Fernando "Papi" Cortés (October 4, 1909 – 1979) was a Puerto Rican film actor, writer and director. He was born in
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...
, but he spent most of his adult life in Mexico City, where he died. On 1932, while in New York City, Fernando Cortés married Puerto Rican childhood friend María del Pilar Cordero, who adopted the stage name of
Mapy Cortés
Maria del Pilar Cordero, better known as Mapy Cortés (Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico March 1, 1910Isla Verde, Puerto Rico August 2, 1998) was a Puerto Rican stage, film and television actress and dancer who participated in many films during the ...
. The couple soon traveled to Spain with a Cuban theatrical troupe. They worked on the Spanish stage, radio and film until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1936. Fernando progressively began to take a backseat as actor and baritone and focused on promoting the career of his wife Mapy, who became a noted ''vedette'' (showgirl with star status) in Barcelona.
After the Spanish Civil War interrupted their careers, the couple worked in New York, San Juan, Buenos Aires, Havana and Caracas, occasionally starring in movies. They arrived to Mexico City in late 1940 and made their stage debut at the Teatro Follies, in a show headlined by the popular Mexican comedian
Cantinflas
Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cele ...
. Despite early struggles to become household names, Mapy achieved Mexican film stardom in late 1941 and the couple settled in Mexico City. Initially, Fernando Cortés played supporting roles in his wife's films. He then made a successful debut as director with ''La pícara Susana'' (1945)'','' a comedy vehicle for his wife.
In March 1954, Fernando and Mapy Cortés returned to Puerto Rico to help launch local television. Cortés became the first director at WKAQ-TV, Channel 2, and the couple co-starred in ''Mapy y Papi'', the first Puerto Rican sitcom. Despite their success on local TV, the couple returned the following year to Mexico City, which offered more opportunities. The couple starred in a Mexican version of their Puerto Rican sitcom and Mapy returned to the stage. Fernando Cortés became known as a reliable director of Mexican comedies on stage, television and film. After writing and directing star vehicles for his wife Mapy in the 1940s and comedians like
Resortes
Adalberto Martínez Chávez (25 January 1916 – April 4, 2003), better known in the entertainment world as Resortes, was a renowned Mexican actor. Known primarily for his talent as a comedian, Resortes was also a dancer. His stage name is Spanis ...
and Tin-Tan in the 1950s, Fernando Cortés produced and directed Puerto Rican co-productions in the 1960s and launched the film career of
La India María
"La India María" (born María Nicolasa Cruz) is a fictional character portrayed and created by actress María Elena Velasco.The League of Songs'' (Chano Urueta, 1941)
*''The Five Nights of Adam'' (Gilberto Martínez Solares, 1942)
*''Yo bailé con Don Porfirio'' (Gilberto Martínez Solares, 1942)
*''Internado para señoritas'' (Gilberto Martínez Solares, 1943)
*''El globo de Cantolla'' (Gilberto Martínez Solares, 1943)
*''La guerra de los pasteles'' (Emilio Gómez Muriel, 1944)
*''La corte de Faraón'' (Julio Bracho, 1944)
*''La hija del regimiento'' (Jaime Salvador, 1944)
*'' He Who Died of Love'' (Miguel Morayta, 1945)
* ''
Mischievous Susana
''Mischievous Susana'' (Spanish: ''La pícara Susana'') is a 1945 Mexican musical comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Mapy Cortés, Luis Aldás, Fortunio Bonanova and Fernando Cortés.Rivera p.43
Cast
* Mapy Cortés as Susana Mar ...
'' (Fernando Cortés,1945)
*''El amor las vuelve locas'' (Fernando Cortés, 1946)
*''El colmillo de Buda'' (Juan Bustillo Oro, 1949)
*''Las tandas del Principal'' (Juan Bustillo Oro, 1949)
*''Recién casados... no molestar'' (Fernando Cortés, 1950)
*'' Tres citas con el destino'' (F. Rey, F. Fuentes & L. Klimovsky, 1954)
As writer/director
*''
Mischievous Susana
''Mischievous Susana'' (Spanish: ''La pícara Susana'') is a 1945 Mexican musical comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Mapy Cortés, Luis Aldás, Fortunio Bonanova and Fernando Cortés.Rivera p.43
Cast
* Mapy Cortés as Susana Mar ...
'' (1945)
*''Las casadas engañan de 4 a 6'' (1945)
*''El amor las vuelve locas'' (1946)
*''Los maridos engañan de 7 a 9'' (1946)
*''No te cases con mi mujer'' (1947)
*''Te besaré en la boca'' (1949)
*''El charro y la dama'' (1949)
*''El pecado de quererte'' (1949)
*''Recién casados... no molestar'' (1950)
*''
La liga de las muchachas
''La liga de las muchachas'' ("The League of Girls") is a 1950 Mexican film. It was written by Luis Alcoriza, who also stars in the film.
Cast
* Elsa Aguirre - Dorita
* Miroslava - Marta
* Rubén Rojo - Pablo
* Consuelo Guerrero de Luna - Doña R ...
'' (1950)
*'' Amanecer a la vida'' (1950)
*''El beisbolista fenómeno'' (1951)
*''Hay un niño en su futuro'' (1951)
*''Venezuela también canta'' / ''Olimpiadas musicales'' (1951)
*''El luchador fenómeno'' (1952)
*''Ni pobres ni ricos'' (1952)
*''
The Loving Women
''The Loving Women'' (Spanish: ''Las cariñosas'') is a 1953 Mexican comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Amalia Aguilar, Lilia del Valle and Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal Hidalgo (born 12 September 1931) is a Mexican actress. S ...
'' (1953)
*'' Mis tres viudas alegres'' (1953)
*''Miradas que matan'' (1953)
*''Viva la juventud'' (1955)
*''El campeón ciclista'' (1956)
*''Cómicos de la legua'' (1956)
*''Refifí entre las mujeres'' (1956)
*''El teatro del crimen'' (1956)
*''
Pobres millonarios
''Pobres millonarios'' ("Poor Millionaires") is a 1957 Mexican film. It stars Sara García.
Cast
* Antonio Espino - (as Antonio Espino Clavillazo)
* Ana Luisa Peluffo
* Irma Dorantes
* Sara García - Doña Margarita del Valle
* Alejandro C ...
'' (1957)
* ''
Puss Without Boots
''Puss Without Boots'' (Spanish:''El gato sin botas'') is a 1957 Mexican comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Germán Valdés, Martha Valdés and Nono Arsu.Monsiváis & Kraniauskas p.117
Cast
* Germán Valdés as Agustín Tancre ...
'' (1957)
*''Locos peligrosos'' (1957)
*''La odalisca No. 13'' (1957)
*''Viaje a la luna'' (1957)
*''
A sablazo limpio
''A sablazo limpio'' (A Quick Saber Slash) is a 1958 Mexican historical-comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Marco Antonio Campos and Gaspar Henaine as the double act Viruta y Capulina, and Lucho Gatica with Carmela Rey. Set dur ...
'' (1958)
*'' A Thousand and One Nights'' (1958)
*''Échame a mí la culpa'' (1958)
*''Tres lecciones de amor'' (1958)
* ''
Three Black Angels
''Three Black Angels'' (Spanish: ''Tres angelitos negros'') is a 1960 Mexican comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Miguel Aceves Mejía, Yolanda Varela and Pedro Vargas.Amador & Blanco p.158
Cast
* Miguel Aceves Mejía as Ángel ...
'' (1960)
* '' Comedians and Songs'' (1960)
*''El aviador fenómeno'' (1960)
*''Dios sabrá juzgarnos'' (1960)
*''La marca del muerto'' (1960)
*''Vacaciones en Acapulco'' (1960)
*''Un día de diciembre'' (1961)
*''Jóvenes y bellas'' (1961)
*''Quiero morir en carnaval'' (1961)
*''Los tres pecados'' (1965)
*''Luna de miel en condominio'' (1966)
*''Un latin lover en Acapulco'' (1967)
*''Me casé con un cura'' (1967)
*''Las vírgenes de la nueva ola'' (1969)
*''
Las golfas
''Las golfas'' is a 1969 Mexican film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Isela Vega, Gilda Mirós, Gina Romand, José Luis Rodríguez and Ángel Garasa.Garcia Berumen, p. 114
Plot
The stories of sex workers and their struggle to leave th ...
'' (1969)
*''
La casa de las muchachas
''La casa de las muchachas'' ( es, "The House of the Girls", italics=no) is a 1969 Mexican comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring Amparo Rivelles, Enrique Rambal, Maura Monti, Gilda Mirós and Malú Reyes.
Plot
A Mexican, winner o ...
'' (1969)
*''
Los Beverly de Peralvillo
''Los Beverly de Peralvillo'' is a Mexican sitcom that copied its similar name as a spoof from "The Beverly Hillbillies" that originally had aired from 1962 to 1971. Meanwhile, Los Beverly De Peralvillo aired from 1969 to 1973, including 2 motion p ...
'' (1971)
*''
Tonta, tonta, pero no tanto
''Tonta, tonta, pero no tanto'' (English: ''Foolish, Foolish, But Not So Much'') is a 1972 Mexican comedy film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring María Elena Velasco as La India María.
Plot
In San Jose de Los Burros, María Nicolasa Cruz ...
'' (1972)
*''
La criada bien criada
''La criada bien criada'' ("The Well-Made Maid") is a 1972 Mexican comedy film based on the television series of the same name. It was directed by Fernando Cortés and stars María Victoria and Guillermo Rivas.
Plot
Inocencia has left her ''puebl ...
Que familia tan cotorra!
QUE or que may refer to:
* Quebec (Que.), as the traditional abbreviation, though the postal abbreviations are now QC and previously PQ
* Que Publishing, a company which first began as a publisher of technical computer software and hardware suppo ...
'' (1973)
*''Algo es algo dijo el diablo'' (1974)
*''
La presidenta municipal
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...
'' (1975)
*''
El miedo no anda en burro
''El miedo no anda en burro'' (Fear Doesn't Ride a Donkey) is a 1976 Mexican comedy horror film directed by Fernando Cortés and starring María Elena Velasco, Eleazar García, Fernando Luján, Emma Roldán and Óscar Ortiz de Pinedo.
Literally, ...
'' (1976)
* La comadrita (1978)
*''Criada maravilla'' (1978)