Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson was born on January 23, 1933, and is professionally known as Chita Rivera.
Rivera was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Katherine (Anderson), a government clerk, and Pedro Julio Figueroa del Rivero, a clarinetist and saxophonist for the United States Navy Band.
Her father was Puerto Rican and her mother was of Scottish and Italian descent. Rivera is one of five children. Rivera was seven years old when her mother was widowed and went to work at The Pentagon.
Chita Rivera is an American actress, singer, and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in West Side Story, Velma Kelly in Chicago, and the title role in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
She is a ten-time Tony Award nominee and a three-time Tony Award recipient, including one for Lifetime Achievement.
She is the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor and is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Her autobiography, Chita: A Memoir, was published in 2023.
Who originally played Velma in Chicago?
She originated the role of Velma Kelly in the 1975 production of Chicago on Broadway. And 25 years later, she returned, this time as Roxie Hart — playing the part in Toronto, Las Vegas, and London.
What is Chita Rivera most famous for?
Chita Rivera, original name Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, (born January 23, 1933, in Washington, D.C., U.S.), American dancer, singer, and actress who was best known for her energetic performances in such Broadway musicals as West Side Story, Chicago, and Kiss of the Spider Woman.