Manolo Villaverde, star of bilingual sitcom '¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.?', dies at 89

Manolo Villaverde, a Cuban émigré who had a central role on the bilingual sitcom ¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? — believed to be the United States’ first bilingual sitcom — died on Jan. 10 in Daytona Beach, Fla. He was 89.

His death was confirmed by Jose Bahamonde, the series’ executive producer, who said Mr. Villaverde collapsed in the driveway of his home and could not be revived by paramedics. Mr. Villaverde played Pepe Peña, a construction worker and father figure in a Cuban American family in Miami’s Little Havana; the series debuted in 1976 and ran until 1980, first on WPBT and later on other public stations.

The show won six local Emmy Awards in the Miami market in 1978, including three acting Emmys for Mr. Villaverde, Luis Oquendo and Ana Margarita Martínez Casado. Born in Havana on Aug. 11, 1936, Manuel Villaverde left Cuba for New York in the 1950s, served in the U.S. merchant marine, returned to act on Cuban television, was jailed at one point and fled the island in 1964; in Florida he worked as an interior designer and tour guide while acting in Miami theatre and later on television and film.

He is survived by his brother, Oscar. Mr. Villaverde told El Nuevo Herald in 2019 that his role had resonated with fans: “People identify with him,” and he recalled that speaking to a dying boy once had “changed my life.”

Key Topics

Culture, Manolo Villaverde, ¿qué Pasa U.s.a, Pepe Peña, Little Havana, Miami