José Ferrer

Birth Name: José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón

Date of Birth: January 8, 1912

Place of Birth: Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Date of Death: January 26, 1992

Place of Death: Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.

Ethnicity: Puerto Rican [Spanish, including Canary Islander, Catalan, possibly other]

José Ferrer was a Puerto Rican actor and director. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Cyrano de Bergerac (1950). He was the first person of Latin American descent to win an acting Academy Award. His many roles also included Moulin Rouge (1952), The Caine Mutiny (1954), and Ship of Fools (1965).

José was the son of Rafael Ferrer y Otero, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and María Providencia del Carmen Cintrón y Cintrón, from Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. His father was a lawyer and writer. His aunt (father’s sister), Monserrate “Monsita” Ferrer Otero, was a pianist and feminist.

José was married to Stella Magee, until his death. He had a daughter with his former wife, acting teacher Uta Hagen; and five children, including actors Miguel Ferrer and Rafael Ferrer, with his former wife, singer and actress Rosemary Clooney. His granddaughter is actress Tessa Ferrer.

José’s paternal grandfather was Gabriel Ferrer y Hernández (the son of Andrés Ferrer Rivera and Maria Zenon/Venina/Zenoa Hernandez Lanzo). Gabriel was a doctor, and advocate of Puerto Rican independence from Spain. He was born in San Juan. Andrés was from Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. Venina was from the Canary Islands, Spain.

José’s paternal grandmother was Monserrate/Mensenate Otero y Navedo (the daughter of Agustín Otero-Martinez and María Francisca De Las Mercedes Navedo-Córdova). Monserrate was from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

José’s maternal grandfather was José Vicente Cintrón y Bardeque (the son of Faustino Cintrón). José’s grandfather José was born in Yabucoa.

José’s maternal grandmother was Elvira Cintrón y Cintrón (the daughter of Isidoro Cintrón and Laureana Cintrón). Elvira was born in Yabucoa.

Sources: Genealogy of José Ferrer – https://www.wikitree.com

Death record of José Ferrer – https://old.findagrave.com

Marriage record of José’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary of José’s aunt, Monserrate “Monsita” Ferrer Otero – https://www.findagrave.com