Google pays tribute to the pioneering works by Mexican American actress Myrtle Gonzalez this Wednesday, November 23rd with a stunning change to its iconic logo.

Inspired by Gonzalez who is thought as Hollywood’s initial Latin and Hispanic film star, the latest Google logo was the creation of the Bay Area-based guest artist Ana Ramirez Gonzalez, and refers to Gonzalez’s reputation as an outdoor heroine.

Who was Myrtle Gonzalez?

The girl was born at Los Angeles, California on the 28th of September 1891 Gonzalez’s Mexican father was retail grocer. Her mother was an Opera performer with family ties that can be tracked back Ireland.

Gonzalez was destined to be a star from a young age, following in the footsteps of her mother’s soprano voice. She would sing at a variety of local shows, benefit events or church choruses.

However, her focus quickly moved to film when the majority of the American movie industry was relocated to New York to Los Angeles in part because of the region’s varied scenery, which gave birth to the name Hollywood.

An Los Angeles native, Gonzalez was the ideal candidate to get maximum advantage. After making an impact in a couple of local shows, she enrolled in the silent motion film studio Vitagraph Company of America, which was where she would make her debut film debut in the film The yellow Streak.

In the years following, Gonzalez carved out a niche for himself by playing bold, outdoor heroines that were frequently shown in the wild and acting as a contrast in contrast to city women fighting for survival in the unfamiliar environment.

While her roles were usually confined to a certain type, Gonzalez won praise for portraying strong women who fought obstacles with courage and determination and was never shy about honoring her Hispanic heritage.

Which Films did Myrtle Gonzalez Star In?

Gonzalez was a part of the films of 80 during her long career, beginning in her film debut, The Yellow Streak. While at Vitagraph her filmography was best known for her roles with William Desmond Taylor.

Gonzalez and Taylor were in five films together in the span of 1913 to 1914. They were in the comedy films Her Husband’s Friend and Millions For Defence, as well as the dramatics Tainted Money, The Kiss and Captain Alvarez.

The 23rd of November is important for it is the date for release of one of Gonzalez’s most acclaimed film, The Level. After a number of years with Vitagraph, Gonzalez moved on to Universal Studios, starring in films such as The Secret of the Swamp and The Girl of Lost Lake that added to her outdoor-loving hero status.

Gonzalez was married twice. The initial union with James Park Jones produced one son, James Parks Jones Jr. prior to their divorce.

Later, she met and got married to director and actor Allen Watt. The couple got married at Los Angeles in December 1917 and Gonzalez taking a break from her silent-film production shortly after. But their wedding was tragically ended as Gonzalez at the age of just 27 was killed due to the world-wide Spanish flu epidemic of 1918..

Despite her limited film career, Gonzalez still amassed a impressive number of credits in films within only four years. She is known as the initial Latin as well as Hispanic movie star.

While many of her films have been lost through the decades, the Library of Congress saved a number of her films as a testament to her influence on the business.