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Carmen Zapata

Highest Rated: 83% The Sleepy Time Gal (2001)

Lowest Rated: 29% The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1996)

Birthday: Jul 15, 1927

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

A prolific actress with a career spanning over six decades, Hispanic-American actress Carmen Zapata appeared in over 100 movies and television shows, including the groundbreaking children's show "Villa Alegre" (PBS 1973-1980) and the '90s comedy hits "Sister Act" (1992) and "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993). Zapata was born on July 15, 1927 in New York City. She made her Broadway debut in the chorus of "Oklahoma" in 1946, and subsequently spent most of her early career in stock roles in theaters. She also dabbled in stand-up comedy, performing in hotels and clubs across the country as "Marge Cameron" to evade discrimination due to her ethnicity. Zapata's first feature film was "Hail, Hero!" (1969), a generation-gap drama starring a young Michael Douglas. Zapata was a passionate proponent of equality for Hispanic-Americans in Hollywood; her efforts to combat discrimination led her to co-found the Screen Actors Guild Ethnic Minority Committee with fellow actors Ricardo Montalban, Edith Diaz and Henry Darrow in 1972, and The Bilingual Foundation of the Arts in the following year. In 1973, she was cast in the PBS children's program "Villa Alegre," the first bilingual show in American television. Zapata starred as the mayor of the show's eponymous town for nearly seven years. Although she was an incredibly versatile actress, she was often used for token ethnic roles. She finally landed a recurring role on a television series when she was cast as Mrs. Castillo in the popular soap opera "Santa Barbara" (NBC 1984-1993), the first soap to include a Latino family in its main cast. In the '90s, Zapata was seen shaking things up as a musical nun alongside Whoopi Goldberg in the smash comedy hit "Sister Act" and its sequel. In 2002, she appeared in the made-for-TV historical biopic "Fidel," after which she retired from showbiz. A year after her last on-screen appearance, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to live theater. On January 5, 2014, Zapata passed away from heart failure in her Van Nuys home at the age of 86.

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Highest rated movies

83% 57% The Sleepy Time Gal
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29% 58% The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
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39% A Streetcar Named Desire
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A Home of Our Own
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45% How to Beat the High Cost of Living
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The Couple Takes a Wife
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A Very Special Love
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73% Boss
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58% Secrets
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Shark Kill
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
83% 57% The Sleepy Time Gal Anna (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gang Boys Roses (Character) - 1998
29% 58% The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca Lorca's mother (Character) $226.4K 1996
No Score Yet 39% A Streetcar Named Desire Flower Seller (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 58% Secrets Judge (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet How to Murder a Millionaire Clara (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Narrator - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Children of Divorce Mrs. Ruiz (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 45% How to Beat the High Cost of Living Mama (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 88% Boulevard Nights Mrs. Landeros (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Very Special Love License Clerk (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Chicana Narrator - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Flying High Unknown (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shark Kill Helena Mendoza (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 73% Boss Margarita (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Winner Take All Sara (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Home of Our Own Elena De La Paz (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet W Betty (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bad Charleston Charlie Lottie (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Girls of Huntington House Miss Rodriquez (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet All My Darling Daughters' Anniversary Esther (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Couple Takes a Wife Maria (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hail, Hero! Juana (Character) - 1969

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Quinn Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Common Law Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Unknown (Voice) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fudge Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jake and the Fatman Unknown (Guest Star) 1991
No Score Yet 97% Married ... With Children Madame Olga (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Edna Watley (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trapper John, M.D. Anna (Guest Star) 1981 1983-1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1983
66% No Score Yet Archie Bunker's Place Unknown (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The White Shadow Unknown (Guest Star) 1979-1980
100% 82% Wonder Woman Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Blue Knight Unknown (Guest Star) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mannix Chambermaid (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Harry O Unknown (Guest Star) 1975
100% 84% Kolchak: The Night Stalker Unknown (Guest Star) 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Streets of San Francisco Mrs. Martinez (Guest Star) 1972 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Chico and the Man Unknown (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak Ellen Conforti (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Barnaby Jones Unknown (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Marcus Welby, M.D. Mrs. Sanchez (Guest Star) 1970 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mod Squad Mrs. Gomez (Guest Star) 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rookies Unknown (Guest Star) 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The New Dick Van Dyke Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1971-1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bonanza Unknown (Guest Star) 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet Room 222 Unknown (Guest Star) 1970