Don't Stereotype Hispanic America

Check out this editorial blog written by Rubén Navarrette, Jr. for CNN.com regarding the importance of Hispanics in the U.S.A. by clicking here.

HOLA Legends: César Romero

César Romero (1907 – 1994), born César Julio Romero Mantilla, al estilo latino, was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in costume dramas, characters in light domestic comedies, and as The Joker in television's "Batman" series.

He was born in New York, New York, U.S.A. to well-to-do Cuban parents (César Romero and María Mantilla) who migrated to the United States. His maternal grandparents were exiled Cubans Carmen and Manuel Mantilla. Their daughter, María Mantilla, Romero's mother, is generally believed to have been the daughter of Cuban poet and revolutionary hero José Martí, who also wrote the song "Guantánamera." His family's lifestyle, however, changed dramatically when his parents lost their sugar import business and suffered losses in the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Fortunately, his Hollywood earnings allowed him to support his large family, all of whom followed him to the West Coast, years later. He lived on and off with various family members, especially his sister, for the rest of his life.

In October 1942, while making Hollywood films, he voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served in the Pacific Theater. He reported aboard the Coast Guard-manned assault transport USS Cavalier in November 1943. According to a press release from the period he saw action during the invasions of Tinian and Saipan, both in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The same article mentioned that he preferred to be a regular part of the crew and was eventually promoted to the rank of Chief Boatswain's Mate.

He played "Latin lovers" in films from the 1930s until the 1950s, usually in supporting roles. He starred as The Cisco Kid in six Westerns made between 1939 and 1941. he danced and performed comedy in the 20th Century Fox films he starred in opposite Carmen Miranda and Betty Grable, such as Week-End in Havana (1941) and Springtime in the Rockies (1942).

In The Thin Man (1934), he played a villainous supporting role opposite the film's main star William Powell. Many of his films from this early period saw him cast in small character parts, such as Italian gangsters and East Indian princes. He also appeared in a comic turn as a subversive opponent to Frank Sinatra and his crew in Ocean's Eleven.

He was personally selected by 20th Century Fox, along with mogul Darryl Zanuck, to co-star with Tyrone Power in the Technicolor historical epic, Captain from Castile (1947). In the movie, he played conquistador Hernan Cortés.

Among his many television credits, he appeared several times on NBC's "The Martha Raye Show" in the middle 1950s. He played the role of Don Diego de la Vega's uncle in a number of episodes of "Zorro." In 1957, he guest-starred on "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" on the first episode of the seventh season. In 1965, he played the head of THRUSH in France in "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."

His biggest success came between the years 1966 and 1968, when he played "The Joker" in ABC's television series "Batman." He refused to shave his mustache and so it was covered with white makeup when playing the supervillain throughout the series' run, and in the spinoff 1966 film. He was the first actor to play the Joker in a live action adaptation of the Batman character. At 6'2" (1.88m), he was the tallest actor to have played the Joker in a (non-fan-made) live-action Batman production. (Heath Ledger was 6'1", or 1.85m, and Jack Nicholson was nearly 5'10", or 1.77m).

In the 1970s, he portrayed the absent father of the Freddie Prinze character Chico Rodríguez in "Chico and the Man," and later Peter Stavros in the television series "Falcon Crest" (1985–1987). He also did numerous guest starring spots on numerous television series.

He never married, but made regular appearances on the Hollywood social circuit in the company of attractive actresses; however, he was almost always described in interviews and articles as a "confirmed bachelor." He died in 1994 six weeks shy of his 87th birthday in Santa Monica, California, U.S.A. from bronchitis and pneumonia.

In a clip with Carole Lombard in the film Love Before Breakfast (1936)

A clip from the film Viva Cisco Kid (1940)

Appearing on the television series "What's My Line?"

A clip from the television series "Batman"

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.

Zahaira Curiel has just joined the cast of Plátanos and Collard Greens. The long running show, which is written by David Lamb and directed by Summer Hill Seven, continues to have performances at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in the Gramercy area of Manhattan. For more information, including that of the show schedule and how to buy tickets, click here.

Gilbert Cruz and Susanna Guzmán will appear in the short play Comida de p*ta (F@$king Lousy Food). Written by Desi Moreno-Penson and directed by José Zayas, the play also features Maggie Bofill and Ismael Cruz Córdova in the cast and will be part of the Ensemble Studio Theatre's Going To The River festival at its space in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. For more information, click here.

Iván Camilo, Maité Bonilla and Rosie Berrido appear in the film Under My Nails. The film will have its world premiere as the opening night film of the Festival de Cine Internacional de San Juan in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The film is written by Kisha Tikina Burgos, directed by Ari Maniel Cruz and also features Burgos, Marilú Acosta, Dolores Pedro, Enrique Juliá, Miranda Purcell and Antonio Pantojas in the cast.

Gladys K. Nilsen has a new single out. Called "Un regazo de amor," the song is written and performed by Nilsen and is available on CDBaby by clicking here.

Marcelino Feliciano will be acting opposite Michael Cumpsty and Kathryn Meisle in a production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. He will be understudying the role of Don Pedro (where he will spell Steven Skybell). Produced by Two River Theater Company, the production is directed by Sam Buntrock, scheduled for a September and October run and will take place at the Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey. For more information, click here.

Lucio Fernández has just returned from doing his Broadway-style cabaret show in Ecuador, where he performed with the Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra, and in Mexico, where he performed in several hotels including the RIU Palace Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. He returned to the States just in time to host the September episode of "Live on Stage" for La Bandeja TV where he featured the vocal stylings of jazz singer Terese Genecco and Her Big Band. The episode is below.



If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?

HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs.

Miss Bala, a film directed by Gerardo Naranjo and starring José Yenque in the role of DEA Kike Cámara, will have a screening at the Film Center of Lincoln Center as part of the New York Film Festival on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at 9pm and on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 4pm. The film was previously screened in Cannes Film Festival and is set to screen at theaters across Mexico. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Ángel Dillemuth’s play How I Survive is scheduled for a September run at the Lehman Studio Theater at Lehman College in the Bedford Park Boulevard section of the Bronx. Produced by Daryl Sledge and Lehman Stages, the production is directed by Bridget Leak and features Alexis Suárez and Henry Ovalles in the cast. For more information, click here.

Mauricio Alexander’s film Departure, which he wrote, directed and produced, is an official selection of this year’s Loísaida Cortos Film Festival. For more information, click here.

Caridad de la Luz (also known by her nom de poésie La Bruja) will be hosting and performing at the 4th Annual Anti-Columbus Day Bash on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at Mi Gente Café in the Unionport section of the Bronx. In addition, she teaches a free poetry workshop entitled Oh Snap! at El Museo Del Barrio in Manhattan’s El Barrio neighborhood. For more information on the workshop, click here. For more information her upcoming gigs, click here. Below, check out a video of two spoken word pieces done in medley form by La Bruja ("Lola" and "WTC"). Warning: Strong language.




If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?

2011 HOLA Awards Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: A.B. Lugo (212) 253-1015 ablugo@hellohola.org

LUIS GUZMÁN, RUBÉN BLADES,
DANNY PINO AND NATALIE MORALES
TO BE HONORED AT 2011 HOLA AWARDS

NY INT'L LATINO FILM FESTIVAL (NYILFF)
AND HEINEKEN TO RECEIVE HONORS


Delta Airlines is the Presenting Sponsor of the 2011 HOLA Awards

BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE HERE

2011 HOLA Awards to take place Monday, October 17, 2011
at The Battery Gardens in scenic Battery Park, NYC

September 6, 2011 (New York, New York) — The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA), the nation’s longest running active arts advocacy organization for Latino actors, is pleased to announce that it will honor film and television star Luis Guzmán, singer-actor-humanitarian Rubén Blades, "Law and Order" lead actor Danny Pino, broadcast journalist Natalie Morales of “The Today Show” and the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) as Delta Airlines presents its Twelfth Annual HOLA Awards Gala and Benefit, sponsored in part by NBCUniversal. The Awards Gala and Benefit will take place on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 6:30pm at The Battery Gardens on the waterfront in New York’s scenic Battery Park (opposite 17 State Street). Sponsorships slots are still available and range from $10,000 for a silver sponsorship to $50,000 for the Presenting Sponsor. A limited number of individual tickets are available at $150.

Luis Guzmán will be honored with the organization’s inaugural HOLA Excellence in Film Award. Guzmán currently stars in the HBO program “How To Make It in America,” and was most recently seen on the big screen in Arthur starring Russell Brand. Guzmán’s distinguished career spans decades across the small and big screen.

Rubén Blades will receive the Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award. Blades’ career across the disciplines of music, politics and acting make him one of the Latino community’s most compelling and iconic figures. In addition to the wide breadth of his artistic accomplishments, HOLA is singling out for recognition his many accomplishments and contributions resulting from his humanitarian efforts.

Danny Pino, the most recent addition to the cast of NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," will receive the José Ferrer HOLA Tespis Award. Danny's past work across film and television has served to propel him into his new role on "Law and Order: SVU," one that places him squarely in the ranks of the much beloved current and past actors who have left indelible marks on this hit TV franchise, and the television landscape as a whole.

Natalie Morales of NBC’s “The Today Show” will receive the HOLA Excellence in Media Award. On May 9, 2011 NBCUniversal announced that she would permanently replace Ann Curry as news anchor for "Today." Her prominent new position is a true accomplishment and one that HOLA is proud to recognize and applaud.

HOLA will also honor the New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) with a Special Recognition Award for their remarkable achievements in promoting the work of Latino filmmakers and actors throughout their distinguished history as the premier urban Latino film event in the country.

The HOLA Awards Committee has also chosen Heineken as the inaugural recipient of the HOLA Award for Distinction in Corporate Arts Philanthropy. This award honors those corporations whose philanthropic endeavors serve to further and promote Latino arts and artists. HOLA is happy to laud and highlight Heineken's efforts to create opportunities for Latino actors, in particular through its Voces Grant held in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Institute. "As an arts advocacy organization we are deeply cognizant of and appreciate the wonderful opportunities that the Heineken Voces Grant represents for Latino actors and we find it fitting to honor Heineken in recognition of that impact," said HOLA Executive Director Manny Alfaro.

In addition to the aforementioned awards HOLA will also continue its yearly tradition of honoring the best of Latino theater in New York with noncompetitive awards encompassing multiple winners in each category. HOLA is at the forefront in recognizing the high caliber work being offered across New York’s thriving Latino theatrical stages and, in that same spirit, is recognizing entertainment veteran Teresa Yenque with a Special Recognition Award for her over 40 years of excellence in the entertainment industry. A list of the 2010-2011 theater awardees is shown below.

The Twelfth Annual HOLA Awards will take place on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 6:30pm at The Battery Gardens in scenic Battery Park (opposite 17 State Street) located in New York. Individual tickets are $150 and can be purchased in advance by calling (212) 253-1015 or by going to www.hellohola.org. Table sponsorships are also available and can be purchased by calling Maria Nieto at 212-253-1015 or by emailing at MariaFNieto@HelloHola.org.

2011 HOLA Awards for Excellence in Theater

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR
Alfredo Huereca, Cayendo con Victoriano
(World View Productions)
Francisco Reyes, Way To Heaven (Himmelweg)
(Repertorio Español)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR
Vanessa Aspíllaga, underneathmybed
(Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)
Susanna Guzmán, La luz de un cigarrillo
(Teatro LATEA)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED MALE ACTOR
Ismael Cruz Córdova, La luz de un cigarrillo
(Teatro LATEA)
Israel Ruiz, La Strada
(IATI Theater/Compañía La Strada)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED FEMALE ACTOR
Arisleyda Lombert, La luz de un cigarrillo
(Teatro LATEA)
Eva Cristina Vásquez, Sabina y Lucrecia
(Teatro Círculo)


OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Inma Heredia, My Audition for Almodóvar
(IATI Theater)
Lauren Vélez, They Call Me La Lupe
(Teatro LATEA/Dura Vida Productions)



OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
Iván Camilo, Sunilda Caraballo, Juan Carlos Díaz,
Mateo Gómez, Modesto Lacén, Graciany Miranda,
Manny Pérez, Ruperto Vanderpool,
La barbería (David Maldonado and Juan Toro/New World Stages)

Rosie Berrido, Zulema Clares, Dalia Davi, María Helan, Flor de Liz Pérez,Teresa Pérez-Frangie, Fermín Suárez, En el tiempo de las mariposas (Repertorio Español)


OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL PRODUCTION
Raúl Ábrego, for his scenic design of
La barbería (David Maldonado and
Juan Toro/New World Stages)
Yanko Bakulic, for his scenic design of La luz de un cigarrillo (Teatro LATEA)


OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN PLAYWRITING
Florencia Lozano, underneathmybed
(Rattlestick Playwrights Theater)
Marco Antonio Rodríguez, La luz de un cigarrillo (Teatro LATEA)


OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION
Aminta De Lara, Aviones de papel (Paper Airplanes)
(Teatro LATEA/ Zer0Compañía)
René Buch and Jorge B. Merced, La Strada
(IATI Theater/Compañía La Strada)


SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Teresa Yenque, for over 40 years of excellence
in theater, film and television


GILBERTO ZALDÍVAR HOLA AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION
Aviones de papel (Paper Airplanes)
(Teatro LATEA)
De Fuente Ovejuna a Ciudad Juárez
(Thalía Spanish Theatre/The Cross Border Project)

The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) is an arts service and advocacy organization dedicated to expanding the presence of Hispanic artists in entertainment and media through the cultivation, education and recognition of emerging artists. HOLA strives for an accurate, informed and non-stereotyped portrayal of the full spectrum of Latino culture and heritage in all entertainment and media industries.

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Betcha Didn't Know...?

Some of the most notable names from the dawn of film and television are of Latino descent. Here are some of them.

In this edition, an Academy Award winner, a BAFTA Award winner, a César Award winner and the first Latino castmember of the Emmy Award winning, iconic NBC series "Saturday Night Live."

Mercedes Ruehl (1948– ) was born in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens, New York, New York, U.S.A., to a mother of Cuban and Irish descent and a father of German and Irish descent. An actor, she began her career in regional theatre with the Denver Center Theatre Company, in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., taking odd jobs between engagements. In the late 1970s, she began chalking up New York stage successes, notably in I'm Not Rappaport (1984). On the stage, she won the 1984 Obie Award for her performance in The Marriage of Bette and Boo and twenty years later, an Obie for Woman Before a Glass. She also received a 1991 Tony Award as Best Actress in a Play for Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers. She also received Tony nominations in 1995 for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for the revival of The Shadow Box and in 2002 for Best Actress in a Play for Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? Her most acclaimed film role was in The Fisher King; her performance in the film earned her the 1991 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as an American Comedy Award, a Boston Society of Film Critics Award, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and a Golden Globe Award. Earlier she had won the 1989 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Married to the Mob. She played KACL station manager Kate Costas in five episodes of "Frasier," and had a major role in the made-for-TV film "All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story." She has also played the mother of Vincent Chase in HBO's "Entourage." She is the first Cuban American female Academy Award winner. In 2005, she (along with Esaí Morales) received the Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA). She is married to painter David Geiser and has two sons.

Helena Bonham Carter (1966- ), born Helena Bonham Carter Propper de Callejón al estilo latino in Golders Green, London, England, U.K., to a psychotherapist mother of Spanish-Bohemian Jewish heritage and an economist father of English heritage. Her paternal family has a strong political background with numerous politicians (her great-grandfather was prime minister of Britain from 1908–1916). Her maternal grandfather, Spanish diplomat Eduardo Propper de Callejón, saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust during World War II. An actress of film, stage, and television, she made her acting debut in a television adaptation of K.M. Peyton's "A Pattern of Roses" before winning her first film role as the titular character in Lady Jane. She is known for her roles in films such as A Room with A View, Fight Club and the Harry Potter series, as well as for frequently collaborating with director and domestic partner Tim Burton. A two-time Academy Award nominee for her performances in The Wings of the Dove and The King's Speech, her acting has been further recognised with six Golden Globe nominations, an International Emmy Award, and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award. Her breakthrough role was Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View. She then also appeared in episodes of "Miami Vice" as Don Johnson's love interest during the 1986–87 season. She appeared in a dream sequence during season 2 of the UK comedy series "Absolutely Fabulous," playing Edina Monsoon's daughter Saffie (throughout the series, references to physical similarities between Bonham Carter and the character of Saffie were made). These early films led to her to being typecast as a "corset queen" and "English rose," playing pre- and early 20th century characters, particularly in Merchant-Ivory films. She has since expanded her range, with her more recent films being Fight Club, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Big Fish, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Alice in Wonderland. She speaks French fluently, starring in a 1996 French film Portraits chinois. She played Bellatrix Lestrange in 2007's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2010's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, and 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. She also appeared in the fourth Terminator film entitled Terminator Salvation, playing a small but pivotal role. Her role as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as Queen Elizabeth) in the film The King's Speech (2010), earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, as well as an Academy Award nomination. In 2001, she began her current relationship with director Tim Burton, whom she met while filming Planet of the Apes. Burton has taken to casting her in his movies, including Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Alice in Wonderland. Their son Billy Raymond Burton was born on 4 October 2003. Her second child, a daughter named Nell Burton was born on 15 December 2007.

Olivier Martínez (1966- ) was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France to a Spanish father born in Spanish Morocco and a French mother. An actor, he became known after roles in several French films, and has also appeared in Hollywood-produced features, including Unfaithful. He studied at the prestigious Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique (CNSAD; French National Academy of Dramatic Arts) and began his acting career in his native France in 1990, and quickly achieved a relative success. In 1994, he won a César Award (France's highest acting award, akin to the U.S. Academy Award) as "Most Promising Actor" for his role in Un, deux, trois, soleil (1993). He first came to mainstream attention in Hollywood films with his performance opposite Diane Lane in Unfaithful (2002). He has since appeared in a television adaptation of "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" (2003), S.W.A.T. (2003) and Taking Lives (2004). He also starred as Gabriel in the 2007 movie adaptation of Blood and Chocolate, a popular book. Other film credits include Mon homme, La ciudad de los prodigios, Nosotras, La Femme de chambre du Titanic, Toreros, Before Night Falls, Semana Santa, IP5: L'île aux Pachydermes and the upcoming Dark Tide (starring Halle Berry).

Horatio Sanz (1969- ) was born in Santiago de Chile to Chilean parents. He is an actor and comedian best known as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" from 1998-2006. He most recently starred alongside his former SNL castmate Chris Parnell in the Comedy Central series "Big Lake." He was the youngest of three sons and grew up in the North Pulaski neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Starstruck at an early age, he honed his skills in Chicago, where he performed at various theaters, including The Court Theater and The Second City. While in Chicago, he was also one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) sketch comedy and improv troupe. He can still be seen regularly performing with the sketch troupe at their long-running hit improv show "ASSSSCAT 3000," at both of the UCB's popular comedy theaters located in New York City and Los Angeles. He joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live" in September 1998. He was the fourth cast member in SNL history to be born outside of North America after Tony Rosato, Pamela Stephenson and Morwenna Banks. At the beginning of the show's 31st season, he was the temporary replacement for Tina Fey as Amy Poehler's "Weekend Update" co-anchor while Fey was on maternity leave until she resumed her duties in October 2005. He left the show in 2006. He returned to SNL as a guest on February 3, 2007, appearing as Elton John, and again on November 3, 2008 as presidential candidate Bill Richardson. Some of his additional notable celebrity impressions on the show include Alfred Hitchcock, Aaron Neville, Ozzy Osbourne, Rosie O'Donnell, Barney Frank, Billy Joel, Freddy Fender, Ron Jeremy, Saddam Hussein, Matt LeBlanc, Kim-Jong-il, Vin Diesel, Jerry García, Bruce Vilanch, Gerardo, Truman Capote, Jimmy Buffett and Louie Anderson. He is currently a producer, writer and occasional guest performer on the Comedy Central sketch series "Nick Swardson's Pretend Time."


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HOLA Member Bochinche

Bochinche refers to "gossip." In this sense, we use it to mention HOLA members who are getting acting and performance gigs. The names of HOLA members are in boldface.

Raquel Almazán and Ángel Dillemuth report work on the television series “Pan Am” (ABC).

Gredivel Vásquez is currently working on Mi bebé es un héroe. A puppet play for children written and directed by and co-starring Eduardo Navas, the production takes place at Repertorio Español, located in Manhattan’s Rose Hill district. For more information on the schedule of performances click here.

Ayanery Reyes will soon be seen in Clifford Odets’ classic play Waiting for Lefty. Presented by the Harold Clurman Laboratory Theatre Company and directed by Don K. Williams, the production will have a September and October run at the Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. For more information, click here.

Jesús E. Martínez and Omar Pérez can be seen in the world premiere of the musical Fly-Babies/Piojos. Developed and directed by Rosalba Rolón with music by Desmar Guevara, the production is scheduled for an October and November run at Pregones Theater, located in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the south Bronx. For more information, click here.

If you are an HOLA member and want to submit a bochinche item, send us an e-mail at holagram@hellohola.org. If you are not an HOLA member, why not join?