Born in East L.A.

Born in East L.A. is a 1987 American comedy film written and directed by Cheech Marin, based on his song of the same name, released as a 1984 single by Cheech & Chong. The film focuses on Rudy Robles, a Mexican American from East Los Angeles who is mistaken for an illegal alien and deported.

Born in East L.A. marked Marin's first solo film, without the involvement of his comedy partner, Tommy Chong, at the insistence of executive Frank Price, who was fired between greenlighting and production due to the failure of Howard the Duck. Born in East L.A. was ultimately a financial success, and bolstered Marin's reputation in the Latino community, winning several awards at the Havana Film Festival.