[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          IN RECOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ANTHONY QUINN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2001

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the contributions of the 
late actor Anthony Quinn. Mr. Quinn, who died of respiratory failure on 
June 3, 2001, is remembered by the people of the 31st Congressional 
District and beyond for his outspoken stance on social justice issues 
and his positive portrayal of Mexican and Native American people.
  Anthony Rudolph Oaxaca Quinn was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, to 
parents of Irish, Mexican, and Native American heritage who fought in 
the Mexican Revolution with Pancho Villa. His family fled to the United 
States when Anthony was an infant and settled in California after a 
short stay in El Paso, Texas. Prior to moving to East Los Angeles at 
age 6, Anthony worked alongside his parents picking fruit in 
California's Central Valley, earning 10 cents an hour. In part due to 
this experience, Mr. Quinn appreciated portraying the plight of 
working-class people. The Quinn family home in East Los Angeles is now 
the parking lot of the Anthony Quinn Library--located in the 31st 
Congressional District.
  Mr. Quinn was not only a gifted actor, he was also a writer, artist, 
and political activist. After the 1942 ``Sleepy Lagoon'' trial, in 
which 22 Mexican youths from East Los Angeles were wrongly convicted of 
murder following a gang killing, Mr. Quinn helped to raise funds for an 
appeal. Years later, the accused young people were finally declared 
innocent.
  Mr. Quinn earned two Oscars as best supporting actor, the first in 
1952 for ``Viva Zapata!'' and the second in 1956 for his portrayal of 
painter Paul Gauguin in ``Lust for Life.'' Mr. Quinn identified 
strongly with two cultures, the Mexican and the Irish, but could not be 
categorized as only representing those nationalities. His diverse 
background and appearance allowed him to play a wide range of 
characters from varying nationalities, including his most memorable as 
a Greek peasant in ``Zorba the Greek.''
  On behalf of the 31st Congressional District, I recognize Mr. Quinn's 
contributions to both film and social justice causes and extend my 
condolences to his family and friends.

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