Miriam Colon
Encyclopedia
Míriam Colón is a Puerto Rican
actress and the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City
.
. She was a young girl in the 1940s when her recently divorced mother moved the family to a public housing project called "Residencial Las Casas
", located in Barrio Obrero, San Juan
. She attended the Ramon Baldorioty de Castro High School in Old San Juan, where she actively participated in the school's plays. Her first drama teacher, Marcos Colón (no relation) believed that she was very talented and with his help she was permitted to observe the students in the "Drama Department of the University of Puerto Rico
". She was a good student in high school and was awarded scholarships that enabled her to enroll in the "Dramatic Workshop and Technical Institude
" and also in "The Lee Strasburg Acting Studio
" in New York City
.
, a film produced in Puerto Rico, and in which she played a character called "Lolita."
In 1954, Colón moved to New York City, where she worked in theater and later landed a role on the soap opera
Guiding Light
. On one occasion she attended a performance of Rene Marques
' La Carreta (The Oxcart). That presentation motivated her to form the first Hispanic
theater group, with the help of "La Carreta"'s producer, Roberto Rodríguez, called "El Circuito Dramatico".
In 1954 she appeared on stage in "In The Summer House" at the Play House in New York City. Between 1954 and 1974, Colón made guest appearances in television shows. She appeared mostly in westerns such as Gunsmoke
, Bonanza
, The High Chaparral
, and Have Gun, Will Travel. In 1961, Colón appeared in One-eyed Jacks
as "the Redhead".
In 1979, she starred alongside fellow Puerto Rican actors José Ferrer
, Raúl Juliá
, and Henry Darrow
in Life of Sin, a film in which she portrayed Isabel la Negra
, a real-life Puerto Rican brothel owner. In 1983, she played the mother of Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino
) in Scarface
. She was also cast as "María" in the 1999 film Gloria
, which starred Sharon Stone
.
in Manhattan, New York. The company presents Off-Broadway
productions onsite and goes on tour. She is the director of the company and she has appeared in these PRTT productions:
" for "Lifetime Achievement in the Theater." A biography of Miriam Colon, titled Miriam Colón - Actor and Theater, was written by Mayra Fernandez.
In 2000, Míriam Colón received the HOLA Raúl Juliá
Founders Award, presented by the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
(HOLA).
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
actress and the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Early years
Colón (birth name:Míriam Colón Valle} was born in Ponce, Puerto RicoPonce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. She was a young girl in the 1940s when her recently divorced mother moved the family to a public housing project called "Residencial Las Casas
Residencial Las Casas
Residencial Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, more commonly known as Residencial Las Casas or Las Casas, is a public housing complex located in San Juan, Puerto Rico consisting of 417 housing units. It is under the management of the Puerto Rico Housing Authority and is under the federal housing program...
", located in Barrio Obrero, San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. She attended the Ramon Baldorioty de Castro High School in Old San Juan, where she actively participated in the school's plays. Her first drama teacher, Marcos Colón (no relation) believed that she was very talented and with his help she was permitted to observe the students in the "Drama Department of the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
". She was a good student in high school and was awarded scholarships that enabled her to enroll in the "Dramatic Workshop and Technical Institude
Dramatic Workshop
Dramatic Workshop was the name of a drama and acting school associated with the New School for Social Research in New York City. It was launched in 1940 by German expatriate stage director Erwin Piscator. Among the faculty were Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler, among the students Marlon Brando, Tony...
" and also in "The Lee Strasburg Acting Studio
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He cofounded, with directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective"...
" in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Career
In 1953, Colón debuted as an actress in Peloteros (Baseball Players), starring Ramón (Diplo) RiveroRamón Rivero (Diplo)
Ramón Rivero — known as Diplo — was a comedian, actor, composer and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television and cinema industries...
, a film produced in Puerto Rico, and in which she played a character called "Lolita."
In 1954, Colón moved to New York City, where she worked in theater and later landed a role on the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
. On one occasion she attended a performance of Rene Marques
René Marques
René Marqués was a renowned Puerto Rican short story writer and playwright.-Early years:Marqués was born, raised and educated in the city of Arecibo...
' La Carreta (The Oxcart). That presentation motivated her to form the first Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
theater group, with the help of "La Carreta"'s producer, Roberto Rodríguez, called "El Circuito Dramatico".
In 1954 she appeared on stage in "In The Summer House" at the Play House in New York City. Between 1954 and 1974, Colón made guest appearances in television shows. She appeared mostly in westerns such as Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
, Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, The High Chaparral
The High Chaparral
The High Chaparral is a Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The show was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network...
, and Have Gun, Will Travel. In 1961, Colón appeared in One-eyed Jacks
One-Eyed Jacks
One-Eyed Jacks, a 1961 Western, is the only film directed by actor Marlon Brando, who also played its lead character, Rio.The film was originally to be directed by Stanley Kubrick and Sam Peckinpah...
as "the Redhead".
In 1979, she starred alongside fellow Puerto Rican actors José Ferrer
José Ferrer
José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón , best known as José Ferrer, was a Puerto Rican actor, as well as a theater and film director...
, Raúl Juliá
Raúl Juliá
Raúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
, and Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
in Life of Sin, a film in which she portrayed Isabel la Negra
Isabel la Negra
Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer , better known as "Isabel la Negra", was a Puerto Rican brothel owner and madam in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Her name and her brothel, Elizabeth's Dancing Club, became part of Puerto Rican folklore both during her life and posthumously...
, a real-life Puerto Rican brothel owner. In 1983, she played the mother of Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
) in Scarface
Scarface (1983 film)
Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
. She was also cast as "María" in the 1999 film Gloria
Gloria (1999 film)
Gloria is a remake of the 1980 film written and directed by John Cassavetes. It was directed by Sidney Lumet and starred Sharon Stone as Gloria. It is also notable as George C. Scott's final film...
, which starred Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
.
Filmography
- Crowded ParadiseCrowded ParadiseCrowded Paradise is a 1956 film starring Hume Cronyn and Nancy Kelly. The movie was directed by Fred Pressburger.-Cast:*Hume Cronyn .... George Heath*Nancy Kelly .... Louise Heath*Frank Silvera .... Papa Diaz*Enid Rudd .... Felicia Diaz...
(1956) - The OutsiderThe Outsider (1961 film)The Outsider is a 1961 biopic film about Ira Hayes, who was a Native American who fought in World War II in the United States Marine Corps and was one of the Marines who Raised the Flag on Iwo Jima. The film stars Tony Curtis as Hayes.-Cast:*Tony Curtis...
(1961) as Anita - Battle at Bloody BeachBattle at Bloody BeachBattle at Bloody Beach is a 1961 Drama directed by Herbert Coleman, starring Audie Murphy and Gary Crosby. Battle at Bloody Beach is only the second Audie Murphy movie set in WWII, after his autobiographical To Hell and Back.-Plot:...
(1961) as Nahni - One-eyed JacksOne-Eyed JacksOne-Eyed Jacks, a 1961 Western, is the only film directed by actor Marlon Brando, who also played its lead character, Rio.The film was originally to be directed by Stanley Kubrick and Sam Peckinpah...
(1961) as "Redhead" - Thunder Island (1963) as Anita Chavez
- Harbor LightsHarbor Lights"Harbor Lights" is a popular song by Hugh Williams with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy. This song was originally sung by Frances Langford in 1937 and was published again in 1950....
(1963) as Gina Rosario - The Appaloosa (1966) as Ana
- The Possession of Joel DelaneyThe Possession of Joel DelaneyThe Possession of Joel Delaney is a 1972 horror film starring Shirley MacLaine and Perry King, and directed by Waris Hussein. It is based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Ramona Stewart....
(1972) as Veronica - Back Roads (1981) as Angel
- ScarfaceScarface (1983 film)Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana...
(1983) as Mama Montana - City of HopeCity of Hope (film)City of Hope is an American drama film written and directed by John Sayles.The film features Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo and Chris Cooper....
(1991) as Mrs. Ramirez - Murder, She Wrote: Day of the Dead (1992) as Consuela Montejano
- The House of the SpiritsThe House of the SpiritsThe House of the Spirits is the debut novel by Isabel Allende. Initially, the novel was rejected by several Spanish-language publishers, but became an instant best seller when published in Barcelona in 1982. The novel was critically acclaimed around the world, and catapulted Allende to literary...
(1993) as Nana - SabrinaSabrina-People:*Sabrina , a feminine given name *Sabrina , British entertainer*Sabrina *Sabrina *Sabrina Salerno , Italian pop singer aka Sabrina...
(1995) as Rosa - Lone StarLone Star (1996 film)Lone Star is an American mystery film written and directed by John Sayles and set in a small town in Texas. It features Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Kris Kristofferson and Matthew McConaughey and deals with a sheriff's investigation into who murdered one of his predecessors.-Plot:In this ensemble...
(1996) as Mercedes Cruz - GloriaGloria (1999 film)Gloria is a remake of the 1980 film written and directed by John Cassavetes. It was directed by Sidney Lumet and starred Sharon Stone as Gloria. It is also notable as George C. Scott's final film...
(1999) as María - All the Pretty HorsesAll the Pretty Horses (film)All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 American romance western film, directed by Billy Bob Thornton and based on the novel of the same title by author Cormac McCarthy. It stars Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz...
(2000) as Doña Alfonsa - The Blue DinerThe Blue DinerThe Blue Diner is a 2001 comedy / romance film. It was directed and written by Jan Egleson. The producer Natatcha Estébanez also co-wrote and story and screenplay. Director Jan Egleson used excess film stock from the production of James Cameron's Titanic...
(2001) as Meche - Goal! (2005) as Mercedes
- Goal! 2: Living the Dream...Goal! 2: Living the Dream...Goal II: Living the Dream is the second part of the football film trilogy Goal! and it was released on 9 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and 29 August 2008 in the United States.- Plot :...
(2007) - The CryThe Cry (2007 film)The Cry is a 2007 independent horror suspense film directed by Bernadine Santistevan and co-written with Monique Salazar.-Synopsis:...
(2007) - Goal! 3: Taking on the World (2009)
The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre
In the late 1980s, Colón founded The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, on West 47th street47th Street (Manhattan)
47th Street is an east-west running street between First Avenue and the West Side Highway in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Traffic runs one way along the street, from east to west, starting at the United Nations Headquarters....
in Manhattan, New York. The company presents Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
productions onsite and goes on tour. She is the director of the company and she has appeared in these PRTT productions:
- The Ox Cart (1966–1967)
- The Boiler Room (1993)
- Simpson Street
- Señora Carrar's Rifles
Broadway
- In The Summer House (1954)
- The Innkeepers (1956)
- The Wrong Way Lightbulb (1969)
Awards
In 1993, Miriam Colón received an "Obie AwardObie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
" for "Lifetime Achievement in the Theater." A biography of Miriam Colon, titled Miriam Colón - Actor and Theater, was written by Mayra Fernandez.
In 2000, Míriam Colón received the HOLA Raúl Juliá
Raúl Juliá
Raúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
Founders Award, presented by the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors is an active arts service and advocacy organization. It is in the United States and dedicated to Hispanic artists and actors....
(HOLA).
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
External links
- Miriam Colón bio at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater