Olga San Juan
Encyclopedia
Olga San Juan was an American actress, dancer and comedian
, mainly active in films during the 1940s.
She was born in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican
parents. When she was three years old, her family moved back to Puerto Rico, then moved back to the United States a few years later.
She was dubbed the "Puerto Rican Pepperpot" for singing and dancing roles alongside Bing Crosby
, Fred Astaire
and others. In 1951, she starred on Broadway
in the Lerner & Loewe musical, Paint Your Wagon.
She was married to actor Edmond O'Brien
in 1948, divorcing him in 1976. They had three children: television producer Bridget O'Brien and actors Maria O'Brien and Brendan O'Brien
.
San Juan died of kidney failure stemming from a long-term illness, at age 81, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, in Burbank, California
.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, mainly active in films during the 1940s.
She was born in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican
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...
parents. When she was three years old, her family moved back to Puerto Rico, then moved back to the United States a few years later.
She was dubbed the "Puerto Rican Pepperpot" for singing and dancing roles alongside Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and others. In 1951, she starred on Broadway
The Broadway Theatre
The Broadway Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1681 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan....
in the Lerner & Loewe musical, Paint Your Wagon.
She was married to actor Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien
Edmond O'Brien was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for his role in D.O.A. and his Oscar winning role in The Barefoot Contessa...
in 1948, divorcing him in 1976. They had three children: television producer Bridget O'Brien and actors Maria O'Brien and Brendan O'Brien
Brendan O'Brien (voice actor)
Brendan O'Brien is an American voice actor who is best known for providing voices for the Crash Bandicoot video games during the Naughty Dog years...
.
San Juan died of kidney failure stemming from a long-term illness, at age 81, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, in Burbank, California
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....
.
Awards
- Donaldson Award for her work in Paint Your Wagon.
- Screen Actors Guild Latino Legacy Award for work throughout her long career.
Filmography
- Caribbean Romance (1943) (short subject)
- Rainbow Island (1944)
- Bombalera (1945) (short subject)
- Out of This World (1945)
- Duffy's TavernDuffy's TavernDuffy's Tavern was a popular American radio situation comedy which ran for a decade on several networks , concluding with the December 28, 1951 broadcast....
(1945) - Hollywood Victory Caravan (1945) (short subject)
- The Little Witch (1945) (short subject)
- Blue SkiesBlue Skies (film)Blue Skies is a 1946 Hollywood musical Technicolor comedy film, released by Paramount Pictures and starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Joan Caulfield, Olga San Juan and Billy De Wolfe, with music, lyrics and story by Irving Berlin; most of the songs were recycled from earlier works. The film was...
(1946) - Cross My Heart (1946)
- Variety GirlVariety GirlVariety Girl is an all-star movie musical produced by Paramount Pictures. Numerous Paramount contract players and directors make cameos or perform songs, with particularly large amounts of screen time featuring Bing Crosby...
(1947) - Are You With It? (1948)
- One Touch of VenusOne Touch of VenusOne Touch of Venus is a musical with music written by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ogden Nash, and book by S. J. Perelman and Nash, based on the novella The Tinted Venus by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, and very loosely spoofing the Pygmalion myth. The show satirizes contemporary American suburban values,...
(1948) - The Countess of Monte CristoThe Countess of Monte Cristo (1948 film)The Countess of Monte Cristo is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Frederick De Cordova and starring Sonja Henie, Olga San Juan and Dorothy Hart.-Cast:* Sonja Henie - Karen Kirsten* Olga San Juan - Jenny Johnsen* Dorothy Hart - Peg Manning...
(1948) - The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful BendThe Beautiful Blonde from Bashful BendThe Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend is a 1949 romantic comedy Western film starring Betty Grable and featuring Cesar Romero and Rudy Vallee...
(1949) - The Barefoot ContessaThe Barefoot ContessaThe Barefoot Contessa is a 1954 film about the life and loves of fictional Spanish sex symbol Maria Vargas. It was written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and stars Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner and Edmond O'Brien....
(1954) - The 3rd Voice (1960)