[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H584-H586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE OF THE LATE RAUL JULIA
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 287) recognizing and
honoring the life of the late Raul Julia, his dedication to ending
world hunger, and his great contributions to the Latino community and
the performing arts.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 287
Whereas Raul Julia made his Broadway debut just a few weeks
after arriving in New York City in 1964 in Calderon's ``Life
is a Dream'';
Whereas Raul Julia, after only 3 years of living in New
York City, was instrumental opening doors for nontraditional
parts for Hispanic actors by taking the role of Demetrius in
Shakespeare's ``Titus Andronicus'' at the New York
Shakespeare Festival and Cradeau in Sartre's ``No Exit'';
Whereas Raul Julia was the busiest Hispanic Shakespearean
actor in New York and the first to establish a decades-long
association with Joseph Papp and the New York Shakespeare
Festival;
Whereas Raul Julia began an impressive and productive 28-
year association with Joseph Papp and the New York
Shakespeare Festival as Macduff in the Festival's Mobile
Unit, Spanish language production of MacBeth;
Whereas Raul Julia became the first Puerto Rican actor to
conquer Broadway stages by having his work be nominated for 4
different Tony Awards in 10 years: ``Two Gentlemen of
Verona'', ``Where's Charley?'', ``Threepenny Opera'', and
``Nine'';
Whereas Raul Julia provided a role model for millions of
children in his role as ``Rafael, the Fix-It Man'' in Sesame
Street;
Whereas Raul Julia was a dedicated leader in the fight
against the rising rates of teen violence and cosponsored
scriptwriting competitions for high school students as a way
to encourage teenagers to express their emotions through art
rather than through violence;
Whereas Raul Julia's dedication to help Hispanic-American
film and television writers develop their work led him to co-
found the Latino Playwrights Reading Workshops;
Whereas Raul Julia was instrumental in the formation of the
now legendary Puerto Rico Traveling Theater, an off-Broadway
nonprofit Puerto Rican theater that to this day continues to
promote and showcase bilingual plays, new Hispanic
playwrights and Spanish-speaking actors while bringing
theater to those who cannot ordinarily afford it;
Whereas Raul Julia was a leader in the entertainment
industry, particularly as a tireless mentor and role model to
emerging Latino actors;
Whereas Raul Julia was a dedicated activist and
humanitarian who in his lifetime became a major supporter and
spokesperson for the Hunger Project, a nonprofit organization
committed to the eradication of world hunger;
Whereas Raul Julia was tireless in his commitment to the
Puerto Rican film industry and to the making of Spanish
language films and continued to participate in small,
independent, Spanish-language films even after having become
a Hollywood star;
Whereas Raul Julia was an extremely successful stage, film
and television actor who never abandoned his Puerto Rican
heritage, never changed his name and never gave up his
accent, thereby becoming an enduring role model for hundreds
of Latino actors;
Whereas Raul Julia received the Hispanic Heritage Award
recognizing his many career achievements for the Latino
community, including his involvement in ``La Familia'', a New
York City outreach program for Latino families in need, the
Puerto Rican traveling theater, the Museo del Barrio, and the
New York Shakespeare Festival;
Whereas Raul Julia received the National Board of Review
Best Actor prize for his interpretation of the political
prisoner Valentin in the award-winning landmark film ``The
Kiss of the Spider Woman'', an award he shared with his co-
star William Hurt;
Whereas Raul Julia posthumously received the prestigious
Emmy Award, Cable Ace Award, Golden Globe Award, and the SAG
Award, given by his fellow actors for his most famous roles
including Chico Mendes in ``The Burning Season'';
Whereas Raul Julia was proud of his Puerto Rican heritage
and his life and work reflected his strong commitment to his
culture and the people of Puerto Rico;
Whereas Raul Julia was given a state funeral in Puerto Rico
and since that time there have been many awards and honors
created in his name: a scholarship at Julliard, a scholarship
given to a promising young actor for the purpose of studying
and performing Shakespeare at the Joseph Papp Public Theater,
the Raul Julia Award for Excellence given annually by the
National Endowment for the Hispanic Arts in Washington, DC,
El Teatro Raul Julia in San Juan Puerto Rico, and the Raul
Julia Global Citizen Award, an annual award being given this
year for the first time by the Puerto Rican Family Institute
based in New York City;
Whereas Raul Julia was recognized by the Mayor of the City
of New York with the creation of Raul Julia Day which was
celebrated and commemorated in conjunction with Puerto Rican
Heritage and Culture Month on November 21, 1994: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress recognizes and honors the life
of the late Raul Julia, his dedication to ending world
hunger, and his great contributions to the Latino community
and the performing arts.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Mrs. Miller) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller).
General Leave
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 287, the concurrent resolution
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise
in support of House Concurrent Resolution 287 that recognizes and
honors the life of Raul Julia.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution celebrates the contributions of one of
the most dynamic actors of our time. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in
March of 1940, Raul Julia began his incredible theatrical career at a
very young age. He moved to New York City in 1964 to pursue his
livelihood on a grander stage, and he quickly landed parts in a number
of Spanish-language productions.
Raul Julia made his Broadway debut 4 years later in 1968 in a show
called The Cuban Thing. He capitalized on his Broadway success to
acquire a role as Rafael, the Fix-It Man on Sesame Street in 1971, but
it was later that year when Julia earned his breakthrough part. He
played Proteus in his first Shakespeare drama, two Gentlemen of Verona,
for which he earned his first of four Tony Award nominations.
Ultimately, Julia became a feature film star as well, starring most
prominently in Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1985 and The Addams Family
movies in the early 1990s.
Mr. Speaker, while we may best know Raul Julia for his elegance and
success as an actor, this resolution appropriately emphasizes Raul
Julia's remarkable humanitarian legacy. Julia worked closely with the
Hunger Project, which is a nonprofit aid organization, to create the
Raul Julia Ending Hunger Fund. Julia worked hard with very little
fanfare to recruit individual and business sponsors to contribute to
the fund for the purpose of providing food to the hungry worldwide. He
was a diligent spokesman for both the Hunger Project, as well as the
Raul Julia Ending Hunger Fund, and his efforts are worthy of
commendation by this House.
In 1994, Raul Julia's noteworthy life was cut tragically short when
he suddenly suffered a severe stroke and died shortly afterwards at the
age of 54. However, I am very pleased that the House is remembering
Raul Julia's legacy by considering this legislation today, and I urge
all Members to support its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Illinois for his work to
recognize Raul Julia.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I, too, want to thank our colleague the gentleman from Illinois (Mr.
Gutierrez) for introducing this resolution recognizing and honoring the
life of Raul Julia.
Mr. Speaker, Raul Julia was discovered by the actor Orson Bean, who
inspired him to leave his native San Juan, Puerto Rico, and immigrate
to the United States in 1964. Over the next three decades, Mr. Julia
enjoyed a stellar career as one of our finest stars of stage and
screen.
His first love was always the stage, and he was one of the first
Puerto Rican actors to make it big on Broadway. He was nominated for
four Tony
[[Page H585]]
Awards, including for his performance as Mack the Knife in the
Threepenny Opera. He also boasted an impressive resume of Shakespearean
work, beginning with his first starring role, the title character in
Titus Andronicus, with the New York Shakespeare Festival. It was once
said of this daring actor that he was always outrageous in his acting
choices. He is larger than life all the time when he is on stage.
A wider audience grew to know him through his film work, an eclectic
body of work that ranges from Valentin, the passionate revolutionary in
Kiss of the Spider Woman; to the assassinated Salvadoran archbishop
Oscar Romero in Romero; to the campy Gomez Addams in The Addams Family.
Mr. Julia's last role, as the Brazilian rainforest activist Chico
Mendez, won him posthumous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
Raul Julia took seriously his responsibility as a role model for
young Latino actors to follow. He made it a point to embrace his Puerto
Rican heritage, never changing his name or attempting to cover his
accent, and still he resisted the sort of typecasting that all too
often afflicts minority actors. In doing so, he quite clearly made a
difference to any young Latino who aspired to be an actor.
In addition to his acting career, Raul Julia was tirelessly devoted
to making the world a better place. For the last 15 years of his life,
he was involved as a major supporter and spokesman for the Hunger
Project, a group dedicated to ending world hunger. After his death in
1994, the Hunger Project created the Raul Julia Ending Hunger Fund in
his honor, as well as the Raul Julia Global Citizen Award. Also in his
honor, the Hunger Project extended its programs in Latin America,
establishing programs in Mexico, Bolivia and Peru.
One of Mr. Julia's favorite quotes, which he released to the
Washington Post in 1992, comes from Don Quixote: Maddest of all is to
see things as they are, not as they ought to be.
Raul Julia, accomplished actor of stage and screen, international
activist for the alleviation of worldwide hunger and role model for a
whole generation of Latino actors, not only saw things as they ought to
be, but did his level best to bring his vision to pass. For that he is
worthy and deserving of this resolution in his honor.
I urge my colleagues to join with me in support of this important
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, we reserve the balance of our time.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Having no other speakers at this time, I simply urge all Members to
support the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 287, and I thank
the gentleman from Illinois for introducing it.
Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to demonstrate my support
for H. Con. Res. 287 and encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of
this important resolution honoring a very important man, Raul Julia. I
request unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.
As the representative of the people of Puerto Rico, I am proud to
address you today to honor the life and work of Raul Julia. Through his
groundbreaking work in the theater, television, and film, his
commitment to the improvement of the Latino community, and his
dedication to ending world hunger, Raul Julia became a role model and
inspiration for many.
After being discovered in a nightclub in Puerto Rico by actor Orson
Bean, he moved to New York in 1964, when he was just 24 years old. He
quickly found work in Broadway and paved the way for Latino actors by
taking on nontraditional roles. He became a very well known
Shakespearean actor, taking on roles like Othello and Edmund in King
Lear, and was the first Hispanic to create a long lasting alliance with
the New York Shakespeare Festival. His work on Broadway earned him 4
Tony Award nominations in the course of 10 years.
Julia also served as a role model for children through his portrayal
of Rafael, the Fix-It Man in the popular children's television show
Sesame Street, and appeared in multiple made-for-television movies. In
addition to his theater and television credits, his film career was
also very prolific and productive. Among his best-known roles are the
political prisoner Valentin in The Kiss of the Spider Woman, Cardinal
Oscar Romero in Romero, Gomez Addams in The Addams Family and its
sequel, Addams Family Values, and slain Brazilian activist Chico Mendes
in The Burning Season, for which he posthumously received Emmy, Golden
Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Cable Ace Awards.
In addition to his acting career, Raul Julia worked to improve the
Latino community by becoming a leader in the fight against teen
violence and a mentor to aspiring Latino actors. He created and
cofounded multiple projects, such as the Latino Playwrights Reading
Workshops and the Puerto Rico Traveling Theater, and became involved in
other programs, such as ``La Familia'', and the Museo del Barrio.
Additionally, he was a lifelong advocate for the Hunger Project, an
organization committed to ending world hunger. For all his community
involvement and his career achievements, he received the Hispanic
Heritage Award in 1995.
Raul Julia was an exemplary Puerto Rican, and a brilliant role model
for all. It is an honor for me today to rise and pay tribute to this
great man's life and work. I strongly encourage this body to join me in
praising this man's life by passing H. Con. Res. 287.
Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, the resolution we are considering today,
H. Con. Res. 287, commemorates the life and legacy of Raul Julia and
recognizes his role in tearing down barriers for Latinos around the
world.
Both on stage of off, on film and in the community, Raul Julia
embodied the strength and spirit that made him a hero and a role model
for so many actors and audiences alike.
He had that rare talent, and that unique ability to move people with
each performance and to motivate them to embody the passion and purpose
he brought to his craft.
Throughout his career, Raul Julia often declined traditional roles in
Hollywood blockbusters and mainstream plays.
Instead, he sought out innovative and groundbreaking parts that
tested his talents.
He shined as a Fellini-esque filmmaker in the Broadway musical Nine,
touched our hearts as slain Salvadoran Archbishop, Oscar Romero, and
captivated audiences as political prisoner Valentin in the award-
winning film, Kiss of the Spider Woman.
He also was able to show his depth as an actor with characters
ranging from Gomez Addams in The Addams Family to Chico Mendes in the
Burning Season to Rafael the Fix-it Man in Sesame Street.
But, what made Raul Julia so special and so one of a kind was that
his work extended well beyond the stage and the screen.
As committed as he was to perfecting the parts he played, he was
equally dedicated to the charitable causes he pursued.
That included the Hunger Project, a non-profit organization focused
on ending world hunger.
In 1987, Raul Julia told Elle Magazine, ``There are 38,000 people
dying of hunger each day and most are children. And, being a celebrity,
I communicate about it as much as I can.''
In addition to fighting hunger on the global stage, Raul Julia was
equally involved in local causes by working with numerous nonprofits
and social service agencies to help families in need.
He also was able to use his influence in the entertainment industry
to create a culture that opened up new opportunities for Latino actors
and writers to share their talents.
He was instrumental in the formation of the Puerto Rico Traveling
Theater, which continues to promote and showcase bilingual plays and
new Latino writers and actors.
It was this dedication and determination and vision that made Raul
Julia a mentor and a model for so many.
When he passed away a decade ago, thousands of people attended his
funeral in Puerto Rico to pay their respects and to acknowledge his
enormous contributions.
They wanted to thank him for his courage and his character and his
inspiration. And that is why it is so important that Raul Julia's
memory lives on.
So that he can inspire the next generation of actors to rehearse
harder and to reach farther.
And so that all people, regardless of race or country of origin,
understand the importance of giving back to their communities and to
addressing the problems plaguing our society.
Mr. Speaker, the passage of this resolution provides one more
opportunity to pay our respects to the passion and the vision of this
one-of-a-kind actor and outstanding humanitarian and activist.
And I urge its passage.
Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today
in support of H. Con. Res. 287, a resolution to honor the life and
achievements of the late great actor, Raul Julia.
Julia was born in San Juan Puerto Rico on March 9, 1944. A precocious
child, Julia discovered his talent for acting at the young age of 5.
From then on he knew his destiny was the theatre. Upon graduation from
the University of Puerto Rico, Julia was faced with a difficult choice
between his parents' wishes and his own. They wanted him to continue to
law school. He wanted to pursue an acting career. Finally, like so many
Puerto Ricans, and so many aspiring actors, he left for New York.
In New York, it was Joseph Papp, founder of the New York Shakespeare
Festival, who
[[Page H586]]
gave Julia his first break after casting him as a lead in Shakespeare's
Titus Andronicus. With the support of Papp and following in the paths
blazed by native Puerto Ricans Jose Ferre and Rita Moreno, who had won
acclaim for their stage and on screen performances, Julia became a
Broadway star. He was nominated for four Tony awards and more
importantly demonstrated that Puerto Ricans could play more diverse
roles than the stereotypical roles they were usually given.
While the theatre was Julia's passion, it was film that made him
immensely popular. On screen Julia once again proved that he was a
diverse actor, starring in comedies, dramas and action films. Perhaps,
most of us know him best from his role as Gomez Addams in the hugely
successful Addams Family movies.
Julia passed away on October 24, 1994, at the age of 54. He left
behind his wife of 28 years, two sons, and a multitude of shocked fans.
He is sorely missed, not only for his great acting but for being such a
great human being. He never succumbed to pressures to abandon his
Latino-Puerto Rican heritage in order to succeed and as a result he
opened doors for nontraditional parts for Hispanic Actors. What was
more impressive about Julia was his dedication to the uplifting of
others. He was a passionate supporter of The Hunger Project, a
foundation devoted to the elimination of world hunger. For 17 years, he
served as the Project's spokesperson. He also was a dedicated leader in
the fight against the rising rates of teen violence and encouraged
teenagers to express their emotions through art rather than violence.
Since his death, there have been many awards and honors created in
his name. They include a scholarship at Julliard, the Raul Julia award
given annually by the National Endowment for the Hispanic Arts in
Washington, DC, and the Raul Julia Global Citizen Award. I am also
proud to say that in June 1996, a new elementary school in my district
in the Bronx, New York was dedicated as the Raul Julia Micro Society
Dual Language School.
Mr. Speaker, for his accomplishments on stage and on screen and his
unyielding desire to help those less fortunate than he, I ask that my
colleagues join me in honoring the life of Mr. Raul Julia.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, we yield back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Miller) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 287.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
____________________