Fannie Kauffman
Encyclopedia
Fannie Kauffman who was often known by the stage name
Vitola, was a Canadian
-born Mexican
actress and comedian
.
, Ontario
, Canada
. She moved with her parents to Cuba
and was raised in Havana
, where she resided until she was 22 years old. She began her entertainment career in Cuba as a child singer at the age of 8, when she thought of becoming an opera singer.
Kauffman's parents entered her in a radio contest when she was eleven and a half years old. The contest was looking for a girl to appear on the daily children's radio show, La Escuelita. Kauffman won the contest and began appearing on the radio with the Cuban comic team, Agapito y Timoteo. Kuaffman earned her lifelong nickname, Vitola, while working in Cuban radio. Her nickname is based on the vitola of Cuban cigars.
She made her Mexican debut at the Teatro Arbeu in Mexico City
in 1943. Kauffman met Germán Valdés
, who was better known as Tin-Tan, while working at the Teatro Arbeu. Kauffman and Tin-Tan developed a close professional relationship which spanned both of their careers. The two often appearing opposite one another on screen and stage.
In 1946, Kauffman launched her film career in the 1946 movie, Se acabaron las mujeres, directed by Ramón Peón. She co-starred in the 1949 Mexican film, El Rey del Barrio, opposite Silvia Pinal
and Tin-Tan. Kauffman also starred or appeared in films throughout the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, including the 1950 film, También de Dolor se Canta
, starring Pedro Infante
and films opposite Adalberto Martínez.
Kauffman married three times, with each marriage ending in divorce. She had four sons and a daughter during her three marriages. Her eldest sons, actor Humberto Elizondo and David, were born during her first marriage to Mexican diplomat
, Humberto Elizondo Alardine. Her two other sons from her second marriage, Moisés and Abraham, died in separate accidents during the 1980s.
Kauffman retired from acting
and comedy
when she was 72 years old. She explained that she realized she was tired while waiting to go on stage for a performance in New York City
. She claimed that she decided to retire on the same day of that particular New York performance. Kauffman also came to believe that audiences no longer laughed at her jokes as they once did earlier in her career.
Fannie Kauffman died in the early morning of February 21, 2009, of natural causes at a hospital in Mexico City
at the age of 84. Kauffman had been named a recipient of the 2008 Golden Ariel
, the highest award in the Mexican film industry, shortly before her death. She was awarded the Ariel Award
posthumously. She was survived by three of her five children, including Mexican actor, Humberto Elizondo.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Vitola, was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
actress and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
.
Early life
Kauffman was born on April 11, 1924, in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She moved with her parents to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and was raised in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, where she resided until she was 22 years old. She began her entertainment career in Cuba as a child singer at the age of 8, when she thought of becoming an opera singer.
Kauffman's parents entered her in a radio contest when she was eleven and a half years old. The contest was looking for a girl to appear on the daily children's radio show, La Escuelita. Kauffman won the contest and began appearing on the radio with the Cuban comic team, Agapito y Timoteo. Kuaffman earned her lifelong nickname, Vitola, while working in Cuban radio. Her nickname is based on the vitola of Cuban cigars.
Career
Kauffman transitioned to comedy and moved to Mexico in 1943, shortly before she turned 23 years old. In 2007, Kauffman told the newspaper, El Universal, that though she was raised in Canada and Cuba, she emphasized that, "Soy Mexicano" (I am Mexican), after more than 60 years of residing in the country.She made her Mexican debut at the Teatro Arbeu in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in 1943. Kauffman met Germán Valdés
Germán Valdés
Germán Genaro Cipriano Gomez Valdés Castillo , better known as Tin-Tan, was an actor, singer and comedian who was born in Mexico City but was raised and began his career in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. He often displayed the pachuco dress and employed pachuco slang in many of his movies, some with his...
, who was better known as Tin-Tan, while working at the Teatro Arbeu. Kauffman and Tin-Tan developed a close professional relationship which spanned both of their careers. The two often appearing opposite one another on screen and stage.
In 1946, Kauffman launched her film career in the 1946 movie, Se acabaron las mujeres, directed by Ramón Peón. She co-starred in the 1949 Mexican film, El Rey del Barrio, opposite Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal
Silvia Pinal is a Mexican actress, who had roles in several of Luis Buñuel's movies such as El ángel exterminador and Viridiana...
and Tin-Tan. Kauffman also starred or appeared in films throughout the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, including the 1950 film, También de Dolor se Canta
También de Dolor se Canta
También de dolor se canta is a Mexican film of the golden age of Mexican cinema. It stars Pedro Infante, Irma Dorantes and Guillermina Grin. It also features a number of cameo roles from Mexican actors famous at the time, including Germán "Tin Tan" Valdés, Fannie Kauffman and Pedro Vargas amongst...
, starring Pedro Infante
Pedro Infante
José Pedro Infante Cruz , better known as Pedro Infante, is the most famous actor and singer of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and is an idol of the Latinamerican people, together with Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís, who were styled the Tres Gallos Mexicanos . He was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa,...
and films opposite Adalberto Martínez.
Kauffman married three times, with each marriage ending in divorce. She had four sons and a daughter during her three marriages. Her eldest sons, actor Humberto Elizondo and David, were born during her first marriage to Mexican diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, Humberto Elizondo Alardine. Her two other sons from her second marriage, Moisés and Abraham, died in separate accidents during the 1980s.
Kauffman retired from acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
and comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
when she was 72 years old. She explained that she realized she was tired while waiting to go on stage for a performance in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She claimed that she decided to retire on the same day of that particular New York performance. Kauffman also came to believe that audiences no longer laughed at her jokes as they once did earlier in her career.
Fannie Kauffman died in the early morning of February 21, 2009, of natural causes at a hospital in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
at the age of 84. Kauffman had been named a recipient of the 2008 Golden Ariel
Golden Ariel
The Golden Ariel is the highest award for film in Mexico, given to individuals and institutions as part of the Ariel Award program by the Mexican Academy of Film.-2006:*Ernesto Alonso...
, the highest award in the Mexican film industry, shortly before her death. She was awarded the Ariel Award
Ariel Award
The Ariel is the Mexican Academy of Film Award. It has been awarded annually since 1947. The award recognizes excellence in motion picture making, such as acting, directing and screenwriting in Mexican cinema. It is considered the most prestigious award in the Mexican movie industry.- History :The...
posthumously. She was survived by three of her five children, including Mexican actor, Humberto Elizondo.