Maria Richwine (born María Eugenia Agudelo; June 22, 1952 – March 12, 2024) was a Colombian-born American actress who was also the first Latina Playboy Bunny.
Her first film role was as Buddy Holly's wife Maria, in the 1978 biopic movie The Buddy Holly Story. Her performance received positive reviews.Frank Javier Garcia Berumen, Latino Image Makers in Hollywood: Performers, Filmmakers and Films Since the 1960s (McFarland & Company, 2014), , pp. 89-90. Excerpts available at Google Books. Newsweek critic David Ansen commented, "Her attractive performance suggests complexities of character that the script fails to explore."David Ansen, "The Buddy Holly Story" (review), Newsweek, June 1978, reprinted in David Sterritt, ed., The B List: The National Society of Film Critics on the Low-budget Beauties, Genre-bending Mavericks, and Cult Classics We Love, Da Capo Press, 2008, , p. 166. Excerpts available at Google Books. She was a regular on Norman Lear's 1984 series a.k.a. Pablo, and also appeared in the television series Three's Company, Sledge Hammer!, and Freddy's Nightmares.
On March 12, 2024, Richwine was found unresponsive in a hot tub, at a residence in Palm Springs, California, and was later pronounced dead. She was 71.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 1978 The Buddy Holly Story Maria Elena Holly 1982 Desire Cris Arias 1986 Hamburger: The Motion Picture Conchita 1989 Ministry of Vengeance Fatima action thriller film
Television Year Title RoleNotes 1979 A Man Called Sloane Maria Casal Episode: "Samurai" 1982 Three's Company Maria Gomez Episode: "Cousin, Cuisine"1984 a.k.a. Pablo Carmen Rivera 6 episodes Hardcastle and McCormick Episode: "Hate the Picture, Love the Frame" 1990 Freddy's Nightmares Violet Rodriguez Episode: "Prisoner of Love" 2015 East Los High Veggie Episode: "Valentine's Day"
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