Pepe Soriano

Pepe Soriano (born José Carlos Soriano, on September 25, 1929) is a prominent Argentine actor, director, and playwright.

Soriano was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Enrolling at the prestigious University of Buenos Aires Law School, he entered one of the university's numerous theatre groups and, leaving law school to devote himself to the theatre, he produced his first work, El chaleco encantado ("The Enchanted Sweater") in 1950, among four other works he completed and staged while in school. Soriano debuted professionally in a production of A Midsummernight's Dream at the renowned Colón Theatre, in 1953.

Debuting in television in 1954, Soriano soon starred in leading roles in Argentine premieres of Paddy Chayefsky's The Tenth Man Marcel Achard's Voulez-vous jouer avec moi? ("Would You Like to Play with Me?"), Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness! and Carlos Gorostiza's adaptation of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa's Rashomon. These performances earned Soriano the "Martin Fierro" and "Cóndor del Plata" Prizes in 1964, two of the most coveted in Argentine entertainment. Having accepted occasional supporting roles in Argentine cinema, he was cast as the lead in Juan José Jusid's production of Roberto Cossa's tragedy, Tute Cabrero (1968) and in Raúl de la Torre's character study, ("Mr. and Mrs. Juan Lamaglia," 1970).

Soriano appeared in a number historical dramas during the turbulent 1970s. Given the title role in David Viñas' play, Lisandro (1971), he received plaudits for his portrayal of Senator Lisandro de la Torre, a fiery muck-raker remembered for his opposition to the excessive influence landowners exercised over government in the 1930s. Following a return to democracy in 1973, Soriano was cast as Schultz, the German, in Osvaldo Bayer's ("Rebellion in Patagonia," 1974). The portrayal of the brutal repression of a 1922 sheep ranch workers' strike was made with the assistance of the progressive new Governor of Santa Cruz Province, Jorge Cepernic, and resulted in serious problems for both Cepernic and many of those involved in the film - including Soriano, who left for Spain in 1977.

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