María Conchita Alonso

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Maria Conchita Alonso
Birth name María Concepción Alonso Bustillo
Also known as Maria Conchita Alonso
Born June 29, 1957 (1957-06-29) (age 50)
Origin Cienfuegos, Cuba
Genre(s) Pop, Hip Hop
Occupation(s) Musician, Actress
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active 1970s-present
Website Official Website

María Conchita Alonso (born June 29, 1957) better known as María Conchita, is a Grammy Award-nominated Cuban-born Venezuelan singer and actress.

Contents

[edit] Early life

María Alonso was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba to Ricardo Alonso and Conchita Bustillo. She moved to Venezuela with her parents and two brothers when she was 5 years old. She took her first steps in show business when she was crowned Miss Teenager Of The World in 1971 and was 1st runner-up of the Miss Venezuela pageant in 1975; she was also a finalist at the Miss World pageant in 1975 won by Puerto Rico's Wilnelia Merced; thereafter she quickly became a popular actress in Venezuela.

[edit] Career

Alonso became the front woman of the band Ámbar in 1979, and started a very successful career as a solo recording artist in 1982, with the release of "Dangerous Rhythm". In what is generally considered to be her best known song, she was asked by Giorgio Moroder to sing his version of "Vamos a Bailar" which he had written to be part of the soundtrack for the film Scarface. The song instantly became a classic amongst Spanish speakers despite failing to garner any major attention outside of Cuba where it was recorded. As her two albums with Ambar and her solo debut were recorded in English, it was her second album "Maria Conchita" from 1984 that made her a singing superstar in the Spanish-speaking market, receiving a "Best Latin Artist" Grammy nomination for it in 1985.

She made her Hollywood film debut in 1984 in Moscow on the Hudson with Robin Williams, and also appeared in movies like The Running Man, Predator 2, The House of the Spirits,Vampire's Kiss, Colors and the TV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. She also became the first Latin-born actress to star in a Broadway show in 1995, playing Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Alonso also acted in the romantic comedies Chasing Papi (2003) and The Last Guy on Earth (2006) (post production).

She earned $20,000 for US Humane Society, Global Medical Relief Fund, and Venezuela Without Boundaries Foundation, according to the ABC site.http://abc.go.com/primetime/imacelebrity/charity.html

Alonso posed for a non-nude but sexy pictorial in the December 1991 issue of the Mexican edition of Playboy. Although it was a non-nude feature, her prominent nipples were very evident.

Alonso was cast to play the mother of Gabrielle Solis, Lucia on the ABC hit show Desperate Housewives the episode aired February 19, 2006.

She is also starring in the live-action film of the comic book, El Muerto, as Sister Rosa, and she is being featured at the movie "Material Girls", that went out in United States as of August 18, 2006.

Alonso suffered from the eating disorder bulimia for nearly 10 years before seeking treatment. She has spoken publicly about her struggle in hopes of helping others.[citation needed]

Alonso is a critic of Hugo Chavez. She has appeared on Sean Hannity's Hannity's America on May 6, 2007, Hannity & Colmes on June 1, 2007 and Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor on August 13, 2007.

[edit] Movies

  1. Unauthorized Clifford (2008) (announced)

... aka Des-Autorizado (Venezuela: wide-release title)

  1. Dos minutos de odio (2008) (announced)

... aka Two Minutes of Hate (USA)

  1. Trópico de sangre (2008) (filming)
  2. The Red Canvas (2008) (post-production) .... Maria Sanchez
  3. The Art of Travel (2008) (completed) .... Mrs. Layne
  4. Tranced (2008) (completed) .... Libra
  1. Richard III (2008) .... Queen Elizabeth
  2. "Saints & Sinners" .... Diana Martin / ... (62 episodes, 2007)
   - Family Jewels (2007) TV episode .... Diana Martin
   - Fund-raiser Fiasco (2007) TV episode .... Diana Martin
   - Don't Rain on Your Own Parade (2007) TV episode .... Sylvia Martin
   - Happily Never After (2007) TV episode .... Diana Martin
   - Sex, Lies, and No Videotape (2007) TV episode .... Diana Martin
     (57 more)
  1. The Condor (2007) (V) (voice) .... Mrs. Valdez

... aka Stan Lee Presents: The Condor (USA: DVD box title)

  1. The Dead One (2007) .... Sister Rosa
  2. Material Girls (2006) .... Inez
  3. "Desperate Housewives" .... Lucia (1 episode, 2006)
   - Thank You So Much (2006) TV episode .... Lucia
  1. Smoke (2005) .... Aurora Avila
  2. English as a Second Language (2005) .... Consuelo Sara
  3. "CSI: Miami" .... Marisela Gonzalez (1 episode, 2004)
   - Blood Moon (2004) TV episode .... Marisela Gonzalez
  1. Return to Babylon (2004) .... Lupe Velez
  2. Newton's Law (2003)
  3. Chasing Papi (2003) .... Maria
  4. Heart of America (2003) .... Mrs. Jones

... aka Home Room (Australia)

  1. "Kingpin" (2003) (mini) TV mini-series .... Ariela
  2. The Company You Keep (2003) .... Vera
  3. "Robbery Homicide Division" .... Claudia (1 episode, 2002)

... aka R.H.D./LA: Robbery Homicide Division/Los Angeles (USA: complete title)

   - A Life of Its Own (2002) TV episode .... Claudia
  1. Blind Heat (2002) .... Adrianna Scott
  2. Birth of Babylon (2001) .... Lupe Velez
  3. "Resurrection Blvd." .... Julia Hernandez (3 episodes, 2000-2001)
   - La Visita (2001) TV episode .... Julia Hernandez
   - No Te Muevas (2000) TV episode .... Julia Hernandez
   - Los Manos de Piedra (2000) TV episode .... Julia Hernandez
  1. The Code Conspiracy (2001) .... Rachel
  2. The Princess & the Barrio Boy (2000) (TV) .... Minerva Rojas

... aka She's in Love (UK)

  1. "Twice in a Lifetime" .... Kat Lopez (1 episode, 2000)
   - Expose (2000) TV episode .... Kat Lopez
  1. High Noon (2000) (TV) .... Helen Ramirez
  2. Best Actress (2000) (TV) .... Maria Katarina Caldone
  3. A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (2000) (TV) .... Gloria
  4. Knockout (2000/I) .... Carmen Alvarado
  5. Chain of Command (2000) .... Vice President Gloria Valdez
  1. Dillinger in Paradise (1999) .... Lola
  2. "Touched by an Angel" .... Dr. Sandra Pena (1 episode, 1999)
   - Hearts (1999) TV episode .... Dr. Sandra Pena
  1. My Husband's Secret Life (1998) (TV) .... Toni Diaz
  2. Grito en el cielo, El (1998) .... Miranda Vega

... aka Shout Out (USA: festival title)

  1. "The Outer Limits" .... Marie Alexander (1 episode, 1998)

... aka The New Outer Limits (USA: promotional title)

   - The Vaccine (1998) TV episode .... Marie Alexander
  1. "The Nanny" .... Concepcion Sheffield (1 episode, 1998)
   - Immaculate Concepcion (1998) TV episode .... Concepcion Sheffield
  1. Blackheart (1998) .... Annette
  2. Exposé (1998) .... Nancy Drake

... aka Footsteps (Philippines: English title) (USA: working title)

  1. Acts of Betrayal (1997) .... Eva Ramirez
  2. "F/X: The Series" .... Elena Serrano (2 episodes, 1997)
   - Deep Cover (1997) TV episode .... Elena Serrano
   - Quicksilver (1997) TV episode .... Elena Serrano
  1. Catherine's Grove (1997) .... Charley Vasquez
  2. "Gun" .... Marti (1 episode, 1997)

... aka Robert Altman's Gun

   - Father John (1997) TV episode .... Marti
  1. "Chicago Hope" .... Emma Scull (2 episodes, 1997)
   - Love on the Rocks (1997) TV episode .... Emma Scull
   - Colonel of Truth (1997) TV episode .... Emma Scull
  1. "Women: Stories of Passion" .... Sophia (1 episode, 1997)
   - La Limpia (The Cleansing) (1997) TV episode .... Sophia
  1. Sudden Terror: The Hijacking of School Bus #17 (1996) (TV) .... Marta Caldwell
  2. For Which He Stands (1996) .... Theresa Rochetti
  3. Caught (1996) .... Betty

... aka Atrapados (USA: Spanish title)

  1. MacShayne: The Final Roll of the Dice (1994) (TV) .... Cindy Evans
  2. Texas (1994) (TV) .... Lucia

... aka James A. Michener's Texas

  1. "Alejandra" (1994) TV series .... Alejandra
  2. The House of the Spirits (1993) .... Tránsito Soto

... aka Åndernes hus (Denmark) ... aka A Casa dos Espíritos (Portugal) ... aka Geisterhaus, Das (Germany)

  1. Roosters (1993) .... Chata
  2. Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (1992) (TV) .... Carmen

... aka Power Play: The Jackie Presser Story (UK: video title)

  1. McBain (1991) .... Christina
  2. Cuerpos clandestinos (1991) (TV) .... Claudia
  3. Predator 2 (1990) .... Leona Cantrell
  1. Vampire's Kiss (1989) .... Alva Restrepo
  2. "One of the Boys" .... Maria Conchita Navarro (1 episode, 1989)
   - Pilot (1989) TV episode .... Maria Conchita Navarro
  1. Colors (1988) .... Louisa Gomez
  2. Con el corazón en la mano (1988)
  3. The Running Man (1987) .... Amber Mendez
  4. Extreme Prejudice (1987) .... Sarita Cisneros
  5. Cugino americano, Il (1986) .... Caterina Ammirati

... aka Blood Ties (USA: TV title)

  1. Touch and Go (1986) .... Denise DeLeon
  2. A Fine Mess (1986) .... Claudia Pazzo

... aka Blake Edwards' A Fine Mess (USA: complete title)

  1. Fear City (1984) (as Maria Conchita) .... Silver

... aka Border ... aka Ripper

  1. Moscow on the Hudson (1984) .... Lucia Lombardo
  2. "Nacho" (1984) TV series
  3. "Knight Rider" .... Marie Elena Casafranca (1 episode, 1982)
   - Forget Me Not (1982) TV episode (as Maria Conchita) .... Marie Elena Casafranca
  1. "Fantasy Island" .... French Girl (1 episode, 1982)
   - The Beautiful Skeptic/The Lost Platoon (1982) TV episode (as Maria Conchita) .... French Girl
  1. "Claudia" (1982) TV series .... Claudia
  2. "Esposo de Anaís, El" (1981) TV series
  3. "Luz Marina" (1981) TV series .... Luz Marina
  4. "Angelito" (1981) TV series
  5. "Marielena" (1981) TV series .... Marielena
  6. "Mi hijo Gabriel" (1980) TV series
  7. "Natalia de 8 a 9" (1980) TV series .... Mariana Brito
  1. "Mabel Valdez, periodista" (1979) TV series
  2. "Estefanía" (1979) TV series .... Silvana Cataldo
  3. Solon (1979)

[edit] Radio

  • Recorded a public service announcement for Deejay Ra's 'Hip-Hop Literacy' campaign

[edit] Discography

  • Love Maniac (with Ambar, 1979)
  • The Witch (with Ambar, 1980)
  • Dangerous Rhythm (1982)
  • María Conchita (1984)
  • O Ella O Yo (1985) (Billboard Latin Pop Albums #9)
  • Grandes Éxitos (1986)
  • Mirame (1987) (Billboard Latin Pop Albums #12)
  • Colors (1988)
  • Hazme Sentir (1990)
  • En Vivo - Mexico (1991)
  • Imaginame (1992)
  • Alejandra: Boleros (1994)
  • Hoy y Siempre (1997)
  • Soy : Single CD (2005)

[edit] Singles

Year Song Hot Latin Songs Album
1987 "Sueltame" 22 Grandes Éxitos
1987 "Otra Mentira Más" 24 Mírame
1988 "Y Es Que Llegaste Tu" 5
1990 "Hazme Sentir" 24 Hazme Sentir
1991 "A El Lo Quiero" 35
1993 "Promesas" 20 Imagíname

[edit] External links

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