Rita Moreno, a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer, boasts a career exceeding eight decades. She stands out as one of the few EGOT winners, earning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, and also holding the Triple Crown of Acting. Moreno's impressive list of accomplishments includes the Presidential Medal of Freedom, National Medal of Arts, Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honor, and a Peabody Award, establishing her legacy as a legend in the entertainment industry.
1908: Rita Moreno's Father is Born
Rita Moreno's father, Francisco José "Paco" Alverío, was born in 1908.
1912: Rita Moreno's Mother is Born
Rita Moreno's mother, Rosa María Marcano, was born in 1912.
December 11, 1931: Rita Moreno is Born
Rita Moreno was born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano on December 11, 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
1936: Rita Moreno Moves to New York City With Her Mother
In 1936, Rita Moreno's mother moved to New York City, taking Rita with her but leaving her younger brother, Francisco, in Puerto Rico.
1945: Rita Moreno's Broadway Debut in "Skydrift"
Rita Moreno made her Broadway debut at the age of 13 in the 1945 production of "Skydrift", which led to her being noticed by Hollywood talent scouts.
1950: Rita Moreno Appears in "The Toast of New Orleans"
In 1950, Rita Moreno appeared in the musical film "The Toast of New Orleans".
1952: Rita Moreno Stars in "Singin' in the Rain"
Rita Moreno appeared in the classic musical film "Singin' in the Rain" in 1952. She played the role of Zelda Zanders, a silent film star.
1952: Rita Moreno Discusses "Singin' in the Rain"
Rita Moreno discussed how she was cast in "Singin' in the Rain" by Gene Kelly, who wanted her in the film for the role of Zelda Zanders. She praised Kelly for casting her in a non-stereotypical Hispanic role and called the experience working on the film amazing.
March 1954: Rita Moreno Featured on Life Magazine Cover
Rita Moreno was featured on the cover of Life magazine in March 1954 with the caption "Rita Moreno: An Actress's Catalog of Sex and Innocence".
1954: Relationship with Marlon Brando Begins
Rita Moreno's on-and-off relationship with Marlon Brando began in 1954.
1956: Rita Moreno Stars in "The King and I"
Rita Moreno starred in the film adaption of the musical "The King and I" in 1956. She played the role of Tuptim, a Burmese slave girl.
1959: Rita Moreno Appears in "Tales of Wells Fargo"
In 1959, Rita Moreno played Lola Montez in an episode of the TV western "Tales of Wells Fargo" titled "Lola Montez".
1961: Rita Moreno Wins an Oscar for "West Side Story"
In 1961, Rita Moreno had her breakout role as Anita in "West Side Story". Her performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Latin American woman to win an Oscar.
1961: Rita Moreno's Acclaimed Performance in "West Side Story"
Rita Moreno's performance as Anita in "West Side Story" in 1961 earned significant critical acclaim. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called it full of "spitfire", and Variety highlighted her "fiery characterization". The film itself was a huge success, winning ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
1961: Rita Moreno Stars in "Summer and Smoke"
Shortly after the success of "West Side Story", Rita Moreno starred in "Summer and Smoke" in 1961.
1961: Original "West Side Story" Film Release
The original "West Side Story" film was released in 1961, with Rita Moreno winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Anita.
1962: Academy Award Win for Best Supporting Actress
In 1962, Rita Moreno won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in "West Side Story".
1962: Relationship with Marlon Brando Ends
Rita Moreno's tumultuous relationship with Marlon Brando ended in 1962. She revealed in her memoir that during the relationship, she became pregnant by Brando, and he arranged for an abortion. The abortion was botched, leading to severe complications, and soon after, Brando fell in love with a co-star while filming "Mutiny on the Bounty". Moreno attempted suicide by overdosing on Brando's sleeping pills.
1963: Rita Moreno Appears in "Cry of Battle"
Rita Moreno appeared in the film "Cry of Battle" in 1963, although it was filmed before and after her Oscar win.
1964: Rita Moreno Stars in "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window"
In 1964, Rita Moreno appeared in Lorraine Hansberry's play "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window".
1965: Marriage to Leonard Gordon
Rita Moreno married cardiologist and internist Leonard Gordon in 1965.
1968: Rita Moreno Stars in "The Night of the Following Day"
In 1968, Rita Moreno returned to film with a role in "The Night of the Following Day" alongside Marlon Brando.
1969: Rita Moreno stars in "Popi"
Rita Moreno starred in the film "Popi" in 1969.
1969: Rita Moreno Stars in "Marlowe"
Rita Moreno starred in the film "Marlowe" with James Garner in 1969.
1970: Rita Moreno Appears in the Short-Lived Musical "Gantry"
Rita Moreno appeared in the Broadway musical "Gantry" in 1970, which had a very short run.
1971: Rita Moreno Joins "The Electric Company" Cast
In 1971, Rita Moreno joined the cast of the PBS children's series "The Electric Company", where she remained until 1977.
1971: Rita Moreno Stars in "Carnal Knowledge"
Rita Moreno starred in "Carnal Knowledge" alongside Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, and Ann-Margret in 1971.
1972: Grammy Award for Best Children's Album
Rita Moreno received a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album for "The Electric Company" in 1972.
1975: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
Rita Moreno won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for "The Ritz" in 1975.
1975: Original "One Day at a Time" Premieres
The original sitcom "One Day at a Time", produced by Norman Lear, premiered in 1975 and ran until 1984. It was later remade in 2017 with Rita Moreno starring in the remake.
1975: Rita Moreno Wins a Tony Award for "The Ritz"
In 1975, Rita Moreno won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Googie Gomez in Terrence McNally's musical "The Ritz".
1975: Rita Moreno Stars in "The Ritz" on Broadway
In 1975, Rita Moreno starred as Googie Gomez in the Broadway production of "The Ritz", for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
1976: Rita Moreno Stars in Film Adaptation of "The Ritz"
Rita Moreno reprised her role as Googie Gomez in the 1976 film adaptation of "The Ritz", directed by Richard Lester.
1976: Rita Moreno Stars in "The Ritz" Film Adaptation
Rita Moreno starred as Googie Gomez in the 1976 film adaptation of the comedy "The Ritz", alongside Jack Weston, Jerry Stiller, and F. Murray Abraham.
1977: Rita Moreno's Time on "The Electric Company" Concludes
After a six-year run, Rita Moreno's time as a main cast member on "The Electric Company" came to an end in 1977.
1977: Primetime Emmy Award for The Muppet Show
In 1977, Rita Moreno received a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on "The Muppet Show".
1977: Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 1977, Rita Moreno won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for her appearance on The Muppet Show. This achievement made her the third person ever to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony, and Emmy, an accomplishment known as an "EGOT".
1977: Rita Moreno Wins Emmy Award for "The Muppet Show"
In 1977, Rita Moreno won a Primetime Emmy Award for her guest appearance on "The Muppet Show".
1978: Second Primetime Emmy Award Win
In 1978, Rita Moreno received her second Primetime Emmy Award, this time for Outstanding Guest Actress - Drama Series, for her role as Rita Kapcovic in a three-episode arc on The Rockford Files.
1978: Rita Moreno Wins Emmy Award for "The Rockford Files"
In 1978, Rita Moreno won another Primetime Emmy Award for her guest appearance on "The Rockford Files". This marked two consecutive years of Emmy wins for her.
1978: Primetime Emmy Award for The Rockford Files
Rita Moreno won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 for her role in "The Rockford Files".
1981: Rita Moreno appears in "The Four Seasons"
Rita Moreno had a role in the film "The Four Seasons" in 1981.
1981: Role in "The Four Seasons"
In 1981, Rita Moreno starred in Alan Alda's critically and commercially successful comedy-drama film "The Four Seasons".
1985: Rita Moreno Wins Sarah Siddons Award for "The Odd Couple"
In 1985, Rita Moreno won the Sarah Siddons Award for her performance in the female version of "The Odd Couple" in Chicago.
1985: Rita Moreno Stars in "The Odd Couple"
Rita Moreno starred in a female version of Neil Simon's play "The Odd Couple" in Chicago in 1985, for which she won the Sarah Siddons Award.
1993: Performance at President Bill Clinton's Inauguration
In 1993, Rita Moreno was invited to perform at President Bill Clinton's inauguration and later that month, she performed at the White House.
1994: Rita Moreno Starts Voicing "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?"
From 1994 to 1999, Rita Moreno provided her voice for the animated educational children's television series "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?".
1994: Rita Moreno Stars in "I Like It Like That"
Rita Moreno starred in the film "I Like It Like That" in 1994.
1995: Relocation to Berkeley
In 1995, Rita Moreno and her husband, Leonard Gordon, moved to Berkeley, California.
1997: Rita Moreno Joins Cast of "Oz"
In 1997, Rita Moreno began playing the role of Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO prison drama series "Oz", which she continued until 2003.
1998: Rita Moreno appears in the cult film "Slums of Beverly Hills"
Rita Moreno appeared in the cult classic film "Slums of Beverly Hills" in 1998.
1999: Rita Moreno Ends Her Run on "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?"
In 1999, Rita Moreno stopped voicing the character for the animated series "Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?" after a five-year run.
2000: Release of Debut Album
In 2000, Rita Moreno released her self-titled debut album of nightclub songs on the Varèse Sarabande label, with liner notes written by Michael Feinstein.
2003: Rita Moreno's Run on "Oz" Concludes
Rita Moreno's role as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on "Oz" ended in 2003 after a six-year run.
2004: Rita Moreno Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom
In 2004, Rita Moreno received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States.
2006: Performance in "The Glass Menagerie"
Rita Moreno portrayed Amanda Wingfield in the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's 2006 revival of "The Glass Menagerie".
2007: Role in "Cane"
In 2007, Rita Moreno played the family matriarch in the short-lived TV series "Cane", starring Jimmy Smits and Hector Elizondo.
2007: Induction into the California Hall of Fame
Rita Moreno was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2007.
2009: National Medal of Arts
President Barack Obama presented Rita Moreno with the National Medal of Arts in 2009.
2009: Rita Moreno Receives the National Medal of Arts
Rita Moreno received the National Medal of Arts in 2009. This prestigious award is given to artists who have made significant contributions to the arts and humanities in the United States.
2010: Death of Leonard Gordon
Rita Moreno's husband, Leonard Gordon, passed away in 2010. The two remained together until his death.
September 2011: Premiere of "Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup"
In September 2011, Rita Moreno premiered her solo autobiographical show, "Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup", at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The show was written by the theatre's artistic director, Tony Taccone, based on hours of interviews with Moreno.
2011: Role in "Happily Divorced"
From 2011 to 2013, Rita Moreno played the mother of Fran Drescher's character in the TV sitcom "Happily Divorced".
2013: Second Mention of Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
This entry mentions the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award that Rita Moreno received in 2013, which was already noted in a previous entry.
2013: Rita Moreno Receives the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
In 2013, Rita Moreno was honored by the Screen Actors Guild with the Life Achievement Award, which recognized her exceptional career and contributions to the film industry.
2013: Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
Rita Moreno received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2013, presented to her by Morgan Freeman.
2014: Appearance in "Old Soul"
Rita Moreno appeared in the NBC television film "Old Soul" in 2014, alongside Natasha Lyonne, Fred Willard, and Ellen Burstyn. The film was intended to be a pilot for a series but was not picked up.
2015: Rita Moreno Joins "Jane the Virgin" Cast
Rita Moreno joined the cast of The CW series "Jane the Virgin" in 2015.
2015: Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award
Rita Moreno received a Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award in 2015 for her contributions to American culture through the performing arts.
2015: Rita Moreno Receives the Kennedy Center Honor
Rita Moreno was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2015 for her lifetime achievements in the performing arts. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to American culture through the arts.
January 2017: Premiere of "One Day at a Time"
The first season of the Netflix sitcom "One Day at a Time", a remake of Norman Lear's 1975–84 sitcom, premiered in January 2017. Rita Moreno played the matriarch of a Cuban-American family in the series.
2017: Rita Moreno Joins Cast of "One Day at a Time" Revival
Rita Moreno joined the cast of the Netflix revival of "One Day at a Time" in 2017.
2019: Voice Role in "Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?"
Rita Moreno voiced the character Cookie Booker in the 2019 animated series "Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?", having previously voiced Carmen Sandiego in the mid-1990s animated series of the same franchise.
2019: Peabody Career Achievement Award
Rita Moreno was awarded the Peabody Career Achievement Award in 2019.
2019: Rita Moreno Receives a Peabody Award
In 2019, Rita Moreno received a Peabody Award for her career in television.
2019: Rita Moreno Ends Her Run on "Jane the Virgin"
In 2019, Rita Moreno finished her role on The CW series "Jane the Virgin" after a four-year run.
2020: Rita Moreno Ends Her Run on "One Day at a Time"
In 2020, Rita Moreno's role on the Netflix revival of "One Day at a Time" came to an end after a three-year run.
2020: Filming of "West Side Story" Adaptation
Rita Moreno starred in and executive-produced the Steven Spielberg-directed adaptation of "West Side Story" in 2020.
August 29, 2021: Performance in "Wicked in Concert"
Rita Moreno performed "The Wizard and I" in the "Wicked in Concert" special, which aired on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video App on August 29, 2021.
December 10, 2021: Release of "West Side Story" Adaptation
Steven Spielberg's adaptation of "West Side Story", starring and executive-produced by Rita Moreno, was released on December 10, 2021. Moreno played the newly created character, Valentina. She had previously won an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in the original 1961 film.
2021: Rita Moreno Reunites with Her Brother
After many years apart, Rita Moreno reunited with her younger brother, Francisco, in 2021.
2021: Ariana DeBose Wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar
Ariana DeBose won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in the 2021 adaptation of "West Side Story". This made Moreno and DeBose the third pair of actors to win separate Oscars for playing the same character.
2021: Rita Moreno Documentary "Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It" is Released
In 2021, a documentary about Rita Moreno's life and career, titled "Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It", was released.
2021: Rita Moreno Stars in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story"
Rita Moreno portrayed Valentina in Steven Spielberg's remake of "West Side Story" in 2021.
2023: Roles in "80 for Brady", "Fast X", and "Family Switch"
In 2023, Rita Moreno appeared in three films: the sports comedy "80 for Brady", the action film "Fast X", and the comedy "Family Switch".