María Victoria


María Victoria Cervantes Cervantes, more commonly known simply as María Victoria, is a Mexican actress, singer, and comedian who is best known for starring as the hilarious, outspoken maid named Inocencia in the Telesistema Mexicano sitcom La criada bien criada and its 1972 spin-off film of the same name.

Early life

María Victoria born 26 February 1933 in Guadalajara. In 1957 she married the popular singer and Yucatec speaker Rubén Zepeda Novelo until his death in 1974, with whom he had two children: Rubén y Alejandro. María Victoria she married again to Manuel Gómez, with whom she had a daughter María Esther 'Teté' Gómez, shortly after they separated.

Career

She has appeared in almost forty films and almost fifteen television productions. One of the first breakthroughs she had as an artist was with Paco Miller. She was a replacement. At this time she has said that she never headlined and never felt that she was a star. But at this moment she really didn't care. When her career started to take off she would "Thank GOD," because she never expected the success. She recently said in a celebration in honor of her 65-years in the entertainment industry, to Siempre TV, "The first song I recorded was, Soy Feliz, before that I was always singing everyone else's songs because I didn't have my own." It was a hit song, with Luis Alcaraz. The song that followed was Todavía no me muero.
In one of Mexico's biggest radio stations XEQ, she was able to work alongside Roberto Cañedo both together in leading roles.
Her debut was with Serenata en Acapulco, she shared the screen with Andres Soler as Tizoc. She also did Amor Perdido with Maria Luisa Landin Amor Perdido, and included her music as part of the soundtrack. Monte de piedad followed with another credit and a song, Alma. The cast included Jorge Mistral, Miroslava and Juaquin Cordero. Puerto de tentación was done with Alfredo Rosas Priego whose family later produced films. In Mujeres de teatro she worked with another big star of the time, Rosita Fornes.
In 1952 she worked on Porque peca la mujer she worked with another unforgettable cast Leticia Palma, Luis Aguilar, Pedro Vargas and Cuco Sánchez. Póker de ases she starred with Luis Aguilar and José René Ruiz "Tun Tun." Cuando los hijos pecan brought a new cast for her with Meche Barba, Carlos Orellana and Silvia Pinal. The same year she would also do the villain in the film Porque peca la mujer, where she would actually kill someone. We also saw the release of her film, "Habia una vez un marido," with Rafael Baledon and directed by Fernando Mendez.
The success of her films and participation brought her a new found success, and as she was asked to appear on films she started the momentum of her career with strong record sales. She achieved gold and platinum certifications. In 1953 she followed her film career with La mujer desnuda once again with Luis Aguilar and Meche Barba. She is also recognized for singing in the film.
María Victoria began a new phase in her singing career and as an actress, with the interest of Ismael Rodriguez in her, they filmed Del rancho a la televisión sharing credits with Luis Aguilar. He announced her as the Woman "Cantinflas." She played the villain. Her character was Graciela Del Mar. She sang many songs on this film, including a duet with Luis Aguilar.
In 1953, recognized celebrity Pedro de Lille gave her a unique title for her "pujidito," La cancionera del suspenso en la garganta – The songstress with the suspended air. She also filmed the movie "Solamente una vez" with Carlos Vejar as director.
In 1954 she filmed Al son del charlestón, with Pompín Iglesias, whom she would act with along her entire career. She followed-up with another film, Solamente una vez. She continued to rise in popularity with her acting and music, she sang the theme song to her following film Estoy taan enamorada, with director and writer Jaime Salvador.
In 1955 she would start the trilogy. The first installment is Los paquetes de Paquita – Paquita's Packages. She did the film with Ismael Rodriguez known for making 32 feature-length movies with Pedro Infante. His productions would be seen in Germany, Italy, Russia and other big Latin markets.
The second installment of the trilogy started the following year, Cupido pierde a Paquita – Cupid loses Paquita. The film was a success, which included music, that she would later release in her 65th anniversary CD Triunfo Del Amor. She has always given the credit to Rodriguez for giving her the belief in her talent, and has been quoted as saying, she would be the female, "Cantinflas."
In 1956 she would continue to give fruit to her success as a singer in Una movida chueca – A Funny Move with comedian Clavillazo. Other big film actors participate such as Yolanda Varela, Ramon Valdes, Pedro Vargas, Jose Pardave, Lola Beltran and Marga Lopez.
She also filmed a movie with an American actor, Andy Russell titled, ¡Viva La Juventud! in which also Adalberto "Resortes" Martinez, Yolanda Verela and Lorena Velazquez acted in. She sang in the movie, Mi Ultimo Fracaso. Which became one of her classic songs.
María Victoria was the youngest of the artist of that era, in her next film she acted with only the Greats, Lola Beltran, Pedro Vergas, Jose Pardave and Manuel "Loco" Valdes in the film Pension de Artistas, directed by Adolfo Fernandez Cortez. This a film that kept opening doors for her in future projects. She was also invited to sing in the film with Lola Beltran, Pedro Vargas, Lucho Gatica and Jose Alfredo Jimenez. She sang her classic Como Un Perro – Like A Dog.
In 1957 she followed her success in this film with number one records on the radio, she recorded two new songs for Muerto De Risa, she recorded Eso – That, and Esta Sellado – It's Sealed. She starred in the movie with Resortes. The film was close to her life, it had to do with the circus environment.
In 1958 came Pepito y los robachicos with Lucho Gatica, Arturo Castro "Bigoton," and director Mauricio De La Serna.
She then followed with Música en la noche with Lola Beltran, Evangelina Elizondo, Miguel Aceves Mejia and Pedro Vargas. The director, Tito Davison, from Chile carried this production into new territories never seen before like Spain and other South American countries.
Mientras el cuerpo aguante came next with Pompin Iglesias and Blanca Castejo, directed by Gilberto Martinez Solares. Here she sang varias songs such as "Ruleta" and "Judas." It was a cinderella story, a fairy god mother who shares her fortune with her god daughter. Mier Productions releases this film along with "Cantinflas" first three films.
In 1959 Cada quién su música followed suit, with Mauricio de la Serna as director. The film had international stars that were known all over the continent. The actors in the film were Lucho Gatica, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Begona Palacios, Manuel "Loco" Valdes and Pedro Vargas. María Victoria participated in the recording of the soundtrack.
In 1961 came a wonderful picture, "Tres Balas Perdidas," directed by Roberto Rodriguez, from the Rodriguez family who along with Ismael Rodriguez had directed María Victoria in five other films. He reunited an all star cast, she was paired with Javier Solis, another music and acting legend, with Rosita Quintana, Evagelinna Elizondo who with María Victoria where the three lost bullets, who were given with an inheritance but with a stipulation that they had to marry in a months time or lose the fortune. The other two lead actors were Julio Aldana and Venezuelan actor Oscar Pulido. One of the songs sung by all six was "Tres Ositos – Three Bears."
In 1967 María Victoria acted with Lola Beltran in her critically acclaimed film, Cucurrucucú Paloma, and sung with her the theme song. The film was directed by Fernando Cortes. Also for the first time, Armando Manzanero, prestigious composer, accompanied María Victoria for his first time on an international tour. At the time he would only be known has a piano player and composer. In the long run he would give her two original songs.
The night María Victoria met The Beatles. It was in New York; at a concert performance, they would be affectionate with her daughter.
In 1970 she met with Juan Gabriel. He was her inspiration. He has stated that at that moment in time, she could not have so much love inside her body. He then moved by her wrote the song, 17 años. It was a massive success. In 1972 she filmed "La criada bien criada," the mega successful feature-length film with Alejandro Suarez, Javier López 'Chabelo,' and Jorge Lavat.
In 1974, Juan Gabriel was a special guest actor in her television series, La Criada Bien Criada. He was there the whole season. Other actors who intervened in the program was Ernesto Alonso and Silvia Pinal.
Maria Victoria's first charted in Billboard Magazine on 10 July 1976 was with a song written by Juan Gabriel titled "17 Años – 17-years-old," and by September it had reached the Top 10, on Billboard's Hits of The World.
In 1977 she filmed A fuego lento with Oscar Chavez, Gilberto Perez Gallardo and Maria Luisa Landin, directed by Juan Ibanez.
In 1980 she began to work abroad. She recently told Cinetoma, a film and cinematography monthly newspaper and magazine, Angeles Castro and Clara Sanchez, "They gave me an exclusive deal to do a film in Spain, I don't know how they did it, they had the idea of having me play Sor Metiche – The Nosy Nun, it was a Spain – Mexico production; it was a Mariano Ozores film." In this film, once again she was asked to record the soundtrack for the film. But the music officially wouldn't be released until 2014, in her album Triunfo Del Amor – Love's Triumph which is a song that was selected from this film as the album title.
The film had such an impact globally that Spain asked her for another film, El Chango Me Hagarro La Mano – The Monkey Got My Hand.
María Victoria was surrounded by children actors whose environment was in the circus, this was a total comedy. It was similar to a curious George with María Victoria.
In 1984 she began another hit television series titled, Mis Huespedes. In the series she would interpret two characters, Inocencia and herself, María Victoria. She would be the maid Inocencia, and María Victoria the singer, and she would sing her songs.
In the midst of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, María Victoria had sold out performances of her show. She was a box office film star, theater star and recording artist.
Victoria appeared as Felipa in the Mexican telenovela Sortilegio.
Known in Texas for her recurrent television commercials for supermarket Fiesta where she appears as Inocencia.
As a singer, she has recorded over 100 records. On 23 September 2014, she launched her album titled, Triunfo Del Amor – Love's Triumph, a 65 Anniversary, music from her films by MAXD. The collection includes 10 songs, and 3 bonus. Mexico has once again responded to her music, and she has regained popularity in Venezuela, Ecuador and Argentina.

Theater

La Criada Mal Criada theater production opened in 1968 with María Victoria, Joaquin Cordero and Rogelio Guerra. The second place the production ran was in the Jorge Negrete Theater The show gave her a record breaking recognition of over 2,800 live performances. This production lasted 5-years. She was also given the best comedian award in 1970 for this production by Premios de la Agrupación de Periodistas Teatrales. Her performances of Perfumes de Gardenia hasn't yet been considered in how performances she did. She has also starred in four different festivals.

Television

María Victoria also did television specials sponsored by Nescafé. In the '60s she did some work with her husband in the same televised specials with Nescafé. She followed the success with other guests like Mario Moreno "Cantinflas."

Tour

Filmography

Awards and recognitions