Fannie Kauffman
Fannie Kauffman | |
|---|---|
 Vitola, with el enano Santanon and her son | |
| Born | Fannie Kauffman April 11, 1924 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | February 21, 2009 (aged 84) Mexico City, Mexico |
| Other names | Vitola La Vitola Fanny Kauffman Fannie Kaufman |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1943–1997 (approx.) |
Fannie Kauffman (April 11, 1924 – February 21, 2009), who was often known by the stage name Vitola, was a Canadian-born actress and comedian who worked in Latin America.[1][2]
Biography
Early life
Kauffman was born on April 11, 1924, in
Kauffman's parents entered her in a radio contest when she was eleven and a half years old.
Career
Kauffman transitioned to comedy and moved to Mexico in 1943, shortly before she turned 23 years old.[2][3] In 2007, Kauffman told the newspaper, El Universal, that though she was raised in Canada and Cuba, she emphasized that, "Soy mexicana" (I am Mexican), after more than 60 years of residing in the country.[2]
She made her Mexican debut at the
In 1946, Kauffman launched her film career in the 1946 movie,
Kauffman married three times, with each marriage ending in divorce.[2] She had four sons and a daughter during her three marriages.[2] Her eldest sons, actor Humberto Elizondo and David, were born during her first marriage to Mexican diplomat, Humberto Elizondo Alardine.[2] Her two other sons from her second marriage, Moisés and Abraham, died in separate accidents during the 1980s. [2]
Kauffman retired from acting and comedy when she was 72 years old.[1] She explained that she realized she was tired while waiting to go on stage for a performance in New York City.[1] She claimed that she decided to retire on the same day of that particular New York performance.[2] Kauffman also came to believe that audiences no longer laughed at her jokes as they once did earlier in her career.[1]
Fannie Kauffman died in the early morning of February 21, 2009, of natural causes at a hospital in Mexico City at the age of 84.[1] Kauffman had been named a recipient of the 2008 Golden Ariel, the highest award in the Mexican film industry, shortly before her death. She was awarded the Ariel Award posthumously.[4] She was survived by three of her five children, including Mexican actor, Humberto Elizondo.[2]
Selected filmography
- Sinbad the Seasick (1950)
- Oh Darling! Look What You've Done! (1951)
- The Viscount of Monte Cristo (1954)
- Bluebeard (1955)
- The Phantom of the Operetta (1960)
- The Paper Man (1963)
- Lola the Truck Driver (1983)
- The Kidnapping of Lola (1986)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Vitola fallece a los 84 años". El Universal. 2009-02-23. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "´La Vitola´ se retiró a tiempo". El Universal. 2007-01-23. Archived from the original on 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
- ^ a b c d e "Muere Fannie Kauffman conocida como la Vitola". El Informador. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
- ^ "2009 Ariel Awards". Alt Film Guide. 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
External links
- Fannie Kauffman at IMDb