Carmen Belen Richardson
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Carmen Belen Richardson (born September 14, 1930 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television who is also considered by many Puerto Ricans as one their greatest female comedians.
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[edit] Early years
Richardson was born in Santurce, San Juan. Her parents felt that she had a special talent for acting at an early age and in 1939 when she was 9 years old they had her audition for a child's role in a radio soap opera on the WNEL Radio Station. The people at the station were so impressed with her that they hired her on the spot. She attended the Central High School of Santurce where she actively participated in her school plays. On one occasion when she was 14 years old, Juan Ramon Jimenez, the Spanish Nobel Prize winner, was present for one of her presentations. He was impressed by what he saw to the point that he offered to pay Richardson's university tuition.
[edit] Puerto Rican television pioneer
Richardson enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico where she studied Dramatic Arts. In 1954, after she graduated, Puerto Rican television pioneer and producer Tommy Muñiz, offered her a role in his new program "El Colegio de la Alegria" (The Happy School). She played the part of "Lirio Blanco", a funny little girl who could open her eyes in amazement extremely wide. Thus, Richardson became the first black Puerto Rican comedian in Puerto Rico's television industry. She was also to act as a comedian in other television shows such as "The Criada Malcriada" (The Silly Maid) in the role of Jazmín, "Hogar Dulce Hogar" (Home Sweet Home) as María Antonieta de los Ángeles Monroig López and in "Esto No Tiene Nombre" (This Doesn't have a Name). In "Esto No Tiene Nombre", she made comical imitations of many renowned personalities. Among those who she imitated were Angela Davis and Roberta Flack.
[edit] Actors labor dispute
During the 1970s, Richardson worked in the comedies: "Black Power" and "Ja,ja,ji, ji,jo,jo con Agrelot" alongside comedian Jose Miguel Agrelot. In that decade Puerto Rico witnessed one of the largest labor disputes between the Actors Union and Tommy Muñiz Productions. The lack of work forced Richardson to leave Tommy Muñiz Productions. She then joined and worked for ASTRA Productions. With ASTRA Productions Richardson found work in the televised programs "Ahí va eso" and "Sin ton ni son".
A new opportunity, outside of comedy, presented itself when the local television stations once more began to produce soap operas. Among the soap operas in which she participated and is well remembered for her acting are:
- "Anacaona" as Belén,
- "El Idolo" (The Idol) as Caridad Carvajal,
- "Rojo Verano" (Red Summer) as Sor Teresa and
- "Marta Llorens" as Mamá Luz.
[edit] Mexican soap operas
In 1980, Richardson went to Mexico and was hired by Mexican director Valentin Pimpstein, to work in soap operas. During the three years that she spent in Mexico, she acted in:
- "El Maleficio" (1983),
- "Guadalupe" (1984) as Dominga,
- "Soledad" (1981),
- "Amalia Batista" (1983) and
- "El Hogar que yo Robe" (The House I Robbed) (1981) as Fernanda, alongside Mexican actors Juan Ferrara and Angelica Maria.
[edit] Theater
Richardson returned to Puerto Rico and in 1985 went to work in local theater productions. She took part in "Cecilia Valdes", "Clemente (the musical)", "Cuando él es Guadalupe" (When he is Guadalupe), "Flor de Pesidio" (Prison Flower) and "Sirena" (Mermaid).
The 1989 Festival of Art "El Cemi" in Perto Rico was dedicated to her and in recognition of her 40 years in the world of entertainment she awarded the "Carlos Busquets" prize. Richardson joined Producciones MECA, founded by actresses Camille Carrion and Angela Meyer. With this new company she actively participated in the following shows and soap operas, "Ellas al Mediodia", "Ave de Paso" (1988), "La Isla" (The Island) and "Yara Prohibida" (1988). Richardson immitated American actress and comedian Whopie Goldberg in the theatre presentation of "Múltiples ellas".
[edit] Currently
Carmen Belen Richardson is currently retired from acting due to problems with her health, she was diagnosed with a physical disability known as fibromyalgia. She is the founder of a fibromyalgia support group in Puerto Rico called "Fundación Carmen Belén Richardson" (Carmen Belen Richardson Fundation).[1]
