Margarita Sierra(1936-1963)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Spanish actress-dancer-singer who starred in one U.S. television series
before her early death. A native of Madrid, Sierra was an accomplished
tap dancer at the age of four. She appeared throughout her childhood in
children's shows and later in nightclubs as a dancer and singer,
touring Spain and Central and South America. At the age of 20, she
arrived in the U.S. on a nightclub tour. She was a hit appearing on the
Jack Paar show, but got her big break in television when Warner Bros.
executive William T. Orr spotted her in performance at the Persian Room in New
York. He signed her to a contract and gave her the starring role of
"Cha Cha O'Brien" in the series Surfside 6 (1960). The show ran two seasons, and
Sierra returned to nightclub performances. In the spring of 1963,
Sierra was overcome by a heart ailment and had heart surgery. After
several months, she was hospitalized again in Hollywood, where she died
on September 6, at the age of 27.