Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Katy Jurado, first Mexican-American actress to win a Golden Globe

Katy Jurado, born Maria Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado Garcia January, 16, 1924 in Mexico City, is the first Latin American actress to win a Golden Globe for her work in High Noon in 1952. She is the first Latin American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Broken Lance in 1954.

She began her film career in 1943 appearing in the Mexican film No mataras.  She appeared in 16 more films over the next seven years in what has been named the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.  

Jurado made her American cinema debut in Bullfighter and the Lady.  Although she was not interested in appearing in American films, she worked on numerous American western films.  She appeared in High Noon with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.  She starred in Arrowhead with Charlton Heston and Jack Palance.

Jurado was married to Ernest Borgnine for four years, and had a romantic relationship with Western novelist Louis L'Amour.

She continued acting until 2002 when she appeared in her final film Un secreto de Esperanza, which was released after her death from kidney failure and pulmonary disease in July 2002.

" Ice Station Zebra " released 1968

The Cold War-era movie, Ice Station Zebra, released October 23, 1968, was based on the Alistair MacLean novel of the same name.  It follows the events after a satellite ejects a capsule, containing images captured by an experimental camera from the British, using special film developed by the US, and stolen by the Soviets.  The pictures are those of American missile silos and Soviet missile sites, and the capsule lands near the British outpost Ice Station Zebra. 

Both the Americans and the Soviets are in a race to recover the capsule and the images before the other.  

The movie starred Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, and Ron Masak, who passed away just days ago.  

Although it opened to mixed reviews and a 49% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, and Best Special Effects.

I enjoy this movie and have watched it twice.  It's one I don't find on television often but it's always great to watch.  

"RED" released 2010

RED, released October 15, 2010, is one of the best action-comedies ever filmed.  It starred Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman.  Mary Stuart Masterston, Karl Urban, Ernest Borgnine, Brian Cox and Richard Dreyfus finished out the ensemble cast.

Bruce Willis plays a retired CIA agent (RED = Retired Extremely Dangerous), living quietly when he realizes that someone is trying to kill him. He contacts his old team to find out why he is being targeted. 

Helen Mirren won the Alliance of Women Film Journalists for Actress Defying Age and Ageism for her work in RED.

"Escape From New York" released 1981

John Carpenter released his dystopian future sci-fi flick Escape from New York, July 10, 1981 to positive reviews.  It starred a buffed-up Kurt Russell in a surprisingly tough role as Snake Plissken.  Apparently, Russell was wanting to shed his good-boy Disney image.  And it worked!

In 1997, Manhattan has been turned into a walled, maximum security prison.  When the president's plane crashes in the city, police try to rescue him but the local crime boss says that he has the president and if anyone else tries to save him, the president will be killed.

Snake Plissken is sent in to get the president out safely in 24 hours.

The movie also starred Ernest Borgnine, Harry Dean Stanton and Adrienne Barbeau. 

"The Poseidon Adventure" premiered 1972

The star-studded, 70's disaster-flick The Poseidon Adventure opened December 13, 1972.  The cast included 5 Academy Award winners: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters and Red Buttons.

The Poseidon Adventure won two Academy Awards, one for Best Original Song and a non-competitive Special Achievement Award for Best Visual Effects.  Shelley Winters won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture.

The movie was #1 Box Office Champ of 1973 and by the end of 1974 it was one of the most successful movies ever.