Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Throughout her career spanning over 80 years, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and theater projects. Moreno's notable acting work includes supporting roles in the golden age of Hollywood musical films Singin' in the Rain (1952), The King and I (1956) and West Side Story (1961). She continued acting in films such as Popi (1969), Carnal Knowledge (1971), The Four Seasons (1981), I Like It Like That (1994) and the cult film Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). In 2021, she played Valentina in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of West Side Story.
She is also known for her work on the children's television series The Electric Company (1971–1977) as well as a supporting role as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO series Oz (1997–2003). She voiced the titular role of Carmen Sandiego in Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? from 1994 to 1999. From 2017 to 2020, she portrayed the role of the matriarch Lydia Margarita del Carmen Inclán Maribona Leyte-Vidal de Riera in the 2017 remake of One Day at a Time. For theater, she is best known for her role as Googie Gomez in The Ritz for which she received a Tony Award. She also starred in a female revival of The Odd Couple (1985–86) alongside Sally Struthers and Tony Shalhoub.
Film +KeyDenotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes 1950 So Young, So Bad Dolores Guererro Credited as Rosita Moreno Tina Pagan Love Song Terru 1952 The Ring Lucy Gomez Singin' in the Rain Zelda Zanders The Fabulous Senorita Manuela Rodríguez Cattle Town Queli 1953 Fort Vengeance Bridget Fitzgibbon Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation Soubrette Uncredited Latin Lovers Christina El Alamein Jara 1954 Jivaro Maroa The Yellow Tomahawk Honey Bear Garden of Evil Cantina Singer 1955 Untamed Julia Seven Cities of Gold Ula 1956 Sandra Roberts Tuptim Huguette 1957 The Deerslayer Hetty Hutter 1960 This Rebel Breed Lola Montalvo 1961 West Side Story Anita Summer and Smoke Rosa Zacharias 1963 Cry of Battle Sisa 1968 Vi 1969 Popi Lupe Marlowe Dolores Gonzáles 1971 Carnal Knowledge Louise 1976 The Ritz Googie Gomez 1977 Voodoo Passion 1978 Esther Rose 1980 Happy Birthday, Gemini Lucille 1981 Claudia Zimmer 1991 Age Isn't Everything Rita 1993 Italian Movie Isabella 1994 I Like It Like That Rosaria Linares 1995 Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business Herself Documentary Angus Madame Rulenska 1998 Slums of Beverly Hills Belle Abromowitz 1999 Carlo's Wake Angela Torello Herself Documentary 2000 Blue Moon Maggie 2001 Piñero Miguel's Mother 2003 Casa de los Babys Señora Muñoz Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico Dona Dolores / Woman No. 3 Voice Beyond Borders: John Sayles in Mexico Herself Documentary 2004 King of the Corner Inez 2006 Play It By Ear Ruth 2014 Rio 2 Mimi Voice Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Ida Barks 2016 Remember Me Gloria Sachs 2021 Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It Herself Documentary Curious George: Cape Ahoy Gertrude St. John Voice West Side Story Valentina Also executive producer 2022 The Prank Mrs. Wheeler My Father's Dragon Mrs. McClaren Voice 2023 80 for Brady Maura Fast X Abuelita Toretto Family Switch Angelica
Source: Internet Movie Database & Turner Classic Movies
Television Year Title Role Notes1952 Fireside Theatre Various 2 episodes China Smith Mariaman Episode: "The Bamboo Coffin" Schlitz Playhouse Lit-Lit Episode: "The Marriage of Lit-Lit" 1953–59 General Electric Theater Various 2 episodes1954 Where's Raymond? Episode: "Pilot" The Ford Television Theatre Serene Crane Episode: "Wonderful Day for a Wedding" Cavalcade of America Episode: "Cat with the Crimson Eyes" 1956 The 20th Century Fox Hour Sonseeahray Episode: "Broken Arrow" 1956–58 Climax! Various 4 episodes 1957 Matinee Theatre Episode: "The Daughter of Mata Hari"1958 The Red Skelton Hour Senorita Delores Episode: "Clem the Bullfighter" Father Knows Best Chanthini Episode: "Fair Exchange" (November 24, 1958)1959 Tales of Wells Fargo Lola Montez Episode: "Lola Montez" Trackdown Tina Episode: "The Samaritan" Zane Grey Theatre Linda Episode: "The Last Raid" The Millionaire Alicia Osante Episode: "Millionaire Alicia Osante" Cimarron City Elena Maria Obregon de Vega Episode: "The Town Is a Prisoner"1960 Playhouse 90 Rita Episode: "Alas, Babylon" Bourbon Street Beat Manuela Ruiz Episode: "Suitable for Framing" (May 16, 1960) Richard Diamond, Private Detective Maria Ferrari Episode: "Coat of Arms" Zorro Chulita 2 episodes1961 Michael Shayne Myra Episode: "No Shroud for Shayne" Adventures in Paradise Inez Sanders Episode: "Vendetta" 1963 Burke's Law Margaret Cowls Episode: "Who Killed Julian Buck?" (October 18, 1963)1965 Seaway Annabelle Episode: "The Only Good Indian" The Trials of O'Brien Caressa Episode: "Dead End on Flugel Street" 1967 Run for Your Life Anita Episode: "Who's Che Guevara?" 1971–77 CarmelaOtto The DirectorPandora the Little Girl Millie the Helper Cast member 1973 Hec Ramsey Lina Ramirez Episode: "A Hard Road to Vengeance"1974 Dominic's Dream Anita Bente TV short Medical Center Lydia Episode: "May God Have Mercy" Out to Lunch Herself / Various TV special 1975 Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Herself Episode #13991976 On the Rocks Rosa Dolores Episode: "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name" Herself Episode #1.05 The Carol Burnett Show Herself (skit player) Episode #9.161977 Lanigan's Rabbi Millie Hillman Episode: "Corpse of the Year" Westside Medical Leonor Carbajal Episode: "The Witch of Four West" 1978 America 2-Night Herself Episode: "White House Paper Shredder" 1978–79 Rita Capkovic 3 episodes1979 Anatomy of a Seduction Nina Television film Herself / Host TV special1981 Evita Perón Renata Riguel Television film Trapper John, M.D. Liz Boyce Episode: "Days of Wine and Leo" 1982–83 9 to 5 Violet Newstead Main role1982 Working Waitress Television film Portrait of a Showgirl Rosella DeLeon Television film 1983 The Love Boat Gladys Gordon 2 episodes1987 Mrs. Granger Episode: "You Only Hurt the One You Love" The Golden Girls Renee Corliss Episode: "Empty Nests" 1989 Miami Vice Congresswoman Madelyn Woods Episode: "Miami Squeeze" 1989–90 B.L. Stryker Kimberly Baskin 2 episodes 1991 Top of the Heap Alixandra Stone 6 episodes 1992 Raw Toonage Tanya Trunk Voice, episode: "Sheerluck Bonkers/All Potato Network/The Puck Stops Here"1993 Hearts Afire Senator Rhonda Hall Episode: "While the Thomasons Slept in the Lincoln Bedroom" Bonkers Tanya Trunk Voice, 2 episodes 1994 The Nanny Miss Wickervich/Mrs. Stone Episode: "The Gym Teacher" The Larry Sanders Show Herself Episode: "People's Choice" Captain Planet and the Planeteers Ella Salvator Voice, episode: "Disoriented Express" 1994–98 Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Carmen Sandiego Voice 1994–95 Angie Corea Main role 1995 Burke's Law Jackie Lodge Episode: "Who Killed the Gadget Man?" Mom Television film Women of the House Herself Episode: "Women in Film" Dr. Carmina Skeledon Voice, episode: "The Busasaurus" 1997 Murphy Brown Dr. Nancy Goldman Episode: "Ectomy, Schmectomy" Touched by an Angel Amanda Revere Episode: "The Comeback" 1997–03 Oz Sister Peter Marie Reimondo Main role 1998 The Spree Irma Kelly Television film 1999 The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It Leads Rita Capkovic Landale Television film Resurrection Mimi Television film 2000 Buddy Faro Episode: "Done Away in a Manger" 2001 Resurrection Blvd. Rosa Episode: "La Visita" 2002 American Family Juana 2 episodes 2003 Strong Medicine Lydia Episode: "Degeneration" The Guardian Caroline Novak 3 episodes The Handler Danielle Isabella Episode: "Off the Edge" 2004 Copshop Mary Alice Television film 2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mildred Quintana Episode: "Night" Law & Order: Trial by Jury Mildred Quintana Episode: "Day" Wanted Mrs. Kelly Episode: "Click, Click, Boom" 2006–07 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Frances Goren 3 episodes 2007 George Lopez Luisa Diaz Episode: "George Testi-Lies for Benny" Ugly Betty Aunt Mirta Episode: "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" Cane Amalia Duque Main role 2010 In Plain Sight Rita Ramirez Episode: "Coma Chameleon" 2011 Special Agent Oso Abuela Voice, episode: "For Tamales with Love/Pinata Royale" 2011–13 Happily Divorced Dori Newman 34 episodes 2013 Welcome to the Family Lita 2 episodes Nicky Deuce Tutti Television film 2014 Old Soul Rita Television film 2015 Getting On Sister Lily Claire Episode: "Reduced to Eating Boiled Magazines and Book Paste" A Gift of Miracles Beverly Television film 2015–19 Jane the Virgin Liliana De La Vega 5 episodes 2015–18 Nina's World Abuelita Voice, main role 2016 Grey's Anatomy Gayle McColl Episode: "Odd Man Out" Grace and Frankie Lucy Episode: "The Vitamix" 2017–20 One Day at a Time Lydia Riera Main role 2018 Elena of Avalor Queen Camila Voice, 2 episodes 2019 Carmen Sandiego Cookie Booker Voice, 3 episodes 2019–20 Bless This Mess Theresa Recurring role, 3 episodes 2021 Maya and the Three Ah Puch Voice, 5 episodes 2022 Green Eggs and Ham Dookess Voice, 7 episodes Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter Herself TV specialSanta BootcampBelleLifetime Film Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration Narrator TV special 2023 Lopez vs Lopez Dolores Recurring 2023–24 Princess Power Great Aunt Bussyboots Recurring
Source: Internet Movie Database & Turner Classic Movies
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes1945SkydriftAngelina1958A View from the Bridge 1964She Loves MeIlona RitterNYC Concert1964–65The Sign in Sidney Brustein's WindowIris Parodus Brustein1970GantrySharon FalconerBroadway1970–71Last of the Red Hot LoversElaine NazioBroadway Replacement1974Guys and DollsMiss Adelaide 1974The National HealthStaff Nurse NortonBroadway1975–76The RitzGoogie GomezBroadway1976Bells Are RingingElla 1981Wally's CafeLouiseBroadway1984–86The Odd CoupleOlive MadisonBroadway & US Tour1991The Glass Menagerie Amanda Wingfield 1992GypsyRose Hovick 1996Sunset BoulevardNorma DesmondWest End replacement2006The Glass MenagerieAmanda Wingfield2011Rita Moreno: Life Without MakeupSelf
Source: Internet Broadway Database
References
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