Background
San Juan was born in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican parents.
San Juan was born in Brooklyn, New York to Puerto Rican parents.
When she was 3 years old, her family moved back to Puerto Rico, then moved back to the United States a few years later. San Juan was dubbed the "Puerto Rican Pepperpot" for singing and dancing roles alongside Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire and others After talent scouts found her at the Copacabana nightclub in New York City, she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1943.
In 1951, she starred on Broadway in the Lerner & Loewe musical, Paint Your Wagon.