María de la Cruz Olivier Obergh (September 19, 1933 – October 10, 1984), known professionally as Maricruz Olivier, was a Mexican actress of

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

, and

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

. She is best remembered for starring in the 1959 version of the

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...

Teresa Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...

'', which was a success as it established her on-screen persona of playing villains.

Early life

Olivier was born María de la Cruz Olivier Obergh to Mercedes Shirley Obergh in the city of Tehuacán, Puebla. Olivier studied philosophy, literature, and acting for two years in the Academia Andrés Soler. Her film debut was in ''Esos de Penjamo'' in 1951, and her theatrical debut was in the play, ''Que no es cordero''. Because of her participation in the 1955 play ''Santa Juana'', Olivier became one of the most important young actresses of the decade.

Film career

Although Olivier was popularly known for playing villainous-type roles, she had also appeared in many other different film genres. In 1959, she co-starred with Anabel Gutiérrez as one of the love interests of

Viruta y Capulina Viruta y Capulina ( en, Viruta and Capulina), performed by Marco Antonio Campos and Gaspar Henaine, were a Mexican double act featured in film, television, theatre, radio, and comic books from 1956 to 1966. Career Viruta and Capulina's first feat ...

(popular comic actors at the time) in the comedy film, ''Angelitos del trapecio''. In 1962, she starred with

Antonio Aguilar José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza (17 May 191919 June 2007) was a Mexican singer, actor, songwriter, equestrian, film producer, and screenwriter with a dominating career in music. He recorded over 150 albums, which sold 25 mill ...

in the revolutionary-drama ''Sol en llamas'', where she portrayed an hacendado's daughter in the midst of an

hacienda An ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or ''finca''), similar to a Roman ''latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards), ...

during pre-revolutionary Mexico in 1910. Aside from all these genres, her astounding sinister-beauty and acting captivated the audience to believe in her work. As she once quoted in 1983:

"The villains gave me fame. The people have hated my roles of cursed women, only four in my career. I know that they don't hate me. In the minds of people I did not stay a villain, but an actress. When I did ''Teresa'', there were those who stopped me on the street to give me advice: do not be a bad daughter missy! Behave better with your parents! Other people told me: what a horrible behavior! Behind all this I was still interpreting her."

Filmography (selected)

* ''

Quinceañera A (also , , , and ) is a celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. It has pre-Columbian roots in Mexico (Aztecs) and is widely celebrated by girls throughout Latin America. The girl celebrating her 15th birthday is a (; gender (linguistics), ...

'' (1960) * ''

'' (1959) * '' El derecho de nacer'' (1966) * ''

El caballo bayo ''El caballo bayo'' (English: ''The Bay Horse'') is a 1966 Western film from Mexico starring Antonio Aguilar and Maricruz Olivier María de la Cruz Olivier Obergh (September 19, 1933 – October 10, 1984), known professionally as Maricru ...

'' (1966) * '' Un dorado de Pancho Villa'' (1967) * ''

Hasta El Viento Tiene Miedo '' Hasta el viento tiene miedo'', known in English as ''Even the Wind is Afraid'' and ''The Wind of Fear'', is a 1968 (1967 according to the ITESM) Mexican Gothic fiction, gothic supernatural horror film, written and directed by Carlos Enrique Ta ...

'' (1968) * '' Como pescar marído'' (1968) * ''

El oficio más antiguo del mundo ''El oficio más antiguo del mundo'' (English: ''The World's Oldest Profession'') is a 1970 Mexican film. It was directed by Luis Alcoriza Luis Alcoriza de la Vega (September 5, 1918 – December 3, 1992) was a respected Mexican screenwriter ...

'' (1970) * '' Tres Mujeres en la Hoguera'' (1979)

TV

* ''

'' (1959) * ''

Estafa de amor ''Estafa de amor'' (English title:''Love Scam'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Ernesto Alonso and transmitted by Telesistema Mexicano. Amparo Rivelles and Raúl Ramírez starred as protagonists. Cast *Amparo Rivelles *Raúl Ramírez * ...

'' (1968) * ''

Barata de primavera ''Barata de primavera'' is a Mexican telenovela produced by Valentín Pimstein for Televisa in 1975. Cast *Jacqueline Andere as Leticia Reyes *Enrique Lizalde as Eduardo Lozano *Verónica Castro as Karina Labrada * Saby Kamalich as Adriana * ...

'' (1975) * '' Viviana'' (1979)

References

External links

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Olivier, Maricruz 1935 births 1984 deaths Actresses from Puebla Mexican film actresses Mexican television actresses Mexican people of French descent Mexican people of English descent Golden Age of Mexican cinema 20th-century Mexican actresses Mexican stage actresses People from Tehuacán