Hilda Sarah Bernard (29 October 1920 – 20 April 2022) was an Argentine actress. She had an extensive career on television, film, stage, and radio.
Biography
Early career
Bernard was born in
Puerto Deseado
Puerto Deseado, originally called Port Desire, is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, on the estuary of the Deseado River.
It was named ''Port Desire'' by the privateer Thomas C ...
,
Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. She is the daughter of an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
father and Austrian mother, Hilda had two siblings: Raquel and Jorge, who went on to play professional
rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
. After graduating from high school, a young Hilda attended the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art; but she soon decided to leave the school, opting to begin to study acting under the tutelage of such now legendary Argentine playwrights/acting coaches as actor and director
Antonio Cunill Cabanellas and actress
María Rosa Gallo
María Rosa Gallo (December 20, 1925 – December 7, 2004) was an Argentine actress.
Career
Born of a Calabrian father and Spanish mother on 20 December 1925, Gallo studied at the ''Conservatorio Nacional de Música y Arte Dramático'' (Nationa ...
. In 1941, a young Hilda appeared in her first job as a member of the
Cervantes National Theater, first as a pastry saleswoman in the play ''
Martín Fierro
''Martín Fierro'', also known as ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'', is a 2,316-line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'' (1872) and ''La Vuelta de Martín Fi ...
'', also appearing as a 'young lady' directed by
Orestes Caviglia or Enrique de Rosas.
In 1942, Bernard entered the world of
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
, signing on with the ''Radio El Mundo'' network, where she appeared in several serials acting with actors such as Oscar Casco, Eduardo Rudy, and
Fernando Siro
Fernando Siro (October 5, 1931 – September 4, 2006) was an Argentine film actor, film director and screenwriter.
Life and work
Born Francisco Ángel Luksich in Villa Ballester, he developed an early interest in acting and in 1950 was given ...
. Her voice gained further recognition in programs such as ''No quiero vivir'' ''así ''and ''Alguien para querer''. She first starred in
Argentine cinema
Cinema of Argentina refers to the film industry based in Argentina. The Argentine cinema comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of Argentina or by Argentine filmmakers abroad.
The Argentine film industry has histor ...
in 1952, in Don Napy's'' Mala Gente''. In the early years of
Argentine television she appeared in ''Esos que dicen amarse'', a production directed by
Alberto Migré
Alberto Migré, pseudonym of "Felipe Alberto Milletari Miagro" (12 September 1931, Buenos Aires – 10 March 2006) was an Argentine TV screenwriter and producer, specialized on telenovelas.
Family background
Alberto was born in the barrio of ...
that gained great media interest and culminated in a national tour promoting the show.
1960s–1980s
Her extensive career in Argentine television began in earnest in the 1960s, when she appeared in Argentine TV productions such as ''The Constant Suicides'' (1961) and ''Your Favorite Comedy'' (1965). Her later television work for Alberto Migré included: '' Women In Prison'' (1967); ''Italian Girl Comes To Marry'' (1969); ''High Comedy'' (1971), directed by María Herminia Avellaneda; and ''Malevo'' (1972).
She also made a successful transition to
theatre productions, among others appearing in ''Amanda Viale''. Years later, in 1976, she appeared in a TV version of the play ''Love Has A Female Face'', which was not as successful as a prior production. After working on several different television networks, she appeared with actress
Amelia Bence
Amelia Bence (born María Amelia Batvinik; 13 November 1919 – 8 February 2016) was an Argentine film actress and one of the divas of the Golden Age of Argentine Cinema (1940–60).
Born to Belarusian Jewish immigrants, Bence began her ...
in ''The 24 Hours'', a successful program that aired from 1981 to 1985, which was produced by the company Proartel S.A..
In the theatre she took part in works such as ''Cuarteto'', ''Fetiche (Fetish)'', ''Women For Identity'', ''One Hundred Years Of Belgrano'', and ''The Last Encounter'', among others. She also appeared in 20 films, among them ''Vení conmigo'' (1973); the popular
picaresque
The picaresque novel (Spanish: ''picaresca'', from ''pícaro'', for " rogue" or "rascal") is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of a roguish, but "appealing hero", usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corrup ...
comedy ''Autocine Mon amour'' (1972); '' Enigma de mujer'' (1956); ''Historia de una soga'' (as a voice actress), with
Susana Campos; and ''Mala Gente''. She co-starred with other Argentine leading ladies such as
Chela Ruíz and
Betiana Blum
Betiana Blum (born in Charata, Chaco in 1939 as Betty Ana Blum) is an Argentine actress
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatr ...
. Her work in television during the 1980s included roles such as Ana (''El camionero y la dama''), Amelia (''María de nadie''), Giovanna (''Mujer comprada''), and Feliciana (''Pasiones'').
Later career
Beginning in the early 1990s, Bernard began appearing in acting roles more suited to her age, and was called to appear in several episodes of TV series such as ''Celeste'', in 172 episodes opposite actress
Andrea del Boca
Andrea del Boca (born 18 October 1965, in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine actress and singer. She began her career as a child actress and subsequently became popular in the 1980s and 1990s for her roles in telenovelas, such as '' Estrellita mía'', ...
. Following ''Celeste'', she starred as Elisabetta di Velletra in ''Cosecharás tu siembra'' (You Reap What You Sow), (1991); and as Madame Guerrero in ''Manuela'', which was shot in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
.
Bernard participated in a children's series,
Cris Morena
María Cristina De Giacomi (born 23 August 1956), professionally known as Cris Morena, is an Argentine Award-winning television producer, actress, television presenter, composer, musician, songwriter, writer, former fashion model and CEO of Cr ...
's ''
Chiquititas
''Chiquititas'' (literally translated as "Little Girls", known in English as ''Tiny Angels'') is a children's musical Argentina, Argentine soap opera, created and produced by Cris Morena. It starred Morena's daughter Romina Yan and Agustina Cher ...
'', which ran from 1995 to 2001, and in
Damián Szifrón
Damián is a Czech, Slovak and Spanish male given name, which is a form of the name Damian. Damian is derived from the Greek name Δαμιανος (Damianos), from the Greek word δαμαζω (damazo), meaning "to tame" or "to master".''Behind the ...
's ''The Simulators''. Morena later directed her in ''
Rebelde Way
''Rebelde Way'' is an Argentine telenovela created and produced by Cris Morena. It was originally broadcast on Azul Televisiónfrom 27 May 2002 to 10 November 2003. The soap opera has been broadcast in many countries, achieving widespread succes ...
'' (2002–2003) and ''
Floricienta
''Floricienta'' (; known in English as ''Flinderella'') is an Argentine juvenile musical telenovela based on the Cinderella story. It originally aired from 2004 to 2005, but since then it has been broadcast in many countries. Some international ...
'' (2004–2005), both of which were viewed by millions of people and gained the aging Hilda Bernard new-found popularity with young children; ''Floricienta'' also won her a
Martín Fierro Award Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
in 2003. In 1999, she was presented at the
Larreta Museum in
Belgrano, and starred in ''Bien de amores (Well Of Love)'', with actress Silvina Bosco, and a supporting role in ''Las de Barranco (Barranco's)'' appearing in a supporting role alongside Victoria Carreras at the
Cervantes National Theatre. One of her last film roles was with
Norma Aleandro
Norma Aleandro (born 2 May 1936) is an Argentine actress. She is considered one of the most celebrated and prolific Argentine actresses of all time and is recognized as a cultural icon in her home country.
Aleandro starred in the 1985 film '' T ...
in
Jorge Gaggero's acclaimed tragedy, ''
Live-In Maid''.
In 2005, at the age of 84, Hilda was contracted to make an appearance in ''When You Completely Die'', playing the part of an old hippie in the
Chacarera Theatre. That same year she returned to television in the
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''Se dice de amor'', with actor Juan Darthés and actress Eugenia Tobal, with highly favorable critical reviews. In 2007, she appeared in ''Fetiche'', a 90-minute bio-drama written by Jose María Muscari, and which was performed live at the Teatro Sarmiento. In 2004, she began making appearances in the Argentinian TV version of the successful
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
sitcom ''
The Nanny
''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three chi ...
'' called ''La Niñera'', which also featured actress
Florencia Peña
María Florencia Peña (born 7 November 1974) is an Argentine actress. She played Mónica Argento in the sitcom ''Casados con hijos Casados is a Spanish surname either meaning ''married'' (plural) or from a homonymous farmstead.
Notable people ...
. On the program she appears as the mother of actress
Mercedes Morán
Mercedes Beatriz Morán is an Argentine actress, known for her role in the television miniseries '' Culpables''.
Career
Morán has worked in several TV programs, such as ''Donde pueda quererte'', ''Rosa de lejos'', ''Por siempre amigos'', ''G ...
's '
Fran Fine
''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired on CBS from 1993 to 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a fashion queen from Flushing, New York who becomes the nanny of three children from the New York/British high so ...
' typecasted character.
She also appeared in 12 episodes of ''
The Successful Pells'', on ''
Telefé
Telefe (acronym for Televisión Federal) is a television station located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The station is owned and operated by Paramount Global through Televisión Federal S.A. Telefe is also one of Argentina's six national television ...
'' (other versions were aired in Mexico and other parts of South America, but with a different title) and ''Dromo'', a fantasy-terror production.
She was nominated for the Martín Fierro Award as Best Actress in a TV Film and/or Miniseries for her work in ''Dromo'', playing the part of the mentally ill mother of actress
Chunchuna Villafañe
Elva "Chunchuna" Villafañe (born April 9, 1940) is an Argentine model, actress and architect, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She has appeared in film and television since the year 1971.
Her most well-known role is as Ana in ''La historia ...
. In 2010, Hilda was honored by the Municipality at a ceremony held at the Teatro Roma, earning the
María Guerrero
María Ana de Jesús Guerrero Torija (April 17, 1867 - January 23, 1928), better known as María Guerrero, was a prominent Spanish theatre actor, producer and director.
Life and work
María Guerrero Torija was born in Madrid in 1867. She enrol ...
Lifetime Achievement Award. On 6 May 2010, she performed at the historic Teatro, which was shown on the ''Telefé'' channel, where she impersonated tango singer
Ada Falcón
Ada Falcón (born Aída Elsa Ada Falcone; 17 August 1905 – 4 January 2002) was an Argentina, Argentine Tango (dance), tango dancer, singer and film actress of the 1920s and 1930s. She starred in the film ''Ídolos de la radio'' in 1934. She w ...
.
Personal life and death
Bernard was married to the producer, writer and director Jorge Gonçalvez; and to Horacio Zelada, who was president of
the Argentina Association of Broadcasters. She has a daughter, Patricia, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
In 2011, Bernard, at 90 years old, continued to work and stayed in shape. She cycled three times a week, took
regular walks outdoors and regularly read novels, while working on and studying scripts, as she was quoted as a
reporter in an interview conducted by the news ''Telenoche''. She further stated ''"I will live for many years."''
In October 2010, after the death of the young actress
Romina Yan
Romina Yankelevich (5 September 1974 – 28 September 2010), better known as Romina Yan, was an Argentine actress, screenwriter, singer and dancer. She made her television debut in the program '' Jugate Conmigo'', and is most known for her portr ...
, who died of a heart attack in September 2010, Bernard, who had worked with Yan, cried while speaking to the media. Appearing inconsolable, she said, ''"Life is not fair, It should have killed
me. I am 90; but not Romina, she was very young and had three children, this is not fair."''
Bernard reappeared on television in 2012 as part of the cast of ''Intertwined'', a series aired on ''Telefé''.
She recovered from a
stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
in 2014, with no major recurrences, and survived
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
in 2020. Bernard died on 20 April 2022, at the age of 101.
Filmography
*1952: Mala gente
*1956: Historia de una soga
*1956: Enigma de mujer
*1961: Los suicidios constantes (TV Serie, 19 episodes)
*1961: Obras maestras Philco (TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes)
*1964: Teleteatro Palmolive del aire (TV Series, 1 episode)
*1964: Romeo y... Raquel!!! (TV Series, 3 episodes)
*1965: Su comedia favorita (TV Series)
*1967: Mujeres en presidio (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1967: Lo mejor de nuestra vida... nuestros hijos (TV Series, 39 episodes)
*1968: 0597 da ocupado (TV Series)
*1969: Muchacha italiana viene a casarse (TV Series, 29 episodes)
*1970: Uno entre nosotros (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1970: La escopeta (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1971: Nosotros también reímos (TV Series, 18 episodes)
*1971: Alta comedia: El avaro (TV Movie)
*1972: No quiero tu compasión (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1972: Autocine mon amour
*1972-1973: Malevo (TV Series, 272 episodes)
*1973: Lo mejor de nuestra vida... nuestros hijos (TV Series, 16 episodes)
*1970-1973: Alta comedia (TV Series, 4 episodes)
*1973: Vení conmigo
*1974: La flor de la mafia
*1976: El amor tiene cara de mujern (TV Series 1976, 17 episodes)
*1978: Un mundo de veinte asientos (TV Series 1978, 19 episodes)
*1980: Rosa... de lejos (TV Series, 58 episodes)
*1980: Días de ilusión
*1981: Un latido distinto (TV Series 19 episodes)
*1981: Laura mía (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1981: Six Tickets to Hell
*1982: Silencio de amor (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1982: Los especiales de ATC (TV Series, 1 episode)
*1982: Las 24 horas (TV Series, 1 episode)
*1982: Después del final (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1983: La sociedad conyugal (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1984: Tal como somos (TV Series, 125 episodes)
*1984: La pobre Clara (TV Series, 160 episodes)
*1984: Dar el alma (TV Series, 29 episodes)
*1985: Marina de noche (TV Series 19 episodes)
*1985: María de nadie (TV Series, 219 episodes)
*1985: El camionero y la dama (TV Series 1985, 29 episodes)
*1985: Momento de incertidumbre (TV Series 1985, 2 episodes)
*1986: Mujer comprada (TV Series, 139 episodes)
*1986: Diapasón
*1986: Pasiones (TV Series, 160 episodes)
*1989: The Strange Lady (TV Series, 120 episodes)
*1989: Corps perdus (nicht ausgestrahlt)
*1991: Pasión (TV Series, 28 episodes)
*1991: Manuela (TV Series, 228 episodes)
*1991: Antonella (TV Series, 191 episodes)
*1991: Alta comedia (TV Series)
*1991: Celeste (TV Series, 1 episode)
*1991: Cosecharás tu siembra (TV Series 1991, 25 episodes)
*1992: Soy Gina (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*1992: Cuatro caras para Victoria
*1993: Celeste, siempre Celeste (TV Series 1993)
*1993: Amanda Sadowska (3 episodes
*1993: Casi todo, casi nada (TV Series, 29 episodes)
*1995-1997: Chiquititas (TV Series, 520 episodes)
*1998: Alas, poder y pasión (TV Series, 120 episodes)
*1998: The VideoMatch Show (TV Series, 1 episode)
*1999: Sweet Lucia (TV Series, 39 episodes)
*1999: Mamitas (TV Series, 27 episodes)
*2001: Los médicos (de hoy) 2 (TV Series 2001, 65 episodes)
*2001: Las amantes (TV Series, 19 episodes)
*2001: Animalada
*2002: Sin intervalo
*2002: Pretenders (TV Series, 1 episode)
*2002: Final Minute (TV Series, 1 episode)
*2002: !!Rebel's Way (TV Series, 130 episodes)
*2004: La niñera (TV Series, 81 episodes)
*2004: Live-In Maid
*2004: Jennifer's Shadow
*2004: Los inquilinos del infierno
*2004-2005: Flinderella (TV Series, 138 episodes)
*2005: El patrón de la vereda (TV Series, 150 episodes)
*2006: Collar de esmeraldas (TV Series, 121 episodes)
*2005-2006: Se dice amor (TV Series 255 episodes)
*2008: Los exitosos Pells (TV Series 2008, 77 episodes)
*2008: Socias (TV Series, 1 episode)
*2009: The Call
*2009 Dromo (TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes)
*2010: Lo que el tiempo nos dejó (TV Mini-Series 2010, 1 episode)
*2010: Neighbours
*2011: Historias de la primera vez (TV Mini-Series, 1 episode)
*2011: Decisiones de vida (TV Mini-Series, 1 episode)
*2012: El Tabarís, lleno de estrellas (TV Movie)
References
External links
*
Hilda Bernard at Flixster*.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard, Hilda
1920 births
2022 deaths
People from Puerto Deseado
Argentine centenarians
Argentine people of British descent
Argentine people of English descent
Argentine people of Austrian descent
Argentine stage actresses
Argentine television actresses
Argentine film actresses
Women centenarians