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.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Steve Bellan, first Latin-American to play major league baseball

Esteban Enrique "Steve" Bellan, born October 1, 1849 in Havana, Cuba, is the first Latin American to play professional baseball in the US.  He attended school at what is now know as the Fordham University in the Bronx, from 1866 to 1868. He joined the Live Oaks, a Second Division baseball team.  After graduation, he played a season for the Union of Morrisania, a member of the NABBP, and helped them win the national championship in 1868.  He joined the Troy Haymakers in 1869.  

Sometime after that he went to the New York Mutuals until 1873.  Bellan moved by to Cuba to play in their baseball leagues.  He played for Club Habana and beat Club Matanzas on December 27, 1874, in the first organized baseball game in Cuba.  He has been called the Father of Cuban Baseball for his role in organizing the game.

He passed away in Havana, Cuba in 1932.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Albert Paulsen, first Latin American to win a Primetime Emmy

Albert Paulsen, born in Ecuador December 13, 1925, became the first Latin American actor to win a Primetime Emmy.  Other Latin actors had been nominated before, but Paulsen's was the first win.  He won the award in 1964 for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor for his portrayal as Lt. Volkoval in Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, in the episode One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich.

He also appeared in The Manchurian Candidate with Angela Lansbury!  He also appeared in Eyewitness with Signourney Weaver!  

I couldn't find a clip of his Emmy-winning role, but here is a clip from when he appeared on the Odd Couple with Roy Clark.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Luis Castro, first Latin-American to play in Major League Baseball

Luis Castro, born November 25, 1876 in Colombia, is the first Latin American to play for Major League Baseball.  He played only one season with the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1902 season, as a second baseman and a right-handed batter.  The Athletics went on to win the American League championship.

Castro passed away in New York City at 64 in September 1941.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Bernardo Houssay, First Latin-American to win Nobel Prize in Physiology

Bernardo Houssay, born April 10, 1887 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the first Latin-American to win the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1947.  He was a co-recipient of the award for the discovery of the role played by the pituitary hormones in regulating the amount of blood sugar (glucose) in animals.

He published more than 600 scientific papers and several specialized books. 

He passed away in September 1971.