Esther Fernández began her career as an extra in the film La Mujer del Puerto (1934). Her first starring role was in the early horror film El baúl macabro (Miguel Zacarías, 1936). Her beauty and charisma drew the attention of film director Fernando de Fuentes, who gave her the female lead role of Crucita in the rural musical Allá en el rancho Grande (1936), opposite Tito Guizar. Some critics consider the unexpected success of this film throughout Latin America as marking the start of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
During the rest of the 1930s, Fernández played mostly ingénues in movies like Mi candidato (1938), with Joaquín Pardavé and Pedro Armendàriz, and Los de abajo (1939), with Isabela Corona and Emilio Fernández. She caught the attention of Paramount Pictures, which had already contracted Tito Guizar, and earned her a contract to work in Hollywood. Though she trained for two years as a starlet, the Paramount studio executives never cast her in a movie and she returned to Mexico.
In 1943 Fernández was cast to play the title character in the second sound version of the classic Mexican film Santa, directed by Norman Foster and co-starring Ricardo Montalbán, then at the start of his film career. The couple and the director reunited to make The Escape (1944), based on a Guy de Maupassant story. In 1946 Fernández was finally able to star in a Paramount film Two Years Before the Mast. She played a Mexican-American woman returning to California from Spain for an arranged marriage. However, although it was the only important female character, the adventure film focused on the male cast, headed by Alan Ladd and Brian Donlevy.
Fernández continued her career in Mexico, starring in films like Flor de durazno (1945), Ramona (1946), Cantaclaro (1947), Solo Veracruz es Bello (1948), Doña Perfecta (1950), playing the daughter of Dolores del Rio, and Los Hijos del Rancho Grande (1956).
Fernández became romantically involved with the actor and singer Antonio Badú and during this period often co-starred with him.
She was absent from acting for two years, due to hepatitis. When she returned, the producers had forgotten her and stopped offering her movies. During her retirement years, she was dedicated to painting.
In 1989, Fernández returned to stardom in the Mexican telenovelaSimplemente María. In 1992, she returned to the cinema with the film Los Años de Greta, opposite Beatriz Aguirre and Meche Barba. Her last appearance was in the film Reclusorio II (1997).[1]
esther, fernández, maría, gonzález, august, 1915, october, 1999, mexican, actress, fernández, circa, 1936bornmaría, gonzález, 1915, august, 1915mascota, jalisco, mexicodiedoctober, 1999, 1999, aged, mexico, city, mexicooccupationfilm, actressyears, active1933,. Maria Esther Fernandez Gonzalez 23 August 1915 21 October 1999 was a Mexican actress Esther FernandezFernandez circa 1936BornMaria Esther Fernandez Gonzalez 1915 08 23 August 23 1915Mascota Jalisco MexicoDiedOctober 21 1999 1999 10 21 aged 84 Mexico City MexicoOccupationFilm actressYears active1933 1997 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Partial filmography 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksLife and career EditEsther Fernandez began her career as an extra in the film La Mujer del Puerto 1934 Her first starring role was in the early horror film El baul macabro Miguel Zacarias 1936 Her beauty and charisma drew the attention of film director Fernando de Fuentes who gave her the female lead role of Crucita in the rural musical Alla en el rancho Grande 1936 opposite Tito Guizar Some critics consider the unexpected success of this film throughout Latin America as marking the start of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema During the rest of the 1930s Fernandez played mostly ingenues in movies like Mi candidato 1938 with Joaquin Pardave and Pedro Armendariz and Los de abajo 1939 with Isabela Corona and Emilio Fernandez She caught the attention of Paramount Pictures which had already contracted Tito Guizar and earned her a contract to work in Hollywood Though she trained for two years as a starlet the Paramount studio executives never cast her in a movie and she returned to Mexico In 1943 Fernandez was cast to play the title character in the second sound version of the classic Mexican film Santa directed by Norman Foster and co starring Ricardo Montalban then at the start of his film career The couple and the director reunited to make The Escape 1944 based on a Guy de Maupassant story In 1946 Fernandez was finally able to star in a Paramount film Two Years Before the Mast She played a Mexican American woman returning to California from Spain for an arranged marriage However although it was the only important female character the adventure film focused on the male cast headed by Alan Ladd and Brian Donlevy nbsp Fernandez with Brian Donlevy and Alan Ladd in Two Years Before the Mast 1946 Fernandez continued her career in Mexico starring in films like Flor de durazno 1945 Ramona 1946 Cantaclaro 1947 Solo Veracruz es Bello 1948 Dona Perfecta 1950 playing the daughter of Dolores del Rio and Los Hijos del Rancho Grande 1956 Fernandez became romantically involved with the actor and singer Antonio Badu and during this period often co starred with him She was absent from acting for two years due to hepatitis When she returned the producers had forgotten her and stopped offering her movies During her retirement years she was dedicated to painting In 1989 Fernandez returned to stardom in the Mexican telenovela Simplemente Maria In 1992 she returned to the cinema with the film Los Anos de Greta opposite Beatriz Aguirre and Meche Barba Her last appearance was in the film Reclusorio II 1997 1 Fernandez died of natural causes in 1999 Partial filmography EditLa Mujer del Puerto 1934 Alla en el Rancho Grande 1936 Judas 1936 Mi candidato 1938 Los de abajo 1939 Santa 1943 The Escape 1944 Prision de suenos 1946 Ramona 1946 Cantaclaro 1946 Two Years Before the Mast 1946 Solo Veracruz es Bello 1948 La carne manda 1948 Dona Perfecta 1951 Los hijos del Rancho Grande 1956 Cada hijo una cruz 1956 Simplemente Maria TV 1989 Los Anos de Greta 1992 Reclusorio II 1997 References Edit Agrasanchez Jr 2001 p 42 45Bibliography EditAgrasanchez Jr Rogelio 2001 Bellezas del cine mexicano Beauties of Mexican Cinema Archivo Filmico Agrasanchez ISBN 968 5077 11 8 External links EditEsther Fernandez at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Esther Fernandez amp oldid 1166196545, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
