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Belita Moreno

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Belita Moreno
Born
Aurabela Moreno

(1949-11-01) November 1, 1949 (age 75)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
EducationSouthern Methodist University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1977–present
SpouseJoel Rudnick
Children2

Aurabela "Belita" Moreno (born November 1, 1949)[1] is an American actress best known for her roles as Benita "Benny" Lopez on the ABC sitcom George Lopez and Edwina Twinkacetti and Lydia Markham on Perfect Strangers.

Early life

Aurabela Moreno was born in Dallas, Texas, to mother, Aurora Rodriguez, a high school Spanish teacher, and father, Abel Moreno, a World War II veteran. Moreno graduated from Justin F. Kimball High School, and went on to major in Theatre at Southern Methodist University.[2] She continued her acting studies at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California, where she appeared in the musical Once Upon a Mattress.[3][4] Moreno is married to Joel Rudnick, a talent agent. The couple have two children.

Career

Soon after Moreno arrived in Hollywood, California, to pursue her acting career, she met director Robert Altman, and landed roles in three of his films: 3 Women, A Wedding, and A Perfect Couple. She appeared in many other films, including Mommie Dearest, Swing Shift, Oh, God! You Devil, Nobody's Fool, Men Don't Leave, Clear and Present Danger and Grosse Pointe Blank.

Moreno was a regular on the long-running ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers from 1986 to 1992. Her work on television includes appearances in television movies, such as Crazy From the Heart and Death Benefit, the miniseries Tales of the City, and in numerous sitcoms and dramatic series, including The Golden Girls, Family Ties, Valerie and Melrose Place. Moreno played Benny Lopez, George Lopez's mother, on George Lopez (2002–07).

During the 1980s, Moreno was a favorite of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley. Moreno performed in at least four premieres of Henley's plays. Henley created several roles specifically for Moreno: "Popeye" in The Miss Firecracker Contest, some dialogue of which was based on a true story told to the playwright by Moreno,[5] and "Lacey Rollins" in the two-act play The Lucky Spot. Moreno performed in Firecracker at the Victory Theater in Burbank, California in 1980, and in Lucky Spot off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 1987.

Moreno also appeared in Henley's 1982 Broadway premiere at the Eugene O'Neill Theater of The Wake of Jamey Foster as "Katty Foster", directed by Ulu Grosbard, and in the 1989 world premiere of Abundance, as "Macon" at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.[6]

Since the early 1990s, Moreno has served as an acting coach and advisor on numerous films,[7] such as Jerry Maguire, Rush Hour 2, Almost Famous, Parent Trap, The Family Man, Crossroads and 17 Again.[8] She also appeared on Wizards of Waverly Place on Disney and Fairly Legal on USA Network.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1977 3 Women Alcira
1978 Remember My Name Neighbor
1978 A Wedding Daphne Corelli
1979 A Perfect Couple Eleousa
1981 Mommie Dearest Belinda Rosenberg
1982 Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again Nurse Gonzales
1984 Swing Shift Mabel Stoddard
1984 Oh, God! You Devil Mrs. Vega
1986 Nobody's Fool Jane
1988 Two Idiots in Hollywood Dream Barbecue Mother
1990 Men Don't Leave Mrs. Buckley
1994 Clear and Present Danger Jean Fowler
1997 Grosse Pointe Blank Mrs. Kinetta
2005 Barbara Jean Marion Short
2010 Diary of a Wimpy Kid Mrs. Norton
2011 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Mrs. Norton
2017 Ferdinand Shopkeeper Voice

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1977 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Helen Dinsmore 2 episodes
1979 Visions Julia Episode: "Ladies in Waiting"
1981 A Gun in the House Marcie Clark TV film
1982 Lou Grant Cathy Short Episode: "Fireworks"
1983–1988 Family Ties Norma / Mrs. Pedroza / Bernice 3 episodes
1983 Cocaine and Blue Eyes Waitress TV film
1983 The Powers of Matthew Star Louise Episode: "Starr Knight"
1985 Scandal Sheet TV film
1985 Robert Kennedy and His Times Angie Novello TV miniseries
1985 Do You Remember Love Social Worker TV film
1985 I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later Ms. Farrell TV film
1985 Crime of Innocence Marge Kennedy Uncredited
TV film
1985 What's Happening Now! Mrs. Jones Episode: "The Challenge"
1986 The Golden Girls Nurse Uncredited
Episode: "The Operation"
1986 Melba Babs Episode: "The Girls Are Back in Town"
1986–1992 Perfect Strangers Lydia Markham / Mrs. Edwina Twinkacetti Recurring role, 46 episodes
1987 Full House Ronnie Gardner Episode: "Our Very First Promo"
1988 The Hogan Family Mrs. Thorne Episode: "Close Encounters"
1988 The Slap Maxwell Story Annie's Lawyer Series finale
1990 Going Places Mme. Pushnik Episode: "Curse of the Video"
1991 Crazy from the Heart Beebee Stiles TV film
1992 Roseanne Woman at Retirement Home Episode: "Ladies' Choice"
1993 Murphy Brown Sidney Episode: "Games Mother Play"
1993 Major Dad Ms. Whitlin Episode: "Night School"
1993 Tales of the City Alice Tolliver TV miniseries
1993 Getting By Marie Enright Episode: "Turnabout Dance"
1996 Melrose Place Gloria Bryan 3 episodes
1996 Death Benefit Sarah West TV film
1996 The Bachelor's Baby Judge Linda Farmer TV film
1996 Common Law Ruta Episode: "In the Matter of: Luis in Love"
2002–2007 George Lopez Benita "Benny" Lopez Main role, 120 episodes
2008 Wizards of Waverly Place Magdalena Episode: "Quinceanera"
2009 The Eastmans June Lynn Unsold TV pilot
2011 Fairly Legal Betty 2 episodes
2011 Truth Be Told Sophia Bishop TV film
2014 Red Band Society Dr. Holtzman Episode: "Pilot"
2015 Family Guy Hispanic Woman (voice) Episode: "Peter's Sister"
2019 On My Block Rosario Episode: Chapter 15

References

  1. ^ Texas Births, 1926-1995. Family Tree Legends Records Collection (Online Database). Pearl Street Software, 2004-2005
  2. ^ SMU Theatre Department Alumni Archived 2008-10-25 at the Wayback Machine at Southern Methodist University official website
  3. ^ PCPA Theaterfest History
  4. ^ Belita Moreno Biography Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine from Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County official website
  5. ^ Disability Studies Quarterly, "Enlightened by Our Afflictions" by M. Beth Meszaros, Vol 23, No 3/4 (2003)
  6. ^ The Plays Of Beth Henley: A Critical Study by Gene A. Plunka. McFarland & Company: 2005
  7. ^ Belita Moreno credits at Variety.com
  8. ^ Moreno acting credits at Hollywood.com
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