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Carmen Margarita Zapata often referred to as "The First Lady of the Hispanic Theater" was an American actress best known for her role in the PBS bilingual children's program Villa Alegre. Zapata is also the co-founder and director of the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts in Los Angeles. Zapata took an active part in the Chicano movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Zapata was born in New York City to Julio Zapata, a Mexican immigrant, and Ramona Roca, an Argentine immigrant.
Birth Name
Carmen Margarita Zapata
Born
Friday, 15 July 1927
Died
Sunday, 05 January 2014
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards | Self (In Memoriam) | 2014 |
| Fidel | Old Woman | 2002 |
| The Sleepy Time Gal | Anna | 2001 |
| Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Judge Martinez (segment "Justice is Served") | 1997 |
| Death in Granada | Lorca's Mother | 1996 |
| Common Law | Rose | 1996 |
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Flower Seller | 1995 |
| Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Seventh Fairy | 1995 |
| Fudge | Mrs. Ruiz | 1995 |
| The Secret World of Alex Mack | Senora Garcia | 1994 |
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards | Self (In Memoriam) | 2014 |
| Fidel | Old Woman | 2002 |
| The Sleepy Time Gal | Anna | 2001 |
| Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Judge Martinez (segment "Justice is Served") | 1997 |
| Death in Granada | Lorca's Mother | 1996 |
| Common Law | Rose | 1996 |
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Flower Seller | 1995 |
| Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Seventh Fairy | 1995 |
| Fudge | Mrs. Ruiz | 1995 |
| The Secret World of Alex Mack | Senora Garcia | 1994 |
| Skins | Roses | 1994 |
| Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Choir Nun | 1993 |
| Point of No Return | Judge | 1993 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Doña Verano | 1993 |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Judge Maria Vargas | 1992 |
| Sister Act | Choir Nun | 1992 |
| Danielle Steel's Secrets | Judge | 1992 |
| The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Judge Loyda Cervantes | 1990 |
| How to Murder a Millionaire | Clara | 1990 |
| Homeroom | Mrs. Mendez | 1989 |
| Los Angeles History Project | Narrator | 1988 |
| Broken Angel | Ms. Adkins | 1988 |
| Jake and the Fatman | Judge | 1987 |
| Married... with Children | Madame Olga | 1987 |
| The Education of Allison Tate | Teresa Aleman | 1986 |
| L.A. Law | Irene Rodriguez | 1986 |
| The Mothers of the Plaza of Mayo | Narrator | 1985 |
| Reel Horror | Lottie (archive footage) / Lottie | 1985 |
| Hunter | Edna Watley | 1984 |
| a.k.a. Pablo | Dolores | 1984 |
| Vultures | Elena Garcia-Lopez | 1983 |
| Not Just Another Affair | Judge Mercado | 1982 |
| Matt Houston | Woman / Mary Begay / Marta | 1982 |
| Falcon Crest | Judge Patterson | 1981 |
| The Phoenix | Carmelita | 1981 |
| Children of Divorce | Mrs. Ruiz | 1980 |
| Homeward Bound | Lorenza | 1980 |
| How to Beat the High Cost of Living | Mama | 1980 |
| There Goes the Bride | Mrs. Ramirez | 1980 |
| Flamingo Road | Lupe | 1980 |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special | Mrs. Battaglia | 1980 |
| Hagen | Mrs. Chavez | 1980 |
| Trapper John, M.D. | Lopez / Nurse Lopez / Anna | 1979 |
| Archie Bunker's Place | Mrs. Hernandez | 1979 |
| Boulevard Nights | Mrs. Landeros | 1979 |
| Mrs. Columbo | Landlady | 1979 |
| CBS Afternoon Playhouse | Mrs. Martinez | 1978 |
| The White Shadow | Mrs. Alvarez / Mrs. Alverez | 1978 |
| A Guide for the Married Woman | Mrs. Garcia | 1978 |
| Flying High | Mrs. Bellagio | 1978 |
| Rabbit Test | Madam Nundi | 1978 |
| Leave Yesterday Behind | Connie | 1978 |
| Telefon | Nurse | 1977 |
| Billy Jack Goes to Washington | Undetermined Secondary Role | 1977 |
| Fantasy Island | Aunt Gina | 1977 |
| John Hus | Mother of John Hus | 1977 |
| Executive Suite | Josepha | 1976 |
| Viva Valdez | Sophia Valdez | 1976 |
| Shark Kill | Helena Mendoza | 1976 |
| I Will... I Will... For Now | Maria | 1976 |
| Wonder Woman | The Prime Minister | 1975 |
| The Blue Knight | Lupe | 1975 |
| Switch | Clarita | 1975 |
| Winner Take All | Sara | 1975 |
| Boss Nigger | Margarita | 1975 |
| Archer | Olivera Bronko | 1975 |
| Those Mad, Mad Moviemakers | Mama Theresa | 1974 |
| Chico and the Man | Party Guest / Customer | 1974 |
| Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Spanish Woman | 1974 |
| Sierra | Mrs. Andrews | 1974 |
| W | Betty | 1974 |
| My Darling Daughters' Anniversary | Esther | 1973 |
| Kojak | Ellen Conforti | 1973 |
| Faraday and Company | Frieda Dupar | 1973 |
| Bad Charleston Charlie | Lottie | 1973 |
| Toma | Mrs. Adams | 1973 |
| Harry O | Mrs. Reynosa | 1973 |
| The Girls of Huntington House | Miss Rodriquez | 1973 |
| Carola | Mireille | 1973 |
| Barnaby Jones | Mrs. Revez | 1973 |
| The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Aunt Caroline | 1972 |
| The Couple Takes a Wife | Maria | 1972 |
| The Streets of San Francisco | Maria Vega / Mrs. Martinez | 1972 |
| The New Temperatures Rising Show | Anna | 1972 |
| Portnoy's Complaint | Mrs. Harero | 1972 |
| The Rookies | Mrs. Fabiano | 1972 |
| Emergency! | Woman Injured in Wreck | 1972 |
| The New Dick Van Dyke Show | Teela | 1971 |
| McMillan & Wife | Mrs. Barteloni | 1971 |
| The Man and the City | Josefina | 1971 |
| Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Mrs. Chavez | 1971 |
| O'Hara, U.S. Treasury | Maria Valdez | 1971 |
| The Smith Family | Mama Cisto | 1971 |
| Men at Law | Teresa Bonilla | 1970 |
| McCloud | Mrs. Moreno | 1970 |
| Hail, Hero! | Juana | 1969 |
| Love, American Style | Carmen Lopez (segment "Love and Carmen Lopez") / Pilar (segment "Love and the Logical Explanation") / Serafina (segment "Love and the End of the Line") | 1969 |
| Room 222 | Mrs. Ruiz | 1969 |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Rosa Villacres | 1969 |
| Medical Center | Luisa / Senora Esquival | 1969 |
| Marcus Welby, M.D. | Carmela Russo / Mrs. Maria Delgado / Mrs. Sanchez | 1969 |
| The Bold Ones: The Protectors | Mrs. Mendez | 1969 |
| Mod Squad | Mrs. Gomez | 1968 |
| Adam-12 | Maria Lopez / Mrs. Cipreano / Mrs. Encara Flores | 1968 |
| Mannix | Chambermaid | 1967 |
| The F.B.I. | Leila Dracus | 1965 |
| The Tonight Show | Self - Actress | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Herself | 1961 |
| Bonanza | Maria Valdez | 1959 |
| The Vaughn Monroe Show | Self (as Marian Saunders) | 1950 |
