Gladys Rodríguez | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1943-06-04)June 4, 1943 (age 82) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian, television host |
Gladys Rodríguez (born June 4, 1943) is a Puerto Rican actress, comedian, and television host. She is also a Christian pastor and a priest at an Episcopalian church inOviedo, Florida, nearOrlando, United States.[1]
Rodríguez was born inSanturce,San Juan,Puerto Rico. She and her parents moved toNew York City when she was still a child. In New York, she received her primary and secondary education. When she was eight years old she attended the Children's Hour Academy where she learnedtap dancing,drama andballet.[2][3]
In 1960, Rodríguez returned to Puerto Rico where she took drama classes under the guidance of Edmundo Rivera Alvarez. She enrolled in theUniversity of Puerto Rico and earned a degree in Dramatic Arts.[4][3]
Rodríguez made her television debut when she auditioned for a role in thesoap operaLa Mujer de Aquella Noche (The Woman of That Night) and performed alongsideBraulio Castillo. The soap opera was a success and her acting caught the attention of aPeruvian director who offered her a role in the soap operaSimplemente María-2da. Parte (Simply Mary-Part 2), filmed inPeru.Simplemente María Part 2, became an international success, inLatin America.[2][4][3]
She was inactive during the early 1970s, however in 1975Puerto Rican television producerTommy Muñiz offered Rodríguez to play the role of his "wife" in the situation comedyLos García. The show became very popular and is the longest running series in Puerto Rican television history, considered by many to be a Puerto Rican classic. During that period she also performed the leading roles in thesoap operas:Marta Llorens withRaúl Juliá andJuan José Camero,Fue sin Querer (It Wasn't on Purpose) withSandro de América,Verano Rojo (Red Summer) withRogelio Guerra andViernes Social (Social Friday) withArnaldo André, among others. In 2006, she performed a supporting actress role inTelemundo's soap operaDueña y Señora, starringKarla Monroig.[2][4]
Rodríguez worked on the post-production stages as actress and Production Designer of the TV mini-seriesEl Regalo which was released in 2006.[2]
In 2007 she hosted a morningtalk showEntre Nosotras (Among Us) withAlba Nydia Díaz, among other celebrities.[4]
Rodríguez began her theater acting career by acting in the following productions:Un Tranvía llamado Deseo (A Streetcar Named Desire) andLos Soles Truncos (Fanlights) alongsideEsther Sandoval,Muerte en el Nilo (Death on the Nile),Palacio de Carton (Cardboard Palace),La Enemiga (The Enemy),El Búho y la gatita (The Owl and the Pussycat),El mismo año a la misma hora (The same year at the same time) and many other more. In the 1990s she starred as Anna in the San Juan production ofThe King and I, and as the Mother Superior in the San Juan premiere ofSor-Presas (Nunsense). Other productions includeFlor de Presidio (1989) andSteel Magnolias.[4][3]
She belonged to an association of Puerto Rican actresses called MECA, which produced for television programs such asEllas al Mediodía. Later she joined actresses,Ángela Meyer, Camille Carrion and Marilyn Pupo in the TV program calledAhora (Now).[2][3]
Rodríguez's first featured movie was the 1979 comedyDios los cria, playing Annette. Then came the 1982 musical comedyUna Aventura Llamada Menudo alongside Puerto Rican boy bandMenudo and Mexican teen actress Alondra. In this film, Rodriguez played matriarchal character Señora Mía. This was followed by the 1989 filmLo que le paso a Santiago (What Happened to Santiago), produced by Pedro Muñiz and written and directed byJacobo Morales.Lo que le paso a Santiago was nominated for anOscar in 1989 in the category of Best Foreign Language Film.[2][3]
In 1999, she participated in the theater production ofLa Carreta (The Oxcart) byRene Marques. That same year, she authored her first book,Aliup, in which she discusses her strong Christian beliefs. On March 15, 2002, she acted in the theater production ofMujeres de la Biblia (Women of the Bible), which was initially presented in the Tapia Theater of San Juan. The production's success in over 60 continuous presentations led the producers to present it outside of Puerto Rico to places like the United States.[2][3]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
