Colon, Miriam 1936(?)–

(Miriam Colon Valle)

PERSONAL

Original name, Miriam Colon Valle; born August 20, 1936 (some sources say 1945), in Ponce, Puerto Rico; married George P. Edgar, 1966. Education: Attended the University of Puerto Rico; trained for the stage at the Erwin Piscator Dramatic Workshop and Technical Institute and with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio; also studied with Marcos Colon, Leopoldo Lavandero, and Ludwig Schajowicz.

Career: Actress, director, and producer. Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, New York City, founder and artistic director, 1966–; Council of the Arts, New York, member for ten years; Expansion Arts Panel, National Endowment of the Arts.

Awards, Honors: Mayor's Award of Honor for the Arts and Culture, New York City, 1982; Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions to culture, New York City, 1982; Athena Award, New York Commission on the Status of Women, 1985; Obie Award, Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, Village Voice, 1993; ALMA Award nominations, outstanding actress in a daytime drama, National Council of La Raza, 2001, 2002, both for The Guiding Light; also received awards from the National Council of Christians and Jews, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, the University of the State of New York, and the Asociacion de Cronistas de Espectaculos de Nueva York.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

(Broadway debut) Frederica, In the Summer House, Playhouse Theatre, 1953–54.

Esperanza, The Innkeepers, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1956.

Adelita Gomez, Me Candido!, Greenwich Mews Theatre, New York City, 1956–57.

The Puppet Theatre of Don Cristobal, Delacorte Mobile Theatre, New York City, 1964.

The Shoemaker's Prodigious Wife, Delacorte Mobile Theatre, 1964.

Adelita Gomez, Me, Candido!, Greenwich Mews Theatre, New York City, 1965.

Maria Esposito, Madonna, Matty and the Moron and the Madonna, Orpheum Theatre, New York City, 1965.

Juanita, The Ox Cart, Greenwich Mews Theatre, 1966, then Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, New York City, 1967.

Mirianne, Winterset, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1968.

Dolores Gonzales, The Wrong Way Light Bulb, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1969.

Title role, The Passion of Antigona Perez, Cathedral Church, New York City, then New York City Parks, both 1972.

Fanlights, Bilingual Foundation for the Arts, Los Angeles, 1979.

Calpurnia, Julius Caesar, Public Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Fifi, Orinoco, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1985.

Lucy, Simpson Street, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1985.

(As Miriam Colon Valle) Olga, The Boiler Room, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1993.

Also appeared in The Eagle and the Serpent, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre.

Stage Producer:

Crossroads, New York City Parks, then Town Hall, New York City, 1969.

The Golden Streets, New York City Parks, 1970.

El Malefico de la Mariposa, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1970.

Puerto Rican Short Stories, New York City Parks, 1971.

The Passion of Antigona Perez, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1972.

Noo Yall, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1973.

El Medico a Palos, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1973.

Scribbles, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1974.

The Innocent, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1974.

The Guest, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1974.

At the End of the Street, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1974.

Arrabal's Ceremony for an Assassinated Black Man, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1975.

The Two Executioners, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1975.

The Oxcart, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1977.

The FM Safe, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1978.

Orinoco, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1985.

Simpson Street, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1985.

(As Miriam Colon Valle) Bomber Jackets, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1996.

Also produced and/or appeared in Winterset, La Farsa del Amor Compradito, Los Titeres de Cachiporra, Pipo Subway No Sabe Reir, Ceremonia por un Negro Asasinado, and The Angels Are Exhausted, all Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre.

Stage Director:

The Golden Streets, New York City Parks, 1970.

Simpson Street, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1985.

One Hour Without Television, Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, 1996.

Film Appearances:

Lolita, Los Peloteros, 1953.

Crowded Paradise, 1956.

Redhead, One-Eyed Jacks, Paramount, 1961.

Nahni, Battle at Bloody Beach (also known as Battle on the Beach), 1961.

Anita Goode, The Outsider, 1961.

Anita Chavez, Thunder Island, 1963.

Gina Rosario, Harbor Lights, 1963.

Ana, The Appaloosa (also known as Southwest to Sonora), Universal, 1966.

Veronica, The Possession of Joel Delaney, Paramount, 1972.

Isabel LaNegra, A Life of Sin (also known as Isabel, la negra), 1979.

Angel, Back Roads (also known as Love with a Sinner), 1981.

Mama Montana, Scarface, 1983.

Mrs. Ramirez, City of Hope, 1991.

Nana, The House of the Spirits (also known as A Casa dos espiritos, Das geisterhaus, and Aendernes hus), 1993.

Rosa, Sabrina, 1995.

Mercedes Cruz, Lone Star, 1996.

Edipo Alcalde, 1996.

Maria, Gloria, Columbia, 1999.

Dona Alfonsa, All the Pretty Horses, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2000.

Meche, The Blue Diner (also known as La Fonda azul), First Look Home Entertainment, 2001.

Mercedes, Goal! (also known as Goal! The Dream Begins), Buena Vista, 2005.

Gloria the Curaandera, The Cry, 2006.

Mercedes, Goal! 2: Living the Dream …, Walt Disney, 2007.

Television Appearances; Series:

Lydia Flores, All My Children, ABC, 1995.

Maria Delgado, One Life to Live, ABC, 1996–97.

Maria Santos, The Guiding Light (also known as Guiding Light), 1999–2002.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Streets of Laredo (also known as Larry McMurtry's "Streets of Laredo"), 1995.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Eva Talbot, The Meanest Men in the West, 1967.

Claudina, The Desperate Mission (also known as Joaquin Murietta), 1969.

Anita Nogales, They Call It Murder, 1971.

Mrs. Camacho, Dr. Max, 1974.

Ina Dietz, Best Kept Secrets, ABC, 1984.

Deadline: Madrid, 1988.

Berta Pineda, Lighting Field (also known as The Lightning Incident), USA Network, 1991.

Somos un solo pueblo, 1995.

Mrs. Cruz, Mistrial, HBO, 1996.

For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (also known as The Arturo Sandoval Story), HBO, 2000.

Tata, Almost a Woman, PBS, 2001.

Also appeared as Meche, La Fonda Azul, PBS.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Virgin Mary/Mercedes, Christmas in the Marketplace, 1967.

The Hemingway Play, 1977.

Yolanda, Starstruck, 1981.

Martin Luther King: The Dream and the Drum, PBS, 1986.

The Puerto Ricans: Our American Story, PBS, 1999.

Herself, Visiones: Latino Art and Culture, 2004.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Lupe, Jonny Zero, Fox, 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"The Ring of General Maclas," Star Tonight, 1955.

Rosie, "Flight," Studio One (also known as Westinghouse Studio One), 1956.

Esperanza Martinez, "House Divided," The Big Story, 1957.

Mrs. Talavera, "Tag-Along," Studio One (also known as Westinghouse Studio One), 1958.

Morgiana, "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves," Shirley Temple's Storybook (also known as The Shirley Temple Show), 1958.

Mrs. Flores, "The Dreamer," Lux Playhouse, 1959.

Francesca, "The Case of the Barefoot Girl," State Trooper, 1959.

Tarano, "See No Evil," Mike Hammer (also known as Mickey Spillane's "Mike Hammer"), 1959.

Mrs. Gomez, "Desert Seed," Wanted: Dead or Alive, 1959.

Maria Decara, "The Coffin," Peter Gunn, 1959.

Rita, "Desert Showdown," Tales of Wells Fargo, 1959.

Mariana Vidella, "Viva, Paco!," Johnny Staccato (also known as Staccato), 1959.

Alma, "The Hand," Alcoa Theatre (also known as Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond, Alcoa Presents, and One Step Beyond), 1959.

Abrana, "Death of an Outlaw," Bronco, 1960.

Cita, "The Truly Yours," The Deputy, 1960.

Akoka, "Escort Detail," Overland Trail (also known as Overland Stage), 1960.

"Panic Off Punta Banda," Assignment Underwater, 1960.

Sophia Madrenas, "Music to Hurt By," The Law and Mr. Jones, 1960.

Nanay, "The Peg-leg Pirate of Sulu," Shirley Temple's Storybook (also known as The Shirley Temple Show), 1961.

Rea, "Command at Sea," Adventures in Paradise, 1961.

"The Victor Gorido Story," The Lawless Years, 1961.

Angelita Sanchez, "Property of the Crown," The Tall Man, 1962.

Luz, "A Man's Castle," Target: The Corruptors, 1962.

Marina, "The Richest Man in Bogota," The DuPont Show of the Week, 1962.

Rani Stewart, "The Glory Hunter," Dr. Kildare, 1962.

Pilar, "The Cobweb Chain," Dr. Kildare, 1962.

Carmella Lopez, "The Savage Infant," The Defenders, 1962.

Lolla Sicueros, "Strange Miracle," Alfred Hitchcock Presents, CBS, 1962.

Kisla, "He Learned About Women," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1962.

Shona, "Shona," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1963.

Sarah Crow, "The Death of Sitting Bull," The Great Adventure, 1963.

Sarah Crow, "Massacre at Wounded Knee," The Great Adventure, 1963.

Maria, "Turtles, Ties and Toreadors," The Dick Van Dyke Show, CBS, 1963.

Punya, "Caravan," Have Gun—Will Travel, 1963.

"The Unvanquished," Laramie, 1963.

Maria, "Phantom Procession," Death Valley Days (also known as Call of the West, The Pioneers, Trails West, and Western Star Theater), 1963.

Eva Rosario, "Justice to a Microbe," Ben Casey, 1963.

Maria Marissa, "Is There Room for Edward?," The Nurses (also known as The Doctors and the Nurses), 1964.

Elena Delgado, "Question: What Became of the White Tortilla?," Slatterly's People, 1964.

Theresa, "The Empty Town," The Legend of Jesse James, 1966.

Teresa, "Macho," N.Y.P.D., 1967.

Mercedes, "The Savage Street," The Fugitive, 1967.

Eva Talbot, "Reckoning," The Virginian (also known as The Men from Shiloh), 1967.

Toast of the Town (also known as The Ed Sullivan Show), 1967.

Trinidad, "Follow Your Heart," The High Chaparral, 1968.

Amelita Avila, "Zavala," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1968.

Anita Logan, "To Stop a War," Bonanza (also known as Ponderosa), CBS, 1969.

The woman, "Charlie Noon," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1969.

Mora, "Chato," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1970.

Paulette, "The River: Parts 1 & 2," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1972.

Mignon Anderson, "The Iron Blood of Courage," Gunsmoke (also known as Gun Law and Marshal Dillon), CBS, 1974.

Julio's sister, "Julio and Sister and Nephew," Sanford and Son, 1974.

Dona Maria, "Portrait of Death," Lady Blue, 1985.

Mothers by Daughters, PBS, 1985.

Mrs. Amaro, "Dollars and Sense," Kay O'Brien, 1986.

Anna Martinez, "The People Next Door," Highway to Heaven, 1987.

L.A. Law, NBC, 1990.

Mrs. Anna Rivers, "The Secret Sharers," Law & Order, NBC, 1991.

Consuella Montejano, "Day of the Dead," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1992.

Mrs. Santiago, "You Bet Your Life," NYPD Blue, ABC, 1994.

Vanessa Barelli, "Only You," The Cosby Mysteries, NBC, 1994.

Lillian, "The Two Mr. Lucases," Cosby, 1996.

Theresa Caffey, "Requiem for a Bantamweight," Third Watch, NBC, 2001.

Theresa Caffey, "Unfinished Business," Third Watch, NBC, 2001.

Lupe, "Who's Your Daddy?," Jonny Zero, Fox, 2005.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Notable Hispanic American Women, Book 1, Gale Research, 1993.