She spent much of her childhood on a Puerto Rican farm until she was five years old. Her mother saved enough money for them to move to New York, but Moreno's little brother Francisco had to be left behind.
Born into poverty on a Puerto Rican farm, Moreno and her seamstress mother immigrated to New York City when Moreno was five years old. After studying dance and performing on Broadway, Moreno was cast as any ethnic minority the Hollywood studios needed filled: Polynesian, Native American, Egyptian and more.
In 1965, Moreno married cardiologist and internist Leonard Gordon, who became her manager after he retired from medicine. In 1995, they relocated to Berkeley, California. They remained together until his death in 2010. Moreno and Gordon have one daughter, Fernanda Gordon Fisher, and two grandsons.
In 1945, at age 13, she made her Broadway debut in Skydrift. Her first big-screen appearance was in So Young, So Bad (1950). She was credited as Rosita Moreno, but soon thereafter she took the first name Rita.
Rita Moreno | Celebrating her Most Important Moments
Where did Rita Moreno grow up?
Born Rosita Dolores Alverio Marcano in a hospital in Humacao, Puerto Rico to Rosa Maria Marcano and Paco José Alverio. Until the age of 5, Moreno lived in Juncos, Puerto Rico on the edge of the El Yunque rainforest. Moreno's mother, Rosa Maria, took 5-year-old Moreno to New York City via the S.S.
What are some fun facts about Rita Moreno for kids?
From 1971 to 1977, Rita starred in a children's television series called The Electric Company. In 1972, she was given a Grammy Award for the show's soundtrack. In 1975, a few years after winning her Grammy, she starred in the Broadway production of The Ritz as Googie Gomez.
What are some interesting facts about Rita Moreno for kids?
She performed in films, television shows, and plays. Moreno was the third person and the first Hispanic performer to win all four major North American entertainment awards. This feat is called an EGOT, with each letter standing for an award: Emmy (for television), Grammy (music), Oscar (film), and Tony (theater).
But in what would be her first clear experience of how little power she had in that era, the teenager known as Rosa Dolores Alverio was forced to change her name. "They didn't know what to do with me because of my name," she says. "I didn't like the name Rita but they chose it because I liked the actress Rita Hayworth.
The West Side Story star shares daughter Fernanda Luisa Gordon with her late husband Leonard Gordon. Moreno and Leonard, a former doctor who later managed Moreno's career, got married in 1965 and welcomed Fernanda a year later. Leonard died in June 2010 at 90 years old.
Rita Moreno was hooked when she was tapped to play a ghost in the television comedy "Lopez vs. Lopez," starring comedian George Lopez and his daughter, Mayan Lopez.
Her Sagittarius traits are apparent in her personality as she is known for being enthusiastic, optimistic, and adventurous. She has an infectious sense of humor and a lively spirit that makes her a joy to be around.
Rita's professional career began before she reached adolescence. From the age of nine, she performed as a professional dancer in New York night clubs. At age 11, she landed her first movie experience, dubbing Spanish-language versions of US films.
“I have many hobbies that help me unwind,” Rita divulges. “I take enormous joy in feeding the little birds in my area. I have a big, beautiful patio with bird feeders everywhere. I love, love hearing music, so I play music in my house all day long, and I'm also a news junkie.
Rita Moreno does not currently have a husband. Her late husband, her only husband, was Leonard Gordon. Gordon was a cardiologist and internist before retiring from medicine to become his wife's manager.
She is not related to Rita Moreno who played her mother on George Lopez (2002). Is of Mexican descent. Her mother taught Spanish at Justin F. Kimball high School in Dallas, TX.
