Miriam Colon, who plays Maria Santos, the villainous head of the Santos family, was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Miriam wanted to be an actress since childhood and performed in many school plays and was a member of the drama department of the University of Puerto Rico where she received a scholarship to study at the Dramatic Workshop and Technical Institute in New York.
In addition to an extensive number of film credits, she has over 250 television credits. Miriam has guest starred in a variety of programs from Alfred Hitchock, Gunsmoke, The Virginian, Ben Casey, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Sanford & Son, Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue, and Third Watch. Miriam is also the artistic director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater that she founded in 1969, which has produced 104 plays. In addition to her work with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, she has also appeared in numerous Broadway and off-Broadway productions.
Miriam is married to plastic surgeon Dr. Fred Valle, whom she met while she was auditioning for a role in the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater's production of The Oxcart.
For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story
2000
Guiding Light
Maria Santos
1999 to late 2002; Recurring
Mistrial
Mrs. Cruz
1996
One Life to Live
Maria Delgado
1996-1997
Streets of Laredo
1995
Lighting Field
1991
Deadline: Madrid
1988
Best Kept Secrets
Ina Dietz
1984
The Hemingway Play
1977
Dr. Max
Mrs. Camacho
1974
The Call It Murder
Anita Nogales
1971
The Desperate Mission
Claudina, Otilia's servant
1971
The Meanest Men in the West
Eva Talbot
1967
The Blue Diner
Meche
2000
All the Pretty Horses
Dona Alfonsa
2000
Gloria
Maria
1999
Lone Star
Mercedes Cruz
1996
Sabrina
Rosa
1995
The House of the Spirits
Nana
1993
City of Hope
Mrs. Ramirez
1991
Scarface
Mama Montana
1983
Back Roads
Angel
1981
A Life of Sin
Isabel
1979
The Confession of Joel Delaney
Veronica
1972
The Appaloosa
Ana
1966
Habor Lights
Gina Rosario
1963
Thunder Island
Anita Chavez
1963
The Battle at Bloody Beach
Nahni
1961
The Outsider
Anita
1961
One-Eyed Jacks
Redhead
1961
Crowded Paradise
1956
Los Peloteros
Lolita
1953