Silvana Gallardo (January 13, 1953 - January 2, 2012) was an American film and television actress.

Born as Sandra Silvana Gallardo in New York City, her television credits include episodes of Starsky & Hutch, Lou Grant, Quincy, Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Kojak, Falcon Crest, Trapper John, M.D., The Golden Girls, Knots Landing, MacGyver, L.A. Law, Babylon 5, ER and NYPD Blue. She also appeared in films including Windwalker, Death Wish II, and Silence of the Heart. She was also an acting coach and writer.

Personal life

Sandra Silvana Gallardo was the creator of the "Gallardo Method," a method of acting where "there are no boundaries, there are no limits, there simply is The Art of the Infinite Possibility." Gallardo was told at an early age, "You can't change the world". 'Perhaps not," She said. "But I sure can try." This message was carried throughout her life in her teachings.

Silvana began her teaching career in NYC - working with kids whom life had given up on. She saw the impact that her work had on these teens - how they had begun to believe in themselves - believe that they too could have a real future. They were no longer destined to believe in failure. They worked hard and explored all of the possibilities that life could offer. Today many of these teens are now leading productive lives, giving back, becoming teachers, poets, artists- role models for those less fortunate.

Silvana grew up on Fox Street in the South Bronx - a street where 90% of the residents there died of other than natural causes(from New York Times article). She was of Venezuelan, Sicilian and Cuban descent and proud of her Native American ancestry. She attended Morris High School and is forever grateful to Herbert Fein, then Chairman of the Music Department. He took a chance on her, even though she didn't feel that she could really sing or dance. His belief in her made Silvana believe that she could have a career in the arts. She received Best Actress award at her Graduation and was awarded a four year scholarship to a major University in NY which was (even before she got started) taken away. Their excuse was the roles she could play would be limited. Today she would own the school... and all was good. Silvana entered a drama school, the H.B. Studio in the Village. There she studied with James Patterson, a Tony Award winning actor. Her life and work were forever changed. She was also aware of Walter Lott, another student of the Stanislavski's Method. Although she had never studied with Lott, she was inspired by his teachings.

Silvana was also a track star - running and winning NYC Championship for the relay. She was coached by Sunny Pomales, a wonderful man who demanded the best from her. As life would have it, everything came together. In Silvana's first film, THE WINDWALKER, She had to do a scene where she had to run full out. After several takes she was told to SLOW DOWN. The camera was having a hard time recording her speed. Gallardo taught and coached some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Billy Drago and Peta Wilson.

She moved to Paris after having directed Fading To Zero, a feature docudrama based on the life and work of the late Brooklyn Poet Laureate Ken Siegelman.

While residing in Paris, Kentucky, Gallardo died on January 2, 2012, eleven days before her 59th birthday, at Jewish Hospital, Louisville, from cancer.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]