Edith Diaz (October 23, 1939 – November 19, 2009) was a Puerto Rican actress known for the roles in film, television, and stage. She co-founded the Screen Actors Guild's Ethnic Minorities Committee in 1972.[1]
Edith Diaz | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 23, 1939 |
| Died | November 19, 2009 (aged 70) |
Life and career
editEarly life and education
editDiaz was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.[1] She studied under noted acting teacher, Stella Adler, and at the Actors Studio in the New York City.[1]
Film
editHer film credits included Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Sister Act (1992), Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), Nick of Time (1995), and her final appearance, Oh Baby! (2008).
Television
editOn television, Diaz appeared in the short-lived 1975-76 CBS television series, Popi, which starred Hector Elizondo. Popi, which aired on CBS for eleven episodes, was one of the first television series on American network television to feature a Hispanic theme and cast.[1] Her other television credits included guest roles on Quincy, M.E., Police Woman, St. Elsewhere, All in the Family, The F.B.I., Barney Miller and The Twilight Zone.[1] In 1991, she played Desi Arnaz's mother, Dolores, in the television movie, Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter, on CBS.[1] In the 1973 episode "A Bullet for El Diablo", on Hawaii Five-O, Diaz appeared in a dual role as half-sisters Rita Salazar and Maria Ramos.[1]
Activism
editDiaz co-founded the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minorities Committee in 1972 with Henry Darrow, Carmen Zapata and Ricardo Montalbán.[1]
Death
editEdith Diaz died of heart failure on November 19, 2009, at a nursing home in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, at the age of 70.[2] Actress Miluka Rivera, who had served with her on the SAG Ethnic Minorities Committee, called Diaz a "gifted performer, a union Latino rights activist and a loving friend."[1]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Brute Corps | Lupe | |
| 1989 | Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills | Rosa | |
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July | Madame - Villa Dulce | |
| 1992 | Sister Act | Choir Nun #11 | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | ||
| 1995 | Nick of Time | Irene | |
| 1995 | Theodore Rex | Ella | |
| 1996 | The Fan | Elvira | |
| 1998 | Archibald the Rainbow Painter | ||
| 2003 | First Watch | Linda | Video |
| 2008 | Oh Baby! | Yolanda at party |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Actress Edith Diaz dies at 70". The Hollywood Reporter. February 8, 2010. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ "PASSINGS: Jimmy Wyble, Edith Diaz". Los Angeles Times. January 25, 2010. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
External links
edit- Edith Diaz at IMDb