Edward James Olmos

Edward James Olmos , Edward James Olmos in 2006 Born Edward Olmos, (1947-02-24) February 24, 1947 (age 66), Los Angeles, California, U.S. Occupation Actor, director Years active 1974-present Spouse(s) Kaija Keel (1971-1992), Lorraine Bracco (1994-2002), Lymari Nadal (2002-present) Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is a Mexican American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt. Martin Castillo in Miami Vice, teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver, patriarch Abraham Quintanilla in the film Selena, Detective Gaff in Blade Runner, and narrator El Pachuco in both the stage and film versions of Zoot Suit. In 1988, Olmos was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the film Stand and Deliver. He has also been a longtime pioneer for more diversified roles and images of Latinos in the U.S. media. His notable direction, production and starring roles for films, made-for-TV movies and TV shows include American Me, The Burning Season, My Family/Mi Familia, 12 Angry Men, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, Walkout, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit and American Family: Journey of Dreams. Early life edit: Olmos was born Edward Olmos in Los Angeles, California, where he was raised, the son of Eleanor (nee Huizar) and Pedro Olmos, who was a welder and mail carrier. His father was a Mexican immigrant and his mother was Mexican American. He grew up wanting to be a professional baseball player, and became the Golden State batting champion. In his teen years, he turned to rock and roll, and became the lead singer for a band he named Pacific Ocean, so-called because it was to be "the biggest thing on the West Coast." He graduated from Montebello High School in 1964. While at Montebello High School, he lost a race for Student Body President to future California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres. For several years, Olmos performed at various clubs in and around Los Angeles, and released a record in 1968. At the same time, he attended classes at East Los Angeles College, including courses in acting. Career edit: In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Olmos branched out from music into acting, appearing in many small productions, until his big break portraying the narrator, called "El Pachuco," in the play Zoot Suit, which dramatized the World War II-era rioting in California brought about by the tensions between Mexican-Americans and local police. (See Zoot Suit Riots.) The play moved to Broadway, and Olmos earned a Tony Award nomination. He subsequently took the role to the filmed version in 1981, and appeared in many other films including Wolfen, Blade Runner and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez. In 1980, Olmos was cast in the post-apocalyptic science fiction film (now a Japanese cult classic) Virus (復活の日 Fukkatsu no hi), directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on a novel written by Sakyo Komatsu. His role required him to play a piano while singing a Spanish ballad during the later part of the film. Although not a box office success, Virus was notable for being the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time. From 1979 to 1987, Olmos lived in West New York, New Jersey. From 1984 to 1989, Olmos starred in his biggest role up to that date as the taciturn police Lieutenant Martin Castillo in the television series Miami Vice, opposite Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. He was awarded a Golden Globe and an Emmy in 1985 for his work in the series. At this time, Olmos also starred in a short training video for the United States Postal Service entitled Was it Worth It?, a video about theft in the workplace. He was contacted about playing the captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) on Star Trek: The Next Generation when it was in pre-production in 1986, but he declined. Returning to film, Olmos became the first American-born Latino to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, in Stand and Deliver, for his portrayal of real-life math teacher, Jaime Escalante. He directed and starred in American Me in 1992, and also starred in My Family/Mi Familia, a multigenerational story of a Chicano family. In 1997, he starred alongside Jennifer Lopez in the film Selena. Olmos played Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the 2001 movie In the Time of the Butterflies. He also had a recurring role as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roberto Mendoza in the NBC drama The West Wing. From 2002 to 2004, he starred as a recently-widowed father of a Latino L.A.-family in the PBS drama American Family: Journey of Dreams. From 2003 to 2009, he starred as Commander (later Admiral) William Adama in the Sci-Fi Channel's reimagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries, and in the television series that followed. He directed four episodes of the show, Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down (1.9), Taking a Break from All Your Worries (3.13), Escape Velocity (4.4) and Islanded in a Stream of Stars (4.18). He also directed a television movie based upon the show, The Plan. Regarding his work on the show, he told CraveOnline, "I'm very grateful for the work that I've been able to do in my life, but I can honestly tell you, this is the best usage of television I've ever been a part of to date." In 2006, he co-produced, directed, and played the bit part of Julian Nava in the HBO movie about the 1968 Chicano Blowouts, Walkout. He also appeared in Snoop Dogg's music video "Vato", featuring B-Real from Cypress Hill. In the series finale of the ABC sitcom George Lopez, titled "George Decides to Sta-Local Where It's Familia"; he guest-starred as the plant's new multi-millionaire owner. More recently, he has been a spokesperson for Farmers Insurance Group, starring in their Spanish language commercials. Edward Olmos has often been involved in social activism, especially that affecting the Latino community. During the 1992 Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles, when many people left the city, Olmos went out with a broom and worked to get communities cleaned up and rebuilt. He also attended an Oprah episode relating to the L.A. riots as an audience member. In 1997, Olmos co-founded the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival with Marlene Dermer, George Hernandez and Kirk Whisler. That same year, he co-founded with Kirk Whisler the non-profit organization, Latino Literacy Now, that has produced Latino Book & Festivals around the USA, attended by over 700,000 people. In 1998, he founded Latino Public Broadcasting and currently serves as its chairman. Latino Public Broadcasting funds public television programming that focuses on issues affecting Latinos and advocates for diverse perspectives in public television. That same year, he starred in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, a comedy that sought to break Latino stereotypes and transcend the normal stigmas of most Latino-oriented movies. In 1999, Olmos was one of the driving forces that created Americanos: Latino Life in the U.S., a book project featuring over 30 award winning photographers, later turned into a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, music CD and HBO special. He also makes frequent appearances at juvenile halls and detention centers to speak to at-risk teenagers. He has also been an international ambassador for UNICEF. In 2001, he was arrested and spent 20 days in jail for taking part in the Navy-Vieques protests against United States Navy target practice bombings of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. On January 5, 2007, he appeared on Puerto Rican television to blame the Puerto Rican and United States governments for not cleaning Vieques after the U.S. Navy stopped using the island for bombing practice. Edward James Olmos narrated the 1999 film Zapatista, a documentary in support of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, a revolutionary group that has abstained from using their weapons since 1994. He also gave $2,300 to New Mexico governor Bill Richardson for his presidential campaign (the maximum amount for the primaries). Olmos joined the cast of the television series Dexter for its 6th season, as a "brilliant, charismatic professor of religious studies." Personal life edit: In 1971, Olmos married Katija Keel, the daughter of actor Howard Keel. They had two children, Bodie and Mico, before divorcing in 1992. Olmos also has four adopted children: Daniela, Michael D., Brandon and Tamiko. He married actress Lorraine Bracco in 1994, but she filed for divorce in January 2002 after five years of separation. In the same year, he married Puerto Rican actress Lymari Nadal. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from California State University, Fresno. In 2007, after a seven-year process, he obtained Mexican nationality. Asteroid 5608 Olmos is named in his honor. Filmography edit: Film edit: Year Title Role Notes 1975 Aloha Bobby and Rose Chicano #1 1977 Alambrista! Drunk 1978 Evening in Byzantium Angelo 1979 Fukkatsu no hi Capt. Lopez 1981 Three Hundred Miles for Stephanie Art Vela 1981 Wolfen Eddie Holt 1981 Zoot Suit El Pachuco 1982 Blade Runner Gaff 1983 The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Gregorio Cortez 1985 Saving Grace Ciolino 1988 Stand and Deliver Jaime Escalante Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, Nominated-Academy Award for Best Actor, Nominated-Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama 1989 The Fortunate Pilgrim Frank Corbo 1989 Triumph of the Spirit Gypsy 1991 Talent for the Game Virgil Sweet 1992 American Me Montoya Santana 1993 Roosters Gallo Morales 1994 Menedez: A Killing in Beverly Hills Jose Menendez 1994 A Million to Juan Angel 1994 The Burning Season Wilson Pinheiro Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie 1995 Mirage Matteo Juarez 1995 My Family Paco 1996 Dead Man's Walk Capt. Salazar 1996 The Limbic Region Jon Lucca 1996 Caught Joe 1997 12 Angry Men Juror #11 1997 Selena Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film 1997 The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca Roberto Lozano 1997 Hollywood Confidential Stan Navarro, Sr. Nominated-ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film 1998 The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit Vamanos 1998 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Det. Anthony Piscotti 1999 Bonanno: A Godfather's Story Salvatore Maranzano 2000 The Princess & the Barrio Boy Nestor Garcia Television movie 2000 The Road to El Dorado Chief Tannabok 2000 Gossip Detective Curtis 2001 The Judge Judge Armando Nominated-ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film 2001 In the Time of the Butterflies Rafael Trujillo 2002 Jack and Marilyn Pasquel 2005 Cerca, La Nino 2005 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Mito 2006 Splinter Capt. Garcia 2006 Walkout Julian Nava 2008 Beverly Hills Chihuahua Diablo 2010 I'm Still Here Himself 2011 The Green Hornet Michael Axford 2011 America Mr. Irving 2013 2 Guns Papa Greco 2013 Filly Brown Leandro 2013 Machete Kills TBA pre-production Television edit: Year Title Role Notes 1977 Starsky & Hutch Julio Guiterez (TV series, 1 episode: "The Physic") 1978 CHiPs Henry (TV series, 1 episode: "Flashback") 1982 Hill Street Blues Joe Bustamonte (TV series, 2 episodes) 1984 Hill Street Blues Judge Cruz (TV series, 1 episode: "Parting Is Such a Sweet Sorrow") 1984-1990 Miami Vice Lt. Martin Castillo (TV series, 106 episodes), Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 1999-2000 The West Wing Associate Justice Roberto Mendoza (TV series, 2 episodes) 2002-2004 American Family: Journey of Dreams Jess Gonzalez (TV series, 17 episodes) 2003-2009 Battlestar Galactica William Adama (TV series, 73 episodes), Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television, ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film, ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, Nominated-ALMA Award for Best Actor on Television, Nominated-Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television (2007, 2008) 2007 George Lopez Mr. Vega (TV series, 1 episode: "George Decides to Sta-Local Where It's Familia") 2010 CSI: NY Luther Devarro (TV series, 1 episode: "Sangre Por Sangre) 2011 Dexter Professor Gellar (TV series, 10 episodes), Nominated-Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, Nominated-Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television 2011 Eureka Rudy (TV series, 1 episode: "DO You See What I See")" 2012 Portlandia Himself (TV series, 1 episode: "One Moore Episode")

Source: Wikipedia

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