''Simplemente María'' (''Simply María'') is a Peruvian

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 (film and television), drama genres around the w ...

. It ran from 1969 to 1970. It starred

Saby Kamalich Saby Kamalich, born Sabina Fantoni Kamalich, (13 May 1939 in Lima, Peru – 13 September 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico) was a Peruvian- Mexican actress, known for her work in television and film. Her father Antonio Fantoni was from Italy, and her ...

as a woman who goes from a struggling single mother trying to improve herself to being a married

fashion designer Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applied arts, applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by diverse cultures and different trends and has va ...

. The show is cited as increasing interest in

sewing Sewing is the craft of fastening pieces of textiles together using a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, archaeo ...

and

adult literacy Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained educating activities in order to gain new knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralph G. ''The Pr ...

. Saby Kamalich would be presented with a gold

sewing machine Diagram of a modern sewing machine Animation of a modern sewing machine as it stitches A sewing machine is a machine used to sew fabric and materials together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolutio ...

by the

Singer Corporation Singer Corporation is an American manufacturer of consumer sewing machines, first established as I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Singer, Isaac M. Singer with New York lawyer Edward Cabot Clark, Edward C. Clark. Best known for its sewing mac ...

as the show increased their sales in Peru. Other characters included Esteban (

Braulio Castillo Braulio Castillo Cintrón (March 30, 1933 – February 28, 2015) was a telenovela actor in Latin America. His two sons, Braulio Castillo, Jr. and Jorge Castillo, are also actors. He was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Castillo played in the ''Or ...

), who began as her teacher and ended the series as her husband after a long relationship, while Ricardo Blume played both the man who seduced her and the son the relationship produced. The show was seen as an encouragement for upward mobility. It also dealt with issues of class and ethnicity. It has been said that it was "maybe the most popular television program of all time in Peru," and it also had fans in the rest of Latin America.Reconstructing the Story of Simplemente Maria - Arvind Singhal
/ref>

Full Cast

... María Ramos *

...Esteban * Ricarado Blume .... Roberto Caride -Anthony Ramos * Elvira Travesí ... Pierina * Mariella Trejos ... Teresa * Regina Alcóver .... Ita * Fernando Larrañaga...Pierre * Carola Duval ... Ines Caride * Inés Sánchez Aizcorbe... Angélica * Hernan Romero ... Carlos * Gloria María Ureta... * Lorena Duval... Alejandra * Liz Ureta * Benjamin Arce * María Isabel Chiri * Anita Martinez * Eduarado Cesti * Aldo Zignago * Lucia Irurita * Álvaro Gonzáles * Ricardo Tosso * Delfina paredes * Hudson Valdivia * Luis Alvarez * Orlando Sacha * Lola Vilar * Mari carmen Gordon * Juan Bautista Font * Pepe Cipolla * Pablo Fernández * Martha Figueroa * Pepe Vilar * María Cristina Ribal * Alfredo Bouroncle * Alberto Soler * German Vegas Garay * Carlos Gassols * Alfonzo Kafitti * Augusto Varillas * Gladys Rodriguez * Luis La Roca

References

1969 telenovelas 1969 Peruvian television series debuts 1970 Peruvian television series endings 1960s Peruvian television series 1970s Peruvian television series Panamericana Televisión telenovelas Spanish-language telenovelas {{Peru-tv-prog-stub