Sol Marroquin was an actor and author. He was also a former aide to Kika de la Garza a Democratic representative of Texas.

Sol Marroquin
Born
Salomon Silva Marroquin

January 23, 1931
DiedSeptember 19, 2018
NationalityAmerican
Other namesActor, former chief of staff to Kika de la Garza, Democratic representative for the 15th congressional district of Texas
Years active1960s - 2000s

Background

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Originally from San Antonio, Marroquin moved to Mission in 1939 with his family. In the early 1950s during the Korean war, he signed up to the air force and served for four years. Later he spent 18 years with the Air Force Reserves and at the time of his discharge as Master Sergeant, he had spent a total of 22 years in service.[1] He is also known as Salomon Marroquin.[2]

He was the first Hispanic to hold he was the hospital administrator in valley area. In 1970 he was the administrator at the Mission Municipal Hospital in Texas.[3]

Around 1977, Marroquin became Kika de La Garza's assistant.[4] He ended up working with de la Garza for 21 years.[5]

His book Part of the Team (Story of an American Hero) which was published in 1979 relates to Freddy Gonzalez.[6]

Actor

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1960s

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Some of the film roles that Marroquin appeared in were while he was still working as for Kika de la Garza and also when he was chief of staff.[7]

After Marroquin left the army in the late 1950s, he moved to Los Angeles and attended the Hollywood School of Drama. He appeared in 30 plus plays, with most of his roles being small parts.[8] In 1960 he played the part of a gambling bookie in the film Get Outta Town aka The Day Kelly Came Home.[9] In 1964, appeared in the original film The Thin Red Line. He actually had more than one role in the film.[10][11][12]

1970s

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In 1977, he played the part of Ranchero Rico in the Gilberto Martínez Solares directed film Caballo prieto afamado.[13] In the late 1970s he had a role in the Albert Band produced western, She Came to the Valley playing the part of Colonel Vaccaro. The film featured Freddy Fender as Pancho Villa.[14][15] He helped arrange a trip in January 1979 for Maria Luz Corral de Villa, the widow of Pancho Villa to come to Texas to seek a pardon for her husband from Kika de la Garza.[16]

2000s

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In 2004, the short film Dancing with the Devil was released. Both himself and Melinda Marroquin produced and acted in the film[17] which is about a young religious woman who had been betrayed by her fiancé and taken for a night out by her friends and encounters a handsome stranger who isn't as he appears. The film appears to be based on an event that took place some years before. Two festivals it was shown at were the Rio Grande Valley’s Latino film festival, CineSol and the San Antonio Underground Film Festival.[18] Decades later he was photographed with She Came to the Valley associate producer Maurine Duncun, both of them holding the hats they wore in the movie.[19] In 2007, he played Senor Guerra in the Javier Chapa directed film Harvest of Redemption.[20]

Author

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  • Part of the team: Story of an American hero - (1979)[21]

Filmography

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Film
Title Role Director Year Notes #
Get Outta Town Gambling Bookie Charles Davis 1960
The Thin Red Line Soldier in hero's platoon Andrew Marton 1964 Played additional part. Credited as actor Solomon Silva
Caballo prieto afamado Ranchero Rico Gilberto Martínez Solares 1977
She Came to the Valley Colonel Vaccaro Albert Band 1977 Crew: Spanish dialogue
Dancing with the Devil The Doctor Melinda Marroquin 2004 Also associate producer
Harvest of Redemption Senor Guerra Javier Chapa 2007

References

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  1. ^ Progress Times Mission historical Museum honors old-timers
  2. ^ Progress Times City holds Memorial Day ceremony By Ricky Reynoso
  3. ^ The Progress Times Mission historical Museum honors old-timers
  4. ^ The Brownsville Herald Sunday, January 5, 1997 Jan/5 De la Garza's long tenure comes to close by Lucy Hood
  5. ^ Progress Times Friday, April 15, 2011 Kika de la Garza represented in sculpture by Mendi Brunson
  6. ^ A CAPITOL BLOG by AARON PEÑA Oct 28, 2006 Timeless Story of a True American Hero - Sgt. Freddy Gonzalez
  7. ^ Bullock Texas State History Museum Making Movies in the Rio Grande Valley, The Texas Story Project By Rogelio Agrasánchez, Jr.
  8. ^ The Brownsville Herald March 21, 1999 Valley actor draws thin red line in the sand Oscar nominated film brings back memories By Jessica Deleon
  9. ^ Films de France Get Outta Town (1960)[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ InterFilmes.com Heróis para a Eternidade, Elenco, Solomon Silva
  11. ^ InterFilmes.com Heróis para a Eternidade, Elenco, Sol Marroquin
  12. ^ The Brownsville Herald March 21, 1999 Valley actor draws thin red line in the sand Oscar nominated film brings back memories By Jessica Deleon
  13. ^ InterFilmes.com Caballo prieto afamado, Elenco
  14. ^ Movies Dvds New Releases She Came to the Valley (1979)
  15. ^ Second Edition: Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films Page 308 3813, She Came to the Valley
  16. ^ The Milwaukee Journal Friday January 12, 1979 Page 6 Villa's Widow Asks Pardon
  17. ^ WorldCat Dancing with the devil
  18. ^ The Monitor Friday, October 30, 2009 An eye-witness speaks about the night the devil danced at Boccaccio’s - Sean Gaffney
  19. ^ The Monitor Friday, July 18, 2008 'She Came to the Valley' reunion coming up
  20. ^ Trailerfan.com Harvest of Redemption: Malas fronteras > Cast and Crew
  21. ^ Aztlán and Viet Nam: Chicano and Chicana Experiences of the War 304 Notes to pates 4 - 7
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