Voting Station

Luis Valdez

Please vote to return to collections.

Playwright

The Resume

    (June 26, 1940- )
    Born in Delano, California
    Middle name was Miguel
    Wrote the play 'Zoot Suit'
    Directed 'Zoot Suit' (1981) and 'La Bamba' (1987)
    Founded El Teatro Campesino
    Appeared in 'The Bronze Screen'

Why he might be annoying:

    His first play was titled 'The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa.'
    He took a few liberties with Ritchie Valens' life story when he made 'La Bamba.'
    The most famous example being his creating a 'love triangle' between Ritchie, Bob, and Rosie (This was actually based on a situation he himself experienced with his own brother).
    He dropped out of directing the film version of Carlos Fuentes' 'Old Gringo' over creative differences with Jane Fonda (but it bombed badly, so there's that!).
    He tried to revive The Cisco Kid with Jimmy Smits and Cheech Marin.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His family were all migrant farm workers.
    He started out by staging improvisational theatre to fund the United Farm Workers.
    He worked closely with Cesar Chavez in starting El Teatro Campesino (The Farmworker's Theater).
    His documentary 'I Am Joaquin' (based on the poem) was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2010.
    He became the first Chicano director to have a play presented on Broadway with 'Zoot Suit' in 1979.
    He made stars out of Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips and Esai Morales.
    'La Bamba' and 'Zoot Suit' were not only breakthroughs for Latino representation, but were also major box office hits.
    Both films both received Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture but were unfairly shut out at the Oscars.
    He's been called the founder of modern Chicano theatre and film.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying