Gilda Galán
Encyclopedia
Gilda Galán was a Puerto Rican
actress, dramaticist, comedian
, writer
, composer
, scriptwriter
and poet
. The veteran actress, whose career spanned decades, enjoyed one of the longest careers in the history of the Puerto Rican entertainment industry.
, in 1917.
Galán died on Sunday afternoon, June 21, 2009, at 1:06 P.M. at El Hogar Alivio Dorado in Carolina, Puerto Rico
at the age of 92. Galan had been in declining health during the last six months of her life. She was cremated.
radio in San Juan
in 1948 following her graduation from high school
. She worked as a programming and writer
at WKAQ, as well as a comedic and dramatic
voice actress on the air for the station. It was at WKAQ that Galan created her first well known character, La Abuelita or Grandma, and she would continue to play similar roles on television later in her career. She also wrote scripts for comedian and producer, Tommy Muñiz
, who performed at WKAQ.
One of Galán's best known roles was as the character, Agnes, in the play
Los Soles Truncos by playwright
René Marqués
. Galan debuted as Agnes in Los Soles Truncos as part of the first inaugural Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña in 1958. Her work in Los Soles Truncos catipulted Galán to fame within her profession.
Galán later performed as Bernarda in the play La Casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba) by Spanish
dramatist Federico García Lorca
. Her particular production of Bernarda Alba was directed by Dean Zayas.
In 1967, Galán began appearing in a political satire
program, "Se alquilan habitaciones", as the popular main character, Marunga. It was one of the first examples of political satire on Puerto Rican television. The controversial show, which was created by Manuel Méndez Ballester
, Luis Rechani Agrait
, and others, was pulled from broadcast on several occasions.
Galán continued to work in television roles similar to her character, Marunga, throughout the 1970s.
Galán's other television roles included the comedy, El Beauty, as well as El diario de una mujer, Cuentos de la abuelita and Todo el año es Navidad. Her career in television and theater continued into the 2000s.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
actress, dramaticist, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, scriptwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. The veteran actress, whose career spanned decades, enjoyed one of the longest careers in the history of the Puerto Rican entertainment industry.
Life
Gilda Galán was born in Guayama, Puerto RicoGuayama, Puerto Rico
Guayama is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded on January 29, 1736 and located on the Southern Coastal Valley region, bordering the Caribbean, south of Cayey; east of Salinas; and west of Patillas and Arroyo. Guayama is spread over 9 wards and Guayama Pueblo...
, in 1917.
Galán died on Sunday afternoon, June 21, 2009, at 1:06 P.M. at El Hogar Alivio Dorado in Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
at the age of 92. Galan had been in declining health during the last six months of her life. She was cremated.
Career
Galán began working at WKAQWKAQ
WKAQ may refer to:*WKAQ , a radio station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States*WKAQ-FM, a radio station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States...
radio in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
in 1948 following her graduation from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. She worked as a programming and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
at WKAQ, as well as a comedic and dramatic
Dramatic
Dramatic may refer to:* Drama, a literary form involving parts for actors* Dramatic, a voice type classification in European classical music, describing a specific vocal weight and range at the lower end of a given voice part...
voice actress on the air for the station. It was at WKAQ that Galan created her first well known character, La Abuelita or Grandma, and she would continue to play similar roles on television later in her career. She also wrote scripts for comedian and producer, Tommy Muñiz
Tommy Muñiz
Lucas Tomás Muñiz Ramírez , better known as Tommy Muñiz, was a Puerto Rican comedy and drama actor, media producer, businessman and network owner...
, who performed at WKAQ.
One of Galán's best known roles was as the character, Agnes, in the play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
Los Soles Truncos by playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
René Marqués
René Marques
René Marqués was a renowned Puerto Rican short story writer and playwright.-Early years:Marqués was born, raised and educated in the city of Arecibo...
. Galan debuted as Agnes in Los Soles Truncos as part of the first inaugural Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño at the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña in 1958. Her work in Los Soles Truncos catipulted Galán to fame within her profession.
Galán later performed as Bernarda in the play La Casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba) by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
dramatist Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
. Her particular production of Bernarda Alba was directed by Dean Zayas.
In 1967, Galán began appearing in a political satire
Political satire
Political satire is a significant part of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly...
program, "Se alquilan habitaciones", as the popular main character, Marunga. It was one of the first examples of political satire on Puerto Rican television. The controversial show, which was created by Manuel Méndez Ballester
Manuel Méndez Ballester
Manuel Méndez Ballester , born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, was a well-known writer who worked in journalism, radio broadcasting, television and teaching.- Life and career :...
, Luis Rechani Agrait
Luis Rechani Agrait
Luis Rechani Agrait was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and playwright.After schooling in Aguas Buenas and Río Piedras, Rechani Agrait moved to the USA to study Natural Sciences at Harvard and Richmond...
, and others, was pulled from broadcast on several occasions.
Galán continued to work in television roles similar to her character, Marunga, throughout the 1970s.
Galán's other television roles included the comedy, El Beauty, as well as El diario de una mujer, Cuentos de la abuelita and Todo el año es Navidad. Her career in television and theater continued into the 2000s.