Griselda Nogueras

Notable Cuban actress of radio, television and stage, born in Havana on July 1st, 1933. Hailed by critics as "one of Cuba's most promising young actresses", she started performing as a teenager both in dramas and light comedies. The "promise" came true in the early 1950s when Griselda became a popular and much in demand leading lady, combining her youthful good looks with a profound knowledge of her craft. She won the popular "Codazo de Oro" award as "best young actress" of 1953 and would go on to win various formal recognitions for her outstanding performances . With the arrival of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, Griselda became antagonistic of the communist dictatorship, and refused to submit to the fierce censorship and control of the arts. Her immediate arrest was ordered by Commander Fidel Castro himself and she was thrown in prison at the Combinado del Este jail in Havana where she was tortured and brutalized along other inmates. She was released after three years but, banned from acting in her homeland, she promptly went into exile in Southern Florida, in the United States. Severely traumatized by her horrific experiences in prison and without knowledge of the English language, Griselda's acting career in exile was slow in taking off. In 1966 she finally found an outlet for her talents when she was hired as an acting coach for Hispanic students at the Miami Dade College, Wolfon Campus, in downtown Miami. Soon she was able to star in several local plays as well as on Spanish radio broadcasts where her unique voice and diction made her a favorite of audiences. In 1990 she began appearing In telenovelas (television soap operas) taped in Caracas, Venezuela, Miami, and other cities gaining a huge following in character roles. Miss Nogueras lives in Miami with her family where is much loved for her talents as well as for being a symbol of the Cuban struggle for freedom.