Rita Moreno was born on December 11, 1931, in Humacao, Puerto Rico. She is a singer, dancer and an Academy Award-winning actress.

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 Senorita. 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.

Credits by Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Filmography

• 4Chosen (2008)
• "Cane" (10 episodes, 2007)
• "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (3 episodes, 2006-2007)
• "Ugly Betty" (1 episode, 2007)
• "George Lopez" (1 episode, 2007)
• Play It by Ear (2006)
• Lolo's Cafe (2006)
• "Wanted" (1 episode, 2005)
• "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (1 episode, 2005)
• "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1 episode, 2005)
• Copshop (2004)
• King of the Corner (2004)
• "The Handler" (1 episode, 2003)
• Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico (2003)
• Casa de los babys (2003)
• "The Guardian" (3 episodes, 2003)
• "Strong Medicine" (1 episode, 2003)
• "Oz" (44 episodes, 1997-2003)
• Open House (2003)
• "American Family" (2 episodes, 2002)
• Piñero (2001)
• "Resurrection Blvd." (1 episode, 2001)
• Blue Moon (2000)
• The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads (1999)
• Resurrection (1999)
• Carlo's Wake (1999)
• "Buddy Faro" (1 episode)
• Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)
• The Spree (1998)
• "Touched by an Angel" (1 episode, 1997)
• "Murphy Brown" (1 episode, 1997)
• "The Magic School Bus" (1 episode, 1995)
• Angus (1995)
• The Wharf Rat (1995)
• "Burke's Law" (1 episode, 1995)
• Best Defense (1995)
• "The Cosby Mysteries" (2 episodes, 1994)
• I Like It Like That (1994)
• "The Nanny" (1 episode, 1994)
• "Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?" (1994)
• "Hearts Afire" (1 episode, 1993)
• Italian Movie (1993)
• "Raw Toonage" (1992)
• Age Isn't Everything (1991)
• "Top of the Heap" (2 episodes, 1991)
• "B.L. Stryker" (2 episodes, 1989-1990)
• "Miami Vice" (1 episode, 1989)
• Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Closed Set (1988)
• "The Golden Girls" (1 episode, 1987)
• "The Cosby Show" (1 episode, 1987)
• "The Love Boat" (2 episodes, 1983)
• Portrait of a Showgirl (1982)
• Working (1982)
• "9 to 5" (1 episode)
• The Four Seasons (1981)
• Trapper John, M.D." (1 episode, 1981)
• Evita Peron (1981)
• Happy Birthday, Gemini (1980)
• "The Rockford Files" (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
• "Bonkers!" (1 episode, 1979)
• Anatomy of a Seduction (1979)
• The Boss' Son (1978)
• Ruf der blonden Göttin, Der (1977)
• "The Electric Company" (780 episodes, 1971-1977)
• "Westside Medical" (1 episode, 1977)
• "Lanigan's Rabbi" (1 episode, 1977)
• The Ritz (1976)
• Out to Lunch (1974)
• "Medical Center" (1 episode, 1974)
• Dominic's Dream (1974)
• "Hec Ramsey" (1 episode, 1973)
• Carnal Knowledge (1971)
• Marlowe (1969)
• Popi (1969)
• The Night of the Following Day (1968)
• "Run for Your Life" (1 episode, 1967)
• "The Trials of O'Brien" (1 episode, 1965)
• "Burke's Law" (1 episode, 1963)
• Cry of Battle (1963)
• A World of Stars (1963)
• Summer and Smoke (1961)
• West Side Story (1961)
• "Adventures in Paradise" (1 episode, 1961)
• "Michael Shayne" (1 episode, 1961)
• "Disneyland" (2 episodes, 1960)
• "Richard Diamond, Private Detective" (1 episode, 1960)
• "Bourbon Street Beat" (1 episode, 1960)
• "Playhouse 90" (1 episode, 1960)
• This Rebel Breed (1960)
• "Cimarron City" (1 episode, 1959)
• "The Millionaire" (1 episode, 1959)
• "Zane Grey Theater" (1 episode, 1959)
• "Trackdown" (1 episode, 1959)
• "Tales of Wells Fargo" (1 episode, 1959)
• "General Electric Theater" (2 episodes, 1953-1959)
• "Climax!" (4 episodes, 1956-1958)
• The Deerslayer (1957)
• Matinee Theatre" (1 episode, 1957)
• The Vagabond King (1956)
• The King and I (1956)
• "The 20th Century-Fox Hour" (1 episode, 1956)
• The Lieutenant Wore Skirts (1956)
• Seven Cities of Gold (1955)
• Untamed (1955)
• Garden of Evil (1954)
• The Yellow Tomahawk (1954)
• "Cavalcade of America" (1 episode, 1954)
• "The Ford Television Theatre" (1 episode, 1954)
• Jivaro (1954)
• El Alaméin (1953)
• Latin Lovers (1953)
• Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation (1953)
• Fort Vengeance (1953)
• "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1 episode, 1952)
• Cattle Town (1952)
• The Fabulous Senorita (1952)
• Singin' in the Rain (1952)
• "Fireside Theatre" (2 episodes, 1952)
• The Ring (1952)
• Pagan Love Song (1950)
• The Toast of New Orleans (1950)
• So Young So Bad (1950)

Awards

• CableACE Award Actress in a Dramatic Series "Oz" 1997
• Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Performance in a Drama or Comedy Series "The Paper Palace" episode of "The Rockford Files" 1977 - 1978
• Emmy Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music "The Muppet Show" 1976 - 1977
• Tony Featured Actress in a Play "The Ritz" 1975
• Grammy Best Recording For Children "The Electric Company" 1972
• Joseph Jefferson Award Best Actress "The Rose Tattoo" 1968
• Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress "West Side Story" 1961
• Oscar Best Supporting Actress "West Side Story" 1961