# Jenny Gago

Jenny Gago (born September 11, 1953) is a Peruvian-American actress best known as Maria in Knots Landing (1984-1986), Maria in My Family (1995), Anaya in The Agency (2002-2003), and Det. Ochoa in Southland (2011).

## Life

Gago was born in Peru. She earned a Bachelor Degree in Theatre Arts from UCLA and attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute on a scholarship. She has a son.

## Career

In 1981, Gago began her acting career. Roles in television shows including Captain Santina on MacGyver, Detective Beatrice Zapeda in Alien Nation, Anaya on The Agency, and Grandma on Freddie. TV guest appearances include Falcon Crest, Remington Steele, Chicago Hope, The Pretender, Ally McBeal, Crossing Jordan, Lost, and The Closer.
Gago had recurring roles on the shows General Hospital, Knots Landing, The Agency, Southland (with Regina King), and Freddie (with Freddie Prinze Jr.). She appeared in the show Alien Nation, as well as its film franchise, playing the role of Detective Beatrice Zapeda.
The National Council of La Raza honored her as a positive role model the Image Awards, she was honored by the Association for the Advancement of Mexican-Americans, the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas, and won a Golden Eagle Award for Old Gringo in 1989. Gago played the role of Detective Josie Ochoa on the third season of TNT's Southland.
Gago's film appearances include Innerspace, The Tie That Binds, and Nurse Betty and in the film My Family (with Esai Morales).

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | The Man with Two Brains | Nurse #1 | |
| 1983 | Under Fire | Miss Panama | |
| 1984 | The Lonely Guy | Seven Deadly Sins | |
| 1984 | Irreconcilable Differences | Tracy | |
| 1987 | Innerspace | Lab Technician #3 | |
| 1987 | Best Seller | Woman in Laundry | |
| 1987 | No Man's Land | Tory Bracey | |
| 1989 | Valentino Returns | Theresa | |
| 1989 | Old Gringo | La Garduna | |
| 1990 | Death Merchants | Uncredited | |
| 1993 | Blood In Blood Out | Lupe | |
| 1995 | My Family | Maria | |
| 1995 | The Tie That Binds | Maggie Hass | |
| 1999 | The Prodigal Daughter | Rosa Cortez | |
| 2000 | Road Dogz | Ana Carrasco | |
| 2000 | Along for the Ride | Maria | |
| 2000 | Nurse Betty | Mercedes | |
| 2001 | The Cross | Mary, Mother of Jesus | Christian film, Short film |
| 2003 | Two Harbors | Margarita | Short film |
| 2005 | Coach Carter | President Martinez | |
| 2005 | Meet Me in Miami | Josephina | |
| 2005 | The Needs of Kim Stanley | Herself | Documentary film |
| 2009 | B-Girl | Crescencia | Dance film |
| 2010 | Gallowwalkers | Mistress | |
| 2011 | The Obama Effect | Dede Santiago | |
| 2019 | Princess of the Row | Carolina | |

## Television credits

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | A Gun in the House | Juanita Romero | Television movie |
| 1982 | CHiPs | Rosa | Episode: "A Threat of War" |
| 1983 | Women of San Quentin | Gloria | Television movie |
| 1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Mrs. Garcia | Episode: "Partners" |
| 1984–1986 | Knots Landing | Maria | Recurring character |
| 1984–1986 | Hill Street Blues | Reporter #2/First Reporter Newscaster | Episodes: "The Other Side of Oneness", "Come and Get It", "Suitcase", and "I Come on My Knees" |
| 1984–1987 | Dallas | Nurse/Henrietta | Episodes: "Killer at Large", "Battle Lines", "If at First You Don't Succeed", "Jamie", "Revenge of the Nerd", "The Ten Percent Solution", and "Some Good, Some Bad" |
| 1985 | Hunter | Police Dispatcher | Episode: "The Shooter" |
| 1985 | Falcon Crest | Clinic Doctor | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 1985 | Trapper John, M.D. | Tahoe Nurse | Episode: "All the King's Horses…" |
| 1986 | Shattered Spirits | Mavis | Television movie |
| 1986 | Simon & Simon | Mrs. Cabrillo | Episode: "For the People" |
| 1986 | Remington Steele | Maria | Episode: "Steele at Your Service" |
| 1987 | Out on a Limb | Maria | Television movie |
| 1987 | Our House | Sergeant Gutierrez | Episode: "The Best Intentions" |
| 1987 | Convicted: A Mother's Story | Angie | Television movie |
| 1987 | Stingray | Linda | Episode: "The Neniwa" |
| 1987 | Max Headroom | Uncredited | Episode: "Body Banks" |
| 1987 | The Bronx Zoo | Mrs. Molina | Episode: "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City" |
| 1987 | General Hospital | Connie Stevens | Recurring character |
| 1988 | MacGyver | Capt. Santina | Episode: "On a Wing and a Prayer" |
| 1989 | Freddy's Nightmares | Susan Brandes | Episode: "Deadline" |
| 1990 | Sweet 15 | Inez | Television movie |
| 1990 | Unspeakable Acts | Uncredited | Television movie |
| 1990 | Alien Nation | Detective Beatrice Zapeda | Recurring character |
| 1990 | DEA | Teresa Robles | Recurring character |
| 1991 | Quantum Leap | Margarita Lorrea Tearsa Theresa LaRea | Episode: "Last Dance Before an Execution - May 12, 1971" |
| 1991 | The Hit Man | Uncredited | Television movie |
| 1993 | Bakersfield P.D. | Carmelina | Episode: "The Bust" |
| 1994 | Nowhere to Hide | Kate | Television movie |
| 1994 | Alien Nation: Dark Horizon | Detective Beatrice Zapeda | Television movie |
| 1994 | Because Mommy Works | Dr. Rita Hernandez | Television movie |
| 1994 | Alien Nation: Body and Soul | Detective Beatrice Zapeda | Television movie |
| 1995 | Chicago Hope | Elena Hayes | Episode: "From Soup to Nuts" |
| 1996 | Dangerous Minds | Amanda Bardales | Main character |
| 1996 | Alien Nation: Millennium | Detective Beatrice Zapeda | Television movie |
| 1996 | JAG | Sergeant Gonzalez | Episode: "Boot", Performed: "Marines' Hymn" |
| 1996 | Grand Avenue | Anna | Television movie |
| 1997 | Promised Land | Rena | Episode: "The Outrage" |
| 1997 | Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy | Detective Beatrice Zapeda | Television movie |
| 1999 | The X-Files | Dr. Katrina Cabrera | Episode: "S.R. 819" |
| 1999 | Becker | Mrs. Cruz | Episode: "Activate Your Choices" |
| 1999 | The Pretender | Warden Anita Esparza | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 1999 | Popular | Mrs. Esposito | Episode: "Windstruck" |
| 2000 | Any Day Now | Uncredited | Episode: "Hey, Ugly!" |
| 2000 | The Others | Gloria Munoz | Episode: "Unnamed" |
| 2000 | Ally McBeal | Dr. Lisa Pontes | Episode: "Prime Suspect" |
| 2000 | The Invisible Man | Mr. White | Episode: "Separation Anxiety" |
| 2000 | The Princess and the Barrio Boy | Mrs. Torres | Television movie |
| 2001 | Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family | Ana Martel | Episode: "Viva Zapatos" |
| 2001 | The Division | Mrs. Garcia, Rachel's Mother | Episode: "Mothers and Daughters" |
| 2001 | The Nightmare Room | Mrs. Hanover | Episode: "School Spirit" |
| 2001 | Family Law | Uncredited | Episode: "Against All Odds" |
| 2001 | The West Wing | Bernice Collette, OMB | Episode: "The Indians in the Lobby" |
| 2002 | Crossing Jordan | Mrs. Vega | Episode: "Blood Relatives" |
| 2002 | American Family | Uncredited | Episode: "The Sewing Machine" |
| 2002 | 24 | Principal | Episode: "10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m." |
| 2002–2003 | The Agency | Anaya | Recurring character |
| 2003 | Boston Public | Angela Sanchez | Episode: "Chapter Sixty-Eight" |
| 2004 | Alias | Erin | Episode: "Taken" |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Warden Hilary Gutierrez | Episode: "Penitence" |
| 2005 | Medical Investigation | Uncredited | Episode: "Mission La Roca: Part 2" |
| 2005 | Lost | Agent Alyssa Cole | Episode: "The Greater Good" |
| 2005 | The Closer | Delia Lopez | Episode: "Standards and Practices" |
| 2005–2006 | Freddie | Grandma | Main character |
| 2011 | Southland | Detective II Josie Ochoa | Recurring character |
| 2012 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Wendy Madison | Episode: "Collateral" |
| 2013 | Sons of Anarchy | Gloria Rodriguez | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Being Mary Jane | Kara's mother | Episode: "Reading the Signs" |
| 2016–2017 | StartUp | Marta Morales | 9 episodes |
| 2020 | Deputy | Anjelica Reyes | 4 episodes |