Tony Plana Biography

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Tony Plana in Magnolia Pictures' The Lost City - 2006

Birth Date: April 19, 1952

Birth Place: Havana, Cuba

Tony Plana was educated at Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he earned a bachelor's degree through the Honors Program in Literature and Theater Arts, graduating magna cum laude. He received his professional training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Plana starred as the widowed, Mexican-American patriarch, Roberto Santiago, in Showtime's landmark, groundbreaking hit series “Resurrection Boulevard,” for which he received 2001 and 2002 ALMA award nominations for best actor. It was the first English speaking weekly series in the history of television to be produced, written, directed and starring Latinos. “Resurrection Boulevard” was the first of its kind to be renewed for three seasons on a television network.

Having co-directed and co-produced the film “A Million To Juan” with Paul Rodriguez, Plana celebrated his solo directorial debut in December 2000 with “The Princess and the Barrio Boy.” It represents the first Latino family film to be produced by Showtime and stars Academy Award nominee Edward James Olmos, Maria Conchita Alonso, Pauly Shore, and two of Plana's co-stars from “Resurrection Boulevard,” Marisol Nichols and Nicholas Gonzalez. The film received two 2001 ALMA award nominations for Best Made for Television Movie and Best Ensemble Acting and won the 2001 IMAGEN award for Best Made for Television Movie.

Plana's television episodic debut was 2001's “Resurrection Boulevard's” “Saliendo,” which garnered critical acclaim, receiving a GLAAD award for best dramatic episode of the year and a SHINE award. He has directed several episodes of Nickelodeon's hit series, “The Brothers Garcia,” winning an Imagen Award for its third season finale, “Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover.” He just completed directing an episode of “Greetings from Tucson” for the Warner Brothers Network.

Plana is also the co-founder and executive artistic director of the East L.A. Classic Theatre, a group comprised primarily of Hispanic American theatre professionals. The East L.A. Classic Theatre is dedicated to serving the Latino community through educational outreach programs to primary and secondary schools and through bilingual productions of traditional and contemporary classics.

Tony Plana Filmography

Actor Credits

Goal! The Dream Begins (2006) Hernan Munez

The Lost City (2006) The Emcee

El Muerto (2005)

Dreaming of Julia (2003) Voice of Narrator

Half Past Dead (2002) El Fuego

Vegas City of Dreams (2001)

Knockout (2000) Chuck Alvarado

Picking Up the Pieces (2000) Usher

Backlash (1999)

Santa Fe (1998)