Carmen Sandiego (character)

This article is about the fictional character. For other media called "Carmen Sandiego", see Carmen Sandiego (disambiguation).
Carmen Sandiego
Carmen Sandiego character
Carmen Sandiego, as depicted in the Netflix animated series.
First appearanceWhere in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1985)
Created by
Voiced by
Various
Portrayed by
  • Janine LaManna
    (Time; season 1)[3][4]
  • Brenda Burke
    (Time; season 2)
In-universe information
HomeSan Francisco, California

Carmen Isabella Sandiego[5] is a fictional character featured in a long-running edutainment video games series of the same name created by the American software company Broderbund. As an international lady thief, a criminal mastermind, and the elusive nemesis of the ACME Detective Agency, Carmen Sandiego is the principal character of the video game series and the head of ACME's rival organization, V.I.L.E. She is depicted as an extremely intelligent, stylish, fashionable woman whose signature look features a red, matching fedora and trenchcoat. Many of her crimes depicted in the games involve spectacular and often impossible cases of monument theft, which are used as a pretext to teach children geography via the simulated process of tracking down the character, the stolen monuments, and her accomplices all over the world with her sidekicks Zack and Ivy.

Carmen Sandiego's authors were Gene Portwood, Lauren Elliott, and Dane Bigham. Writer David Siefkin, who wrote the first script of the project and invented the character's name, left to become a diplomat for the U.S. State Department before the first game was released in 1985. The character's identity as a Hispanic woman has remained a consistent and integral part of her character, and visually, she was partly influenced by the Brazilian singer and actress Carmen Miranda.[6] Her last name alludes to the city of San Diego, California. Carmen Sandiego is referred to by such epithets as The Miss of Misdemeanor, Vicious & Cruel, The Queen of Crime, and The World's Greatest Thief.

  1. ^ Martin, Douglas (2000-07-30). "Raymond Portwood Jr., Computer Game Pioneer, Dies at 66". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  2. ^ "'Educating Rita". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  3. ^ Luling, Todd Van (16 August 2016). "My 20-Year Quest To Find Carmen Sandiego" – via Huff Post.
  4. ^ "Who In the World Was Carmen Sandiego? We Finally Know the Answer". 18 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Top 100 videogame villains". IGN. Archived from the original on May 11, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2010. According to one game, by the way, the villain's full name is Carmen Isabella Sandiego.
  6. ^ "Carmen Sandiego, the World's Most Iconic Latina Super Villain, Is Back". Fusion.net. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.