first episode are moving up from their working-class digs to a nice, middle-class duplex in Burbank
, which they've bought thanks to some lottery winnings. Upon moving in, they discover that their next-door neighbors (and holdover tenants) are a homosexual couple: a Spanish physician, Fernandito Salazar (Gabriel Romero
), and his white American boyfriend, Kevin Lynch (James C. Leary). This sets up a number of plot lines through the course of the series, much as did the Jeffersons
moving in next door to the Bunkers in the early days of All in the Family.
Two particular episodes, focused on Fernandito and Kevin, got the series noticed by some English-language media. In the first season, Fernandito gets an unexpected visit from his father, a Spanish general (who resembles the late dictator Francisco Franco
), and in the end comes out to the father as gay. In the second season, Fernandito and Kevin have a commitment ceremony—shortly after Californians in real life had voted on, and passed into law, the anti-gay-marriage Proposition 22. This was the first same-sex wedding ceremony ever shown on a Spanish-language television series.
Award for Best Comedy Series and the 2001 ALMA Award
from the National Council of La Raza
for Best Spanish Language Comedy Series. It was nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards
, the first Spanish-language program so honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
series, which aired on the U.S.-based network Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
from 1999 to 2001. Although canceled after two seasons, Los Beltrán received a number of media awards. Los Beltrán was the first sitcom in two decades to deal with the Cuban American
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
experience (following the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
bilingual sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, USA?
¿Qué Pasa, USA?
¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? is America's first bilingual situation comedy, and the first sitcom to be produced for PBS. It was produced and taped in front of a live studio audience at PBS member station WPBT in Miami, Florida and aired on PBS member stations nationwide...
, which aired from 1977 to 1980) and the first-ever Spanish-language entertainment series to feature sympathetic gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
characters as regulars.
Plot and characters
The series was based broadly on the 1970s U.S. sitcom All in the FamilyAll in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
, and on its 1960s British antecedent, Till Death Us Do Part. The lead character, Manny Beltrán (Emiliano Díez
Emiliano Díez
Emiliano Díez is a Cuban film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Vic Palmero in the sitcom George Lopez, as well as his role as Manny Beltrán in the sitcom Los Beltrán.-Early life:...
), was an ultraconservative Cuban exile who owned a small bodega (neighborhood market) in southern California. Manny was comically obsessed with money, and with reason: he was financially supporting not only his wife Letti (Margarita Coego) and law-student daughter Anita (played by Yeni Alvarez), but also his daughter's militantly liberal husband, Miguel Perez (Demetrius Navarro), a Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
art student who was constantly challenging his father-in-law's prejudices and politics, while living under Manny's roof and eating his food.
Unlike the families of Archie Bunker
Archie Bunker
Archibald "Archie" Bunker is a fictional New Yorker in the 1970s top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker's Place, played to acclaim by Carroll O'Connor. Bunker is a veteran of World War II, reactionary, bigoted, conservative, blue-collar worker, and...
and Alf Garnett
Alf Garnett
Alf Garnett is a fictional character in the British sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part, Till Death... and In Sickness and in Health, and chat show The Thoughts of Chairman Alf. He was created by Johnny Speight and played by Warren Mitchell....
, however, the Beltráns in the first episode are moving up from their working-class digs to a nice, middle-class duplex in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, which they've bought thanks to some lottery winnings. Upon moving in, they discover that their next-door neighbors (and holdover tenants) are a homosexual couple: a Spanish physician, Fernandito Salazar (Gabriel Romero
Gabriel Romero
Gabriel Romero is an actor best known for his ground-breaking role as Fernandito, the first openly gay character on Spanish-language television, on the Telemundo sitcom Los Beltrán and for his role as Marco on the here! original series Dante's Cove. Romero himself is bisexual.Romero starred in Los...
), and his white American boyfriend, Kevin Lynch (James C. Leary). This sets up a number of plot lines through the course of the series, much as did the Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
moving in next door to the Bunkers in the early days of All in the Family.
Two particular episodes, focused on Fernandito and Kevin, got the series noticed by some English-language media. In the first season, Fernandito gets an unexpected visit from his father, a Spanish general (who resembles the late dictator Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
), and in the end comes out to the father as gay. In the second season, Fernandito and Kevin have a commitment ceremony—shortly after Californians in real life had voted on, and passed into law, the anti-gay-marriage Proposition 22. This was the first same-sex wedding ceremony ever shown on a Spanish-language television series.
Awards and recognition
Los Beltrán received the 2001 Imagen FoundationImagen Foundation
The Imagen Awards are administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to "encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry"....
Award for Best Comedy Series and the 2001 ALMA Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
from the National Council of La Raza
National Council of La Raza
The National Council of La Raza is a non-profit and non-partisan advocacy group in the United States, focused on improving opportunities for Hispanics. It is sometimes confused with La Raza Unida...
for Best Spanish Language Comedy Series. It was nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives...
, the first Spanish-language program so honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is a non-governmental media monitoring organization which promotes the image of LGBT people in the media...
.