1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Patrick Renna to Christy Carlson Romano

Chita Rivera Biography (1933-)

Full name, Dolores Concita Figueroa del Rivero; born January 23, 1933, in Washington, DC; daughter of Pedro Julio Figueroa (a musician) and Katherine (a government clerk) del Rivero; married Anthony Mordente (an actor), December 1,1957 (divorced); children: Lisa (a director and choreographer). Addresses: Agent: William Morris Agency, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY10019.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, singer, dancer

Birth Details

January 23, 1933

Washington, D.C, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) Dancer, Guys and Dolls, 46th Street Theatre, NewYork City, 1950
• (As Conchita del Rivero) Dancer, Call Me Madam, Imperial Theatre,New York City, 1952
• Dancer, Can-Can, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1953
• Ensemble, Shoestring Revue (revue), President Theatre, New York City, 1955
• Fifi, Seventh Heaven, American National Theatre and Academy Theatre, New York City, 1955
• Rita Romano, Mr. Wonderful, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1956-1957
• Anita, West Side Story, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1957-1959
• Standby Mehitabel, Shinbone Alley, Broadway Theatre, 1957
• (London debut) Anita, West Side Story, Her Majesty's Theatre, 1958
• Rosie Grant, Bye Bye Birdie, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1960, then Her Majesty's Theatre, 1961
• Athena Constantine, Zenda, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA, thenPasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, CA, both 1963
• Anyanka, Bajour, Shubert Theatre, 1964-1965
• Jenny, The Threepenny Opera, Mineola Theatre, Mineola, NY, 1966
• Flower Drum Song, Melody Top Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, 1966
• Zorba, Westbury Music Fair, Westbury NY, 1970
• Milliken Breakfast Show, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, 1972
• Billie Dawn, Born Yesterday, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia,PA, 1972
• Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (revue), Shubert Theatre, 1973
• Father's Day, Ivanhoe Theatre, Chicago, 1974
• Velma Kelly, Chicago, 46th Street Theatre, 1975
• Sing Happy! (revue), Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, 1978
• V.I.P. Night on Broadway (revue), Shubert Theatre, 1979
• Rose, Bring Back Birdie, Martin Beck Theatre, 1981
• Hey Look Me Over, Avery Fisher Hall, 1981
• The Queen, Merlin, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1983
• Anna, The Rink, Martin Beck Theatre, 1984
• Ensemble, Jerry's Girls (revue), St. James Theatre, New York City,1985-1986
• Happy Birthday, Mr. Abbott! Or Night of 100 Years, 1987
• La Mome Pistache, Can-Can, Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1988
• Title role, Kiss of the Spider Woman, St. Lawrence Centre, Toronto, Canada, then Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1993
• Angela Lansbury--A Celebration, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1996
• Two Broadway Legends, Together at Last!, North Shore Music Theater, Beverly, MA, 1997
• Roxie Hart, Chicago, Las Vegas, NV, 2000
• Anything Goes, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, 2000
• La vieja, Venecia, George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, NJ, 2001
• Magdalena Monteverde, Casper: The Musical, Bendem Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 2001
• The Visit, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2001
• Title role, The House of Bernarda Alba, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 2002
• Liliane La Fleur, Nine, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 2003
• Major Tours
• (As Conchita del Rivero) Principal dancer, Call Me Madam, U.S. cities, 1952
• Rosie Grant, Bye Bye Birdie, U.S. cities, 1962
• Title role, Sweet Charity, U.S. and Canadian cities, 1967-1968
• Leader, Zorba, U.S. cities, 1969
• Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, U.S. cities, 1972
• Lilli Vanessi/Katherine, Kiss Me Kate, U.S. cities, 1974
• Velma Kelly, Chicago, U.S. cities, 1977-1978
• Film Appearances
• Nickie, Sweet Charity (also known as Sweet Charity: The Adventures of a Girl Who Wanted to Be Loved), Universal, 1969
• Guest at Heartland, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (also known as Banda de los corazones), Universal, 1978
• Herself, He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin', 1983
• Nickie, Chicago, Miramax, 2002
• Herself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (also known as Broadway: The Golden Age), 2003
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Connie Richardson, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, CBS, 1973-1974
• Movies
• Josie Hopper, The Marcus-Nelson Murders (also known as Kojak and the Marcus-Nelson Murders and Kojak: The Marcus-Nelson Murders),CBS, 1973
• Risa Dickstein, The Mayflower Madam, CBS, 1987
• Specials
• The Maurice Chevalier Show, NBC, 1956
• The General Motors 50th Anniversary Show, NBC, 1957
• Tiptoe through TV, CBS, 1960
• Variety: The World of Show Biz, CBS, 1960
• Arthur Godfrey and the Sounds of New York, CBS, 1963
• The George Burns Special, CBS, 1976
• The Stars and Stripes Show, NBC, 1976
• Gingerbread lady, "Hansel and Gretel," Once Upon a Brothers Grimm,CBS, 1977
• Honoree, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1979
• Fastrada, Pippin: His Life and Times, 1981
• Broadway Plays Washington: Kennedy Center Tonight (also known as Broadway Plays Washington), PBS, 1982
• Night of 100 Stars II, NBC, 1982
• The 38th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1984
• The Night of 100 Stars II, ABC, 1985
• The 39th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1985
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1985
• The 40th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1986
• The Golden Eagle Awards, syndicated, 1987
• Broadway Sings: The Music of Jule Styne, PBS, 1987
• Celebrating Gershwin, PBS, 1987
• The 41st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1987
• The 42nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1988
• Sammy Davis, Jr.'s 60th Birthday Celebration, ABC, 1990
• America's Dance Honors, ABC, 1990
• Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
• The 47th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1993
• Herself, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1994
• (In archive footage) Herself, The Music of Kander and Ebb: Razzle Dazzle, PBS, 1997
• Broadway '97: Launching the Tonys, PBS, 1997
• A Walk Down 42nd Street with David Hartman, PBS, 1998
• Herself, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center Opening, PBS, 1998
• Herself, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (also known as The Kennedy Center Honors), CBS, 1998
• Bob Fosse: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999
• The 53rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1999
• Shirley Maclaine: This Time Around, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
• Dick Van Dyke: Put on a Happy Face, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
• Herself, My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs, PBS, 2001
• Herself, Liza Minelli: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2002
• The 25th Anniversary Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 2002
• Herself, The 57th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2003
• Herself, Broadway's Lost Treasures, PBS, 2003
• Also appeared on Great Performances.
• Episodic
• The Imogene Coca Show, NBC, 1954
• "The Maurice Chevalier Special," Max Liebman Presents, NBC, 1956
• The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1960, 1962
• Mrs. Dame, "The Bellero Shield," The Outer Limits, ABC, 1964
• Herself, The Judy Garland Show, 1964
• Guest, The Hollywood Palace, 1965, 1966, 1968
• Herself, The Carol Burnett Show, 1969, 1971
• Guest, That's Life, 1969
• Josie Hopper, "The Marcus Nelson Murders," Kojak, 1973
• Herself, "Sammy Davis, Jr.: Mr. Entertainment," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
• Also appeared in The Garry Moore Show, CBS; The Arthur GodfreyShow, CBS; The Sid Caesar Show, NBC; The Dinah Shore Show,NBC; London Palladium Show, British television; The Electric Company; as voice of insect, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, HBO.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Appeared on a number of original Broadway cast recordings, including Bye Bye Birdie.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Dictionary of Hispanic Biography, Gale Research, 1996

Periodicals

• Playbill, July 31, 2003, p. 8
• The Washington Post, December 8, 2002, pp. G1-G10