Angelines Fernández was a Spanish-Mexican actress and comedian who is best remembered for playing Doña Clotilde “La Bruja del 71” in the sitcom El Chavo del Ocho. She was also a political refugee who fled from the Franco regime in Spain and made Mexico her home for the rest of her life. She died from chronic kidney disease on March 25, 1994, at the age of 71. In this article, we will explore her life story, her career achievements, and her impact on the world of comedy.
Early Life and Political Activism
Angelines Fernández was born on July 9, 1922, in Madrid, Spain. She was the daughter of José Fernández and Manuela Abad. She had a passion for acting since she was a child and made her debut in the musical comedy Carlo Monte en Monte Carlo in Isabela Garcés’ theatre company in Madrid. She was also a supporter of the Republican faction during the Spanish Civil War, which opposed the fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco. She participated in anti-Franco protests and helped the Spanish Maquis, a guerrilla movement that fought against Franco’s regime. According to The Celebrity Deaths, she fled to Mexico in 1947 in fear for her life after being persecuted by Franco’s forces.
Career in Mexico and Beyond
Angelines Fernández arrived in Mexico in 1947 and soon found work as an actress in theatre, radio, film, and television. She also spent some time in Cuba during the late 1940s, where she met and befriended Ramón Valdés, who would later become her co-star in El Chavo del Ocho. She returned to Mexico permanently in 1950 and continued to work in various genres and media. She starred in fourteen films, including the classic El Esqueleto de la señora Morales (1960), where she played a murderous wife who disposes of her husband’s skeleton. She also appeared in El padrecito (1964), where she played Sara, the nemesis of Cantinflas’ character Padre Sebastián.
Angelines Fernández also worked in several telenovelas, such as Cadenas de amor (1961), La duquesa (1966), and El amor tiene cara de mujer (1971). However, it was not until she was hired in 1973 to play “La Bruja del 71” in El Chavo del Ocho that she achieved fame and recognition across Latin America and beyond. She got that job when she asked her friend Ramón Valdés if he knew of any acting jobs she could do. He introduced her to Roberto Gómez Bolaños, the creator and star of El Chavo del Ocho, who immediately liked her and gave her the role of Doña Clotilde, a lonely old lady who lives in apartment 71 and is infatuated with Don Ramón (played by Valdés). She is also nicknamed “La Bruja” (The Witch) by the children of the neighborhood, who are afraid of her and play pranks on her.
Angelines Fernández became an integral part of the cast of El Chavo del Ocho, along with other iconic characters such as El Chavo (Bolaños), Quico (Carlos Villagrán), La Chilindrina (María Antonieta de las Nieves), Doña Florinda (Florinda Meza), and Professor Jirafales (Rubén Aguirre). The show was a huge success, reaching millions of viewers in Mexico and other countries. It was also dubbed into various languages, such as Portuguese, English, French, Japanese, and Arabic. The show ran until 1979, but continued to air reruns and specials until 1992.
Angelines Fernández also participated in Chespirito’s other show, El Chapulín Colorado, where she played different characters in different sketches. She also joined Chespirito’s hour-long show called Chespirito in 1980, where she reprised her role as “La Bruja” and also played Ignacia Fernández “Doña Nachita”, a gossipy neighbor in the Los caquitos sketches. She remained on the show until 1992, when she retired from acting due to health problems.
Death and Legacy
Angelines Fernández suffered from chronic kidney disease for several years and had to undergo dialysis regularly. She also smoked heavily throughout her life, which affected her lungs. She died on March 25, 1994, at the age of 71. Her funeral was attended by thousands of fans and colleagues who paid their respects to her. She was buried at the Panteón Español cemetery in Mexico City.
Angelines Fernández left behind a legacy of laughter and joy for generations of viewers who grew up watching her on television. She is widely regarded as one of the most beloved and talented comedians in Mexico and Latin America. She is also remembered for her courage and activism during the Spanish Civil War and her solidarity with the Mexican people who welcomed her as one of their own. She was honored with a star on the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City in 1996 and a Google Doodle on her 96th birthday in 2018. She is also the subject of a biographical book by José Manuel Villalpando called Angelines Fernández: La Bruja que no era Bruja (Angelines Fernández: The Witch Who Was Not a Witch), published in 2019.
