María Elena Velasco Fragoso (17 December 1940 – 1 May 2015) was a Mexican actress, comedian, singer-songwriter and dancer. She was known for creating and portraying La India María, a comical character based on indigenous Mexican women.
Early life
Velasco was born in Puebla, to Tomás Velasco Saavedra, a railway mechanic, and María Elena Fragoso Peón. She had three siblings, Gloria, Tomás and Susana. Later, she became one of the showgirls of the , where she also participated in sketches starring comedians such as José "El Ojón" Jasso and Óscar Ortiz de Pinedo, among others.
Personal life
In the early 1960s, Velasco met Russian-born Mexican film actor and choreographer Julián de Meriche (born Vladimir Lipkies Chazan) at the Teatro Blanquita. She later said: "My husband was worth gold, I will not lie and say he was the perfect man, but he was the love of my life." She also had a daughter with Raul Velasco named Marina Velasco who was given up and kept a secret.
Death
Her death was announced over Twitter by the Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía on 1 May 2015; the cause of death was not made public, but it was known that she had been suffering from stomach cancer.
Performances
Film
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Logos !! Notes
|-
| 1963 || México de mis recuerdos || Petra || || First credited film role
|-
| 1963 || Los derechos de los hijos || María || ||
|-
| 1964 || El revólver sangriento || Pedro's wife || ||
|-
| 1968 || El bastardo || María || ||
|-
| 1972 || Tonta, tonta, pero no tanto || María Nicolasa Cruz || Warner Bros. || First India María film
|-
| 1973 || ¡Pobre, pero honrada! || María Nicolasa Cruz || Warner Bros. ||
|-
| 1974 || La madrecita || Sor María Nicolasa Cruz || American International Pictures ||
|-
| 1975 || La presidenta municipal || María Nicolasa Cruz || Universal Pictures ||
|-
| 1976 || El miedo no anda en burro || María Nicolasa Cruz || Warner Bros. ||
|-
| 1977 || Sor Tequila || María Nicolasa "Sor Tequila" || United Artists ||
|-
| 1978 || Duro pero seguro || María Nicolasa Cruz || American International Pictures ||
|-
| 1978 || La comadrita || María Nicolasa Cruz || Warner Bros. ||
|-
| 1981 || Okey, Mister Pancho || María Nicolasa Cruz || 20th Century Fox ||
|-
| 1982 || El que no corre vuela || María Nicolasa Cruz || Columbia Pictures || Silver Goddess Award for Best Comedy Performance
|-
| 1983 || El coyote emplumado || María || United Artists || Directorial debut
|-
| 1984 || Ni Chana, ni Juana || Juana Cruz / Emilia Falcón || Universal Pictures ||
|-
| 1988 || Ni de aquí, ni de allá || María || Paramount Pictures ||
|-
| 1993 || Se equivocó la cigüeña || María Nicolasa Cruz || Columbia Pictures ||
|-
| 1999 || Las delicias del poder || María / Lorena Barriga || Warner Bros. Pictures ||
|-
| 2014 || La hija de Moctezuma || María Nicolasa Cruz || Paramount Pictures || Nominated – Silver Goddess Award for Best Original Song
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1969 || Domingos espectaculares || La India María ||
|-
| 1970 || Siempre en domingo || La India María ||
|-
| 1972 || Revista musical Nescafé || La India María ||
|-
| 1988 || Papá soltero || La India María || 1 episode
|-
| 1998 || ¡Ay María qué puntería! || La India María ||
|-
| 2003 || La hora pico || La India María || 1 episode
|-
| 2003 || Mujer, casos de la vida real || La India María || 1 episode – "Amor incondicional"
|-
| 2004 || La familia P. Luche || La India María || Season 1 episode 38 – "Nos vamos de viaje"
|-
| 2013 || Corazón indomable || María Nicolasa Cruz de Olivares ||
|}
Stage
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Production !! Author !! Notes
|-
| 1970 || El séptimo sello || Ingmar Bergman ||
|-
| 1972 || Dos viejos pánicos || Virgilio Piñera ||
|-
| 1972 || Inmaculada || Héctor Azar ||
|-
| 1994 || México canta y aguanta || María Elena Velasco || Mexican Theatre Critics Association Award for Best Revue
|}
Discography
- La mejor cantante de todas las grabadoras (1971)
- De chile, de dulce y de manteca (1982)
See also
- List of Mexicans
- Lucila Mariscal - who played "Lencha, la india"