Míriam Colón Valle (August 20, 1936 – March 3, 2017) was a Puerto Rican actress. She was the founder and director of New York City's

Puerto Rican Traveling Theater The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater is a theater company based at the 47th Street Theater in New York City. It was founded as El Nuevo Círculo Dramatico (The New Drama Circuit) by Míriam Colón and Roberto Rodríguez. It was one of the first Pu ...

. Beginning her career in the early 1950s, she performed on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and on television. She appeared on television programs from the 1960s to the 2010s, including ''

Sanford and Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC One in the United ...

'' and ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

''. She is best known as Mama Montana, the mother of

Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...

's title character in '' Scarface''. In 2014, she received the

National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...

from President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

. She died of complications from a

pulmonary infection Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is a term often used as a synonym for pneumonia but can also be applied to other types of infection including lung abscess and acute bronchitis. Symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness, fever, cou ...

on March 3, 2017, at the age of 80.

Early life

Míriam Colón Valle was born in Ponce,

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

, on August 20, 1936. In the 1940s, her recently divorced mother moved the family to a public housing project called

Residencial Las Casas Residencial Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, more commonly known as Residencial Las Casas, Caserio Las Casas or Las Casas, is a public housing complex located in San Juan, Puerto Rico consisting of 417 housing units. It is under the management of the ...

in San Juan. She attended

Román Baldorioty de Castro Román Baldorioty de Castro (23 February 1822 – 30 September 1889) was Puerto Rican abolitionist and spokesman for the island's right to self-determination. In 1870, he was elected as a deputy in the Cortes Generales, the Spanish parliament, ...

High School in

Old San Juan Old San Juan ( es, Viejo San Juan) is a historic district located at the "northwest triangle" of the Isleta de San Juan, islet of San Juan. Its area roughly correlates to the Ballajá, Old San Juan, Ballajá, Catedral, Old San Juan, Catedral, Ma ...

, where she took part in plays. Her first drama teacher, Marcos Colón (no relation) believed in her talent, and helped her gain permission to observe the students in the drama department of the

University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico ( es, Universidad de Puerto Rico, UPR) is the main public university system in the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a government-owned corporation with 11 campuses and approximately 58,000 students and 5,3 ...

. She was a good student in high school and was awarded scholarships to the Dramatic Workshop and Technical Institute and

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. In New York, she befriended

Dean Zayas Dean Zayas Pereira (October 17, 1938 – February 3, 2022) was a Puerto Rican actor, director, playwright, author, poet, dramatic arts professor, and television show host. He directed some of Puerto Rico's best known telenovelas, such as Cristi ...

, another young Puerto Rican actor and future director.

Career

In 1953, Colón debuted as an actress in ''Los Peloteros'' (''The Baseball Players''), a film produced in Puerto Rico, starring Ramón "Diplo" Rivero, and in which she played a character called Lolita. That year, she moved to New York City, where she was accepted by

co-founder

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

after a single audition, thus becoming the studio's first Puerto Rican member. In New York, she worked in theater and later landed a role on the

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

''. She attended a performance of

René Marqués René Marqués (October 4, 1919 – March 22, 1979) was a Puerto Rican short story writer and playwright. Early years Marqués was born, raised and educated in the city of Arecibo. He developed an interest in writing at a young age and was p ...

' ''La Carreta'' (''The Oxcart'') which motivated her to form the first

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

theater group, with the help of La Carreta's producer, Roberto Rodríguez, called "El Circuito Dramático". James Arness Miriam Colon Gunsmoke

In 1954, she appeared on stage in "In The Summer House" at the Play House in New York City. Between 1954 and 1974, she made guest appearances in television shows such as ''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...

'' and ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

''. She appeared mostly in westerns such as ''

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', ''

The High Chaparral ''The High Chaparral'' television series, which was broadcast on NBC from 1967 to 1971, is an American Western action adventure drama set in the 1870s. It stars Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell. The series was made by Xanadu Productions in ...

'', and '' Have Gun, Will Travel''. She appeared in the 1961 film ''

One-eyed Jacks ''One-Eyed Jacks'' is a 1961 American Western film directed by and starring Marlon Brando, his only directorial credit. Brando portrays the lead character Rio, and Karl Malden plays his partner, "Dad" Longworth. The supporting cast features Pin ...

'' as "the Redhead". In 1962, she was featured as the co-star in a teleplay written by Frank Gabrielsen, and produced for the TV series ''

The DuPont Show of the Week ''The DuPont Show of the Week'' is an American television anthology drama series which aired for three seasons on NBC from September 17, 1961 to August 30, 1964. It was nominated one time for an Edgar Allan Poe Award and eight times for Primet ...

''. The title of the hour-long episode is "The Richest Man in Bogota", airing on 17 June 1962. It starred

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (born Lamont Waltman Marvin Jr.; February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and premature white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Alth ...

as Juan de Núñez, and Miriam Colón as "Marina" (not Medina-Saroté, as in the original H.G. Wells story, ''

The Country of the Blind "The Country of the Blind" is a short story by English writer H. G. Wells. It was first published in the April 1904 issue of ''The Strand Magazine'' and included in a 1911 collection of Wells's short stories, ''The Country of the Blind and Ot ...

''). She co-starred as Anita Chavez in ''Thunder Island'' (1963), with the screenplay written by

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

. In 1979, she starred alongside fellow Puerto Rican actors

José Ferrer José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón (January 8, 1912 – January 26, 1992) was a Puerto Rican actor and director of stage, film and television. He was one of the most celebrated and esteemed Hispanic American actors during his lifetime, w ...

Raúl Juliá Raúl Rafael Carlos Juliá y Arcelay (March 9, 1940 – October 24, 1994) was a Puerto Rican actor. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he took an interest in acting while still in school and pursued the career upon completion of his studies. After ...

, and

Henry Darrow Henry Darrow (born Enrique Tomás Delgado Jiménez; September 15, 1933 – March 14, 2021) was an American character actor of stage and film known for his role as Manolito "Mano" Montoya on the 1960s television series ''The High Chaparral''. In ...

in ''Life of Sin'', a film in which she portrayed Isabel la Negra, a real-life Puerto Rican brothel owner. In 1983, she was cast as the mother of Tony Montana in '' Scarface'', despite being only 4 years older than

. Colón has said that she based her performance on her own mother. She was also cast as María in the 1999 film ''

Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkins) ...

'', starring

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...

. In 2013, she was cast in the role of Ultima, a New Mexico Hispanic healer, in the movie ''

Bless Me, Ultima ''Bless Me, Ultima'' is a coming-of-age novel by Rudolfo Anaya centering on Antonio Márez y Luna and his mentorship under his '' curandera'' and protector, Ultima. It has become the most widely read and critically acclaimed novel in the Chicano ...

'' based on the novel by

Rudolfo Anaya Rudolfo Anaya (October 30, 1937June 28, 2020) was an American author. Noted for his 1972 novel ''Bless Me, Ultima'', Anaya was considered one of the founders of the canon of contemporary Chicano literature. The themes and cultural references of ...

. She appeared in Season 1 of the TV series ''

Better Call Saul ''Better Call Saul'' is an American crime and legal drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, ''Breaking Bad'', and serves as a ...

'' in 2015, as Abuelita.

Puerto Rican Traveling Theater

In the late 1960s, Colón founded The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater company on

West 47th street ''West 47th Street'' is a documentary film produced by Lichtenstein Creative Media. ''West 47th Street'' is an intimate cinéma vérité portrait of four people with serious mental illness as their lives naturally unfold over a three-year perio ...

Manhattan, New York Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. The company presents

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

productions onsite and also goes on tour. She was the director of the company and she appeared in the following PRTT productions: * ''The Ox Cart'' (1966–1967) * ''The Boiler Room'' (1993) * ''Simpson Street'' * ''Señora Carrar's Rifles'' The play ''The Ox Cart'' (''La Carreta''), written by Puerto Rican dramatist

, was first produced in 1953. It was directed by Roberto Rodríguez and starred Colón. The success of the play allowed Rodríguez and Colón to form the first permanent Hispanic theatrical group, and for the group to have its own space, Teatro Arena, located in Manhattan on Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 44th street.

Recognition

In 1993, Colón received an

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the A ...

for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater. In 2000, she received the HOLA

Founders Award, presented by the

Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) is an active arts service and advocacy organization founded in 1975. It is in the United States and is dedicated to Hispanic artists, actors and actresses. It is not to be confused with H.O.L.A., ...

(HOLA). Colón's biography, ''Míriam Colón: Actor and Theater Founder'', was written by Mayra Fernandez in 1994. In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Colón the National Medal of Arts for her contributions as an actress. The citation reads as follows: "Ms. Colón has been a trailblazer in film, television, and theater, and helped open doors for generations of Hispanic actors."

Personal life

Colón was married to George Paul Edgar from 1966 until his death in 1976. In 1987, she married Fred Valle. She was an avid collector of ancestral arts including pre-Columbian, tribal African, historic Native American, and other tribal art. She collected Mid-East artifacts, abstract paintings, and modern sculpture. A signed Pablo Picasso sketch in crayon that she owned was auctioned for $6500 on June 16, 2019. At her death, she owned at least six signed movie posters of Al Pacino's ''Scarface'' and at least seven signed ''Scarface'' soundtrack albums. Her final years were in

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

Death

Colón died on March 3, 2017, at the age of 80, in New York City of complications from a

. Among those who paid tribute to her were Rosalba Rolón,

Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. A three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Gra ...

(who she had coached as an actor and briefly appeared with on television), and

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animate ...

Filmography

* 1951 ''Los Peloteros'' as Lolita * 1955 ''

Danger Danger is a lack of safety and may refer to: Places * Danger Cave, an archaeological site in Utah * Danger Island, Great Chagos Bank, Indian Ocean * Danger Island, alternate name of Pukapuka Atoll in the Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean * Danger Isla ...

'' (TV Series) * 1955 ''

Star Tonight ''Star Tonight'', an American television anthology series, aired on ABC from February 3, 1955, to August 1956. It consisted of 80 total episodes, 30 from 1955 and 50 from 1956. Each episode was a self-contained story, usually adapted from famous ...

'' (TV Series) * 1956 '' Crowded Paradise'' * 1956 ''Soraya'' (TV Series, three episodes) * 1957 '' The Big Story'' (TV Series) as Esperanza Martinez * 1958 ''

Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...

'' (TV Series) as Maria * 1956-1958 '' Studio One'' (TV Series) as Mrs. Talavera / Rosie * 1959 '' Lux Playhouse'' (TV Series) as Mrs. Flores * 1959 '' State Trooper'' (TV Series, Episode, ''Case of the Barefoot Girl'') as Francesca * 1959 ''

One Step Beyond One Step Beyond may refer to: Music * ''One Step Beyond'' (Dungeon album) or the title song, 2004 * ''One Step Beyond'' (Jackie McLean album), 1963 * '' One Step Beyond...'', an album by Madness, or the title song (see below), 1979 * ''One Step ...

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''He Hand'') as Alma Rodriguez * 1959 ''

Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...

'' (TV Series) as Esperanza * 1959 ''

Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to: *Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman *Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author *Mike Hammer (character), a fictional hard boiled detective ** ''Mick ...

'' (TV Series) as Tarano * 1959 ''

'' (TV Series) as Maria DeCara * 1959 ''

Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded to ...

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Desert Showdown'') as Rita * 1959 '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Desert Seed'') as Mrs. Gomez * 1961 ''

'' as Redheaded Lady * 1961 ''

Battle at Bloody Beach ''Battle at Bloody Beach'', (aka ''Battle on the Beach'' in the UK and Australia), is a 1961 drama directed by Herbert Coleman and starring Audie Murphy who had previously worked together in ''Posse from Hell''. The film also features Gary Cros ...

'' as Nahni * 1961 '' The Outsider'' as Anita * 1962 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Strange Miracle'') as Lolla * 1962 '' The New Breed'' (TV Series) as Dolores Madero * 1962 '' The Richest Man in Bogota'' (TV Series, on ''

'') as Marina * 1962 ''

Doctor Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictu ...

'' (TV Series) as Pila / Rani Stewart * 1962 '' The Defenders'' (TV Series) as Carmella Lopez * 1962 ''

'' (TV Series, ''Episode - He Learned About Women'') as Kisla * 1963 '' Have Gun - Will Travel'' (TV Series) as Punya * 1963 '' Laramie'' (TV Series) as Winema * 1963 ''

Death Valley Days ''Death Valley Days'' is an American old-time radio and television anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program ...

'' (TV Series) as Maria * 1963 '' Harbor Lights'' as Gina Rosario * 1963 ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols " ♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'' (TV Series) as Eva Rosario * 1963 '' The Great Adventure'' (TV Series) as Sarah Crow * 1963 '' Thunder Island'' as Anita Chavez * 1963 ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Product ...

'' (TV Series) as Maria * 1963 ''

'' (TV Series, ''Episode - Shona'') as Shona * 1964 '' The Nurses'' (TV Series) as Maria Marissa * 1964 ''

Slattery's People ''Slattery's People'' is a 1964–65 American television series about local politics starring Richard Crenna as title character James Slattery, a state legislator, co-starring Ed Asner and Tol Avery, and featuring Carroll O'Connor and Warren Oat ...

'' (TV Series) as Elena Delgado * 1966 ''

The Legend of Jesse James ''The Legend of Jesse James'' is a 1980 country music concept album written by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James. The album features Levon Helm singing the role of Jesse James, Jo ...

'' (TV Series) as Theresa * 1966 ''

The Appaloosa ''The Appaloosa'' (also known as ''Southwest to Sonora'') is a 1966 American Western (genre), Western film starring Marlon Brando, Anjanette Comer and John Saxon, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portray ...

'' as Ana * 1967 ''

N.Y.P.D. The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

'' (TV Series) as Teresa * 1967 '' The Fugitive'' (TV Series) as Mercedes Anza * 1967 '' The Virginian'' (TV Series) as Eva Talbot * 1967 ''Christmas in the Marketplace'' (TV Movie) as Virgin Mary / Mercedes * 1968 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - “Follow Your Heart”) as Trini Butler * 1968 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Zavala'') as Amelita Avila * 1969 '' Desperate Mission'' (TV Movie) as Claudina, Otilia's Servant * 1969 ''

'' (TV Series) as Anita Lavez * 1969 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Charlie Moon'') as The Woman * 1970 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - Chato'') as Mora * 1971 ''

They Call It Murder ''They Call It Murder'' is a 1971 American television film directed by Walter Grauman and starring Jim Hutton. Production ''They Call It Murder'' is a two-hour television film produced by Paisano Productions in association with 20th Century Fox. I ...

'' (TV Movie) as Anita Nogales * 1972 ''

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''The River'') as Paulette * 1972 '' The Possession of Joel Delaney'' as Veronica * 1974 ''Dr. Max'' (TV Movie) as Mrs. Camacho * 1974 ''

Sanford & Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC One in the United ...

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Julio and Sister and Nephew'') as Carlotta * 1974 ''

'' (TV Series, ''Episode - The Iron Blood of Courage'') as Mignon * 1976 ''The Hemingway Play'' (TV Movie) * 1979 '' A Life of Sin'' as Isabel * 1979 ''

The Edge of Night ''The Edge of Night'' is an American television mystery crime drama series and soap opera, created by Irving Vendig and produced by Procter & Gamble Productions. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that networ ...

'' (TV

) as Dr. Marie Santos * 1981 '' Back Roads'' as Angel * 1981 ''

ABC Afterschool Specials ''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controver ...

'' (TV Series) as Yolanda * 1983 '' Scarface'' (1983) as Mama Georgina Montana * 1984 '' Best Kept Secret'' (TV Movie) as Ina Dietz * 1985 '' Lady Blue'' (TV Series) as Dona Maria * 1986 ''

Kay O'Brien ''Kay O'Brien'' is an American medical drama television series set at fictional Manhattan General Hospital, which aired for one season on CBS from September 25 to November 13, 1986, during the 1986-87 television season. Overview The series stars ...

'' (TV Series) as Mrs. Amaro * 1987 ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order t ...

'' (TV Series) as Anna Martinez * 1988 ''Deadline: Madrid'' (TV Movie) * 1991 ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series that ran for eight seasons on NBC, from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los ...

'' (TV Series) as Gaby Sifuentes * 1991 ''

Law and Order In modern politics, law and order is the approach focusing on harsher enforcement and penalties as ways to reduce crime. Penalties for perpetrators of disorder may include longer terms of imprisonment, mandatory sentencing, three-strikes laws a ...

'' (TV Series) as Mrs. Anna Rivers * 1991 '' Lightning Field'' (TV Movie) * 1991 '' City of Hope'' as Mrs. Ramirez * 1992 ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

'' (TV Series, Episode - ''Day of the Dead'') as Consuela Montejano * 1993 ''

The House of the Spirits ''The House of the Spirits'' ( es, La casa de los espíritus, 1982) is the debut novel of Isabel Allende. The novel was rejected by several Spanish-language publishers before being published in Buenos Aires in 1982. It became an instant best-sel ...

'' as Nana * 1994 ''

The Cosby Mysteries ''The Cosby Mysteries'' is an American mystery drama television series starring Bill Cosby that aired on NBC from September 21, 1994, to April 12, 1995. 19 episodes were made. It was the first television series to star Cosby since ''The Cosby Sho ...

'' (TV Series) * 1994 ''

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble c ...

'' (TV Series) as Valeria Santiago * 1995 '' Streets of Laredo'' (TV Mini-Series) as Estrella * 1995 ''

Sabrina Sabrina may refer to: * Sabrina (given name), a feminine given name, including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name People * Sabrina (actress), stage name of Norma Ann Sykes (1936–2016), a British glamour model and actres ...

'' as Rosa * 1995 ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 20 ...

'' (TV

) as Lydia Flores * 1996 ''

Edipo alcalde ''Oedipus Mayor '' ( es, Edipo alcalde) is a 1996 Colombian tragedy film, produced by Tomás Zapata and Jorge Sánchez, directed by Jorge Alí Triana. Set in strife-ridden, 20th-century Colombia, the film is a modern-day interpretation of Sopho ...

'' as Deyanira * 1996 '' Lone Star'' as Mercedes Cruz * 1996 ''

Mistrial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, w ...

'' (TV Movie) as Mrs. Cruz * 1996 '' Cosby'' (TV Series) as Lillian * 1996-1997 ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'' (TV

) as Abuelita Maria Delgado * 1999 ''

'' as María * 2000 '' For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story'' (TV Movie) as Cirita Sandoval * 2000 '' All the Pretty Horses'' as Doña Alfonsa * 2001 ''

Third Watch ''Third Watch'' is an American crime drama television series created by John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero that aired on NBC from September 26, 1999, to May 6, 2005, with a total of 132 episodes spanning over six seasons. It was produced by ...

'' (2001, TV Series) as Theresa Caffey * 2001 '' The Blue Diner'' as Meche * 2001 ''

'' (TV

) as Maria Santos * 2001 '' Almost a Woman'' (TV Movie) as Tata * 2005 ''

Jonny Zero ''Jonny Zero'' is an American television action-crime drama series, created and written by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells, that premiered on Fox on January 14, 2005. The series principally stars Franky G as Jonny Calvo, ...

'' (TV Series) as Lupe * 2005 '' Goal!'' as Mercedes * 2007 '' Goal! 2: Living the Dream...'' as Mercedes * 2007 '' The Cry'' as Gloria The Curandera * 2009 '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (TV Series) as Yolanda * 2009 '' Goal! 3: Taking on the World'' as Mercedes (uncredited) * 2010-2011 ''

How to Make It in America ''How to Make It in America'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on HBO from February 14, 2010, to November 20, 2011. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and his friend Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk) as t ...

'' (TV Series) as Cam's Grandma * 2011 '' Gun Hill Road'' as Gloria * 2011 '' The Bay'' (TV Series) as Grandma Andrews * 2011 ''

Hawthorne Hawthorne often refers to the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne may also refer to: Places Australia *Hawthorne, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane Canada * Hawthorne Village, Ontario, a suburb of Milton, Ontario United States * Hawt ...

'' (TV Series) as Mama Renata * 2011 ''

Foreverland ''Foreverland'' is the eleventh studio album by Irish chamber pop band the Divine Comedy, released on 2 September 2016 by Divine Comedy Records. Accolades Track listing Personnel Personnel per liner notes included in ''Venus, Folly, Cup ...

'' as Esperanza * 2013 ''

'' as Ultima * 2013 ''

Unhallowed ''Unhallowed'' is the debut studio album by American melodic death metal band The Black Dahlia Murder. It was released through Metal Blade Records on June 17, 2003. An enhanced version of the album was released that included photos and info ab ...

'' as Bruja (rumored) * 2014 ''

Top Five ''Top Five'' is a 2014 American comedy film written and directed by Chris Rock. Produced by Scott Rudin and Eli Bush, the film stars Rock, Rosario Dawson, and Gabrielle Union, and follows New York City comedian and film star Andre Allen (Rock), ...

'' as Chelsea's Grandmother * 2014 ''On Painted Wings'' (not distributed) as Manuela * 2015 ''

'' (TV Series) as Abuelita Salamanca * 2015 ''

The Girl Is in Trouble ''The Girl Is in Trouble'' is a 2015 American thriller film directed by Julius Onah. It stars Columbus Short, Wilmer Valderrama, Alicja Bachleda and Jesse Spencer. The original motion picture soundtrack contains the theme song titled "Solitude". Th ...

'' as Grandma * 2015 ''The Southside'' as Abuelita Sanchez

Broadway

*''In The Summer House'' (1954) *''The Innkeepers'' (1956) *''The Wrong Way Lightbulb'' (1969)

References

External links

* * * * * *
Miriam Colón bio
at the

Internet Off-Broadway Database The Internet Off-Broadway Database (IOBDB), also formerly known as the Lortel Archives, is an online database that catalogues theatre productions shown off-Broadway. The IOBDB was funded and developed by the non-profit Lucille Lortel Foundation ...

The Puerto Rican Traveling TheaterMiriam Colon's Interview on NBC Latino

Miriam Colon Interview
at th
WNYC Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colon, Miriam 1936 births 2017 deaths Obie Award recipients Puerto Rican film actresses Puerto Rican television actresses Puerto Rican soap opera actresses Puerto Rican stage actresses Actresses from Ponce, Puerto Rico Western (genre) television actors United States National Medal of Arts recipients Respiratory disease deaths in New York (state) Infectious disease deaths in New York (state) Deaths from respiratory tract infection

Early life

Career

Puerto Rican Traveling Theater

Recognition

Personal life

Death

Filmography

Broadway

See also

References

External links