Profile of Miguel Pinero on Famous Like Me

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Miguel Piñero (December 19, 1946–June 18, 1988), was born in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and was a playwright, actor, and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

Life

Piñero's parents immigrated to New York from Puerto Rico in the early 1950s when he was 4 years old. His father abandoned the family in 1954 and his mother moved into a basement and lived off of welfare. His first criminal conviction for stealing was at the age of eleven, which was the first of however many throughout his life. He was sent to the Juvenile Detention Center in the Bronx. Piñero joined a street gang called "The Dragons" when he was 13 and when he was 14 he was hustling in the streets. Before Piñero had reached his 20 birthday, he was a drug addict and with criminal record.

Career

In 1972, when Piñero was 25 years old, he was incarcerated in Sing Sing prison for second degree armed robbery. While serving time in prison, he wrote the play "Short Eyes" as part of the inmates playwriters workshop. The play is a drama based on his experiences in prison and portrays life, love and death among prison inmates. In 1974, the play was presented at Riverside Church, in Manhattan. Theater impresario Joseph Papp saw the play and was so impressed that he moved the production to Broadway. The play was nominated for six Tony Awards. It won the New York Critics Circle Award and an Obie Award for the "best play of the year". The play was also a "hit" in Europe. It catapulted Piñero to literary fame. "Short Eyes" was finally published by the editorial house Hill & Yang.

Once out of prison, Piñero continued to write and he also landed some small parts in some films. In the 1970s, Piñero co-founded the Nuyorican (New York-Puerto Rican) Poets Cafe with a group of artists, among them was Miguel Algarin who would become one of his best friends. The "cafe" is a place where performers can go and cite their poetry about the experiences of being a Puerto Rican in New York.

In 1977, Piñero's play "Short Eyes" was turned into a drama film directed by Robert M. Young. In the film Piñero played the part of "Go-Go" a prisoner. Miguel, was considered a talented writer who described the evils of society, even though he continued to be a drug addict.

Piñero landed bit parts in the following productions: "D.C. Cops" (T.V.) (1985), "Alphabet City" (1984), "Miami Vice" (T.V.) (1984), "Deal of the Century" (1983), "Breathers" (1983), "Exposed" (1983), "See China and Die" (T.V.) (1981), "Fort Apache the Bronx" (1981), "Times Square" (1980), "Streets of L.A." (1979), "The Jericho Mile" (1979), "Looking Up" (1977), and "Short Eyes" (1977).

Piñero wrote the "Miami Vice" T.V. episode "Smuggler's Blue" in 1984 and the screenplay for "Short Eyes" (the movie). He edited "Nuyorican Poetry: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Words and Feelings", with Miguel Algarin. Piñero also wrote the following plays: "Eulogy for a Small Time Thief"; "Midnight Moon at the Greasy Spoon"; "Straight from the Ghetto" and "The Sun Always Shines for the Cool".

Miguel Piñero died on June 16, 1988 in New York City from Liver Disease (Cirrhosis) and his ashes were scattered across the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

The life of Miguel Piñero has been portrayed in the Hollywood production "Piñero", directed by Leon Ichaso ("El Super", "Crossover Dreams") starring Benjamin Bratt as Piñero.

Bibliography

• Short Eyes, 1974

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