Since Hollywood’s inception, Latina actresses (particularly light-skinned ones) have had a limited, albeit strong and important, presence in it. The advent of television decades later didn’t lead to the level of representation we and our various narratives deserve, but it did allow many Latina actresses to showcase their talent – and TV gives us more opportunities to push the needle toward equality in Tinseltown. In previous articles, we celebrated Latinas who held it down on television during the 1980s and 90s. This time, we take it back to 70s TV to share which Latina actresses (although we wish they were more diverse) were holding it down on the small screen fifty years ago.

Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado

Cuban actress and singer Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado performed in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico before making her way to the United States. Once here, she starred as Juana Peña on the groundbreaking “first bilingual sitcom,” ¿Qué Pasa, USA? from 1977 to 1980. The show centered on her Cuban family, living in Miami while navigating life between two cultures and languages. Other Cuban actors who appeared on the show include Steven Bauer, Ana Margarita Menéndez, Manolo Villaverde, and Velia Martínez. Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado continued acting after the series ended in theatrical productions, the film El Super, and Spanish-language television shows.

Carmen Zapata

Another Latina who allowed us to see ourselves on 70s TV is Carmen Zapata. The Argentinian-Mexican actress had a long career before lighting up the small screen – she debuted on Broadway in 1946 and did stand-up comedy. But playing Sophia Valdez on the “first-ever Latino family sitcom,” Viva Valdez, changed the game for Latinos on television. It only lasted 12 episodes in 1976 (sadly, getting canceled after one season or so is a tradition for our shows), but featured a Latino cast portraying a Mexican-American family in East L.A. And Carmen’s career continued after the end of Viva Valdez – she appeared in a slew of TV shows and films, including Sister Act, Sister Act 2, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, a.k.a. Pablo, Boulevard Night, and L.A. Law.

Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno is such an inspiration. She is the first Latina to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, left Hollywood when she didn’t want to play stereotypical roles, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and is one of only 21 people to achieve EGOT status competitively. What roles garnered the Puerto Rican actress her two Emmys? Two very different ones during the 1970s: one as herself on The Muppet Show (Outstanding Continuing Or Single Performance By A Supporting Actress In Variety Or Music – 1977) and as one sex worker Rita Capkovic on an episode of The Rockford Files (Outstanding Lead Actress For A Single Appearance In A Drama Or Comedy Series – 1978). Talk about range! Rita was nominated for six Emmys total (along with two honors) and has appeared in several other TV shows, including Lopez vs. Lopez, Oz, One Day at a Time, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Lynda Carter

Superheroes inspire children with their bravery, courage, sense of what’s right, and superpowers. It’s important for kids to see superheroes who look like them, so they can envision themselves achieving greatness. Luckily, we had Mexicana Lynda Carter on television, playing one of the most popular heroines of all time, Wonder Woman. From 1976-1979, she played Diana Prince, a woman serving in the Navy, who, when duty called, would spin three times and become Princess Diana of Themyscira. In addition to kicking ass as Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter also appeared on shows such as The Dukes of Hazzard, Law & Order, and Supergirl.

Diana Canova

Cubanas were definitely representing on 70s TV in the U.S. Diana Canova was yet another Cuban actress whose face filled the small screen. You might have seen her on Soap, where she played Corinne Tate Flotsky, or as Ellen on The Love Boat, or as Chico’s girlfriend Patty Betran on Chico and the Man, or perhaps as herself on Dinah and Her New Best Friends. Diana also appeared on such TV classics as Happy Days, Murder She Wrote, Throb, Fantasy Island, I’m a Big Girl Now, St. Elsewhere, and Hotel.