- María Elena Velasco
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María Elena Velasco Born María Elena Velasco Fragoso
December 17, 1940
Puebla, Puebla MexicoOccupation Actress, singer, dancer, and director Years active 1962–1968; 1972–2004 Spouse Julián de Meriche
(?–1974; his death) 2 childrenMaría Elena Velasco (born December 17, 1940) is a Mexican actress of film and television; she is also a singer, dancer, and director.[1] Velasco is one of Mexico's few major female film directors.[2]
Starting her career as an extra in films, Velasco became famous for her interpretation of a Mazahua indigenous woman with the name of "La India María", whom she portrayed on various Televisa programs. Due to the fame of her comical character, Velasco starred in 23 films centered on La India María. She won an Ariel Award in 2004 for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film Huapango.
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Early life
María Elena Velasco Fragoso was born on December 17, 1940; to Tomas Velasco and María Elena Fragoso in the city of Puebla, Mexico. She began to dance in theaters and to act in radio comedies. She was spotted by a film producer, who gave her minor roles. As she developed the India María, at first she named her "Elena María" and began to portray the character in the "Teatro Blanquita".
Rural Representation
Just as the popular rural-based American comedies of Ma and Pa Kettle and The Beverly Hillbillies, Velasco has made a highly popular comedic representation of rural Mexico as a typical Mexican indigenous woman named "Maria" who is often confused by urban life. The character she portrays is dressed in traditional garb consisting of traditionally braided and ribboned hair, colorful native-type blouses and skirts. In her films, she often goes out of her way to speak at least a few lines in native languages, such as Chichimeca and Nahuatl. Although she may be ignorant about some things, Maria is wise about peoples' ways and ideas.
Velasco has said publicly that she wants India María to represent Mexico's poor social classes, and she has tried to carry out social messages in most of the movies she has made. Velasco invented the India María character in 1972 for Mexican TV network Telesistema Mexicano (now Televisa) for a comic segment of the weekly program Siempre en domingo. It quickly became a hit and in the same year, Velasco began starring in an enormously successful series of low-budget comedies that became a mainstay in Mexican movie theaters through the mid-1980s.
Filmography
Velasco has starred in approximately 23 films in Mexico, and 3 television series. She received an Ariel Award in 2004 for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film Huapango (a film not of the India María series).
First film appearances
Year Title Role Notes 1962 Ruletero a toda marcha Nurse (uncredited) 1963 El rey del tomate Librado's client (uncredited) 1963 My Memories of Mexico Petra the maid 1963 Los derechos de los hijos María 1964 El revólver sangriento Pedro's wife 1968 El bastardo La India María India María series
Year Title Role 1972 Tonta tonta pero no tanto La India María 1973 Pobre, pero honrada! María 1974 Algo es algo, dijo el diablo María 1974 La madrecita Sor María Nicolasa 1975 La presidenta municipal La India María 1976 El miedo no anda en burro La India María 1977 Sor Tequíla Sor María Nicolasa 1978 Duro pero seguro! La India María 1978 La comadrita La India María 1981 OK Mister Pancho India María 1982 ¡El que no corre... vuela! La India María 1983 El coyote emplumado India María 1984 Ni Chana, ni Juana Emilia Falcón (Luciana) / India María (Juana) 1988 Ni de aqui, ni de alla India María 1993 Se equivocó la cigueña India María 1996 Las delicias de poder Lorena Barriga / La India María Other films
Year Title Role Notes 2004 Huapángo Dance instructor Television
Year Title Role Notes 1972 Revista musical Nescafe La India María 1998 ¡Ay María qué puntería! La India María 2003 Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real María 1 episode - Amor Incondicionál References
External links
Categories:- Living people
- Mexican comedians
- Mexican film actors
- Mexican television actors
- Mexican screenwriters
- Best Adapted Screenplay Ariel Award winners
- 1940 births
- People from Puebla
- Golden Age of Mexican cinema
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