Saby Kamalich
Encyclopedia
Saby Kamalich is a Peruvian-born Mexican
film
and television
actress. Her father Antonio Fantoni was from Italy
, and her mother was from Croatia
. Aside from her telenovela roles, Kamalich starred in many Mexican film productions such as Valente Quintero
(1973), where she co-starred Antonio Aguilar.
Kamalich first became interested in acting as a young woman when Braulio Castillo
, the Puerto Rican
actor, went to work in Peru
. Kamalich admitted to El Vocero
, a newspaper in Puerto Rico
, that she had platonic
feelings for Castillo. The two would later maintain a lifelong friendship.
Looking for better job opportunities, Kamalich moved to Mexico
in 1970, where she had participated in three stage productions, and more importantly in Panamericana
's 1969 version of the well-known telenovela (Spanish
soap opera
s), Simplemente Maria
. The Peruvian version
, was the fourth filmed of Simplemente Maria, which had already been a hit in Argentina
, Brazil
and Venezuela
.
Simplemente Maria made Kamalich famous across Latin America
, in markets such as Guatemala
, Nicaragua
, Uruguay
, the Dominican Republic
, and the aforementioned countries, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
It was during the filming of Simplemente Maria that Kamalich finally met her childhood idol, Braulio Castillo, who was already a family man with five children.
Since then, Kamalich has worked in a considerable number of telenovelas, usually playing benevolent characters. One exception was her 2005 participation in Gitanas
, where she plays a villain. In Gitanas
, she had the opportunity to act with Saul Lisazo
, who played her son, among other actors.
In 2005 she also acted in another Telemundo
serial, "Corazón partido" where she reappeared as villain yet again in the role of "Virginia Graham".
In 2007 Kamalich participates in another telenovela
produced by Telemundo
. Madre Luna
which is being shot in Colombia
, she is to play the role as a villain. This would be the first time in many years that Kamalich leaves Mexico
(where she has resided for over 3 decades) to a foreign country (Colombia
) to participate in this telenovela (Madre Luna
).
Among the most significant telenovelas are: 1971's Rosas Para Veronica, which was another major hit, 1973's Mi Rival, and 1979's Amor Prohibido
, which was also remade later on.
After the decade of the 1970s was over, Kamalich's telenovela career slowed somewhat. During the 1980s, she participated in ten productions, including 1988's Amor en Silencio
("Silently Loving You"). During the 1990s, her work became even more sporadic, but she did participate in Carrusel de las Américas, which was the sequel of the children's telenovela hit Carrusel, alongside Ludwika Paleta
. In 1998, she and Lucía Méndez
acted together in Tres veces Sofia (Three Times Sofia).
Kamalich obtained her Mexican citizenship; but she still proclaims Peru
as her country. She misses her family in Peru, where her five children reside.
Saby Kamalich, as a result of her career that spans 35 years in Mexico as an actress, will be given the Eduardo Arozamena medal for her contributions to that country's show business. She has won the prestigious Ariel award
for best acting performances in Mexico for best supporting actress in Mariana.
Apart from that, she also made a film, also named Simplemente Maria, based on the successful telenovela.
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...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress. Her father Antonio Fantoni was from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and her mother was from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Aside from her telenovela roles, Kamalich starred in many Mexican film productions such as Valente Quintero
Valente Quintero
Valente Quintero is a 1973 Mexican historical-drama film directed by Mario Hernández and written and produced by Antonio Aguilar who stars in the title role along with Saby Kamalich as his love-interest, and Narciso Busquets as the antagonist....
(1973), where she co-starred Antonio Aguilar.
Biography
Saby Kamalich was born Sabina Fantoni Kamalich to Antonio Fantoni and his Croatian wife.Kamalich first became interested in acting as a young woman when Braulio Castillo
Braulio Castillo
Braulio Castillo Cintrón was a telenovela actor in Latin America. His two sons, Braulio Castillo, Jr. and Jorge Castillo, are also actors....
, the Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
actor, went to work in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Kamalich admitted to El Vocero
El Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
, a newspaper in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, that she had platonic
Platonic love
Platonic love is a chaste and strong type of love that is non-sexual.-Amor Platonicus:The term amor platonicus was coined as early as the 15th century by the Florentine scholar Marsilio Ficino. Platonic love in this original sense of the term is examined in Plato's dialogue the Symposium, which has...
feelings for Castillo. The two would later maintain a lifelong friendship.
Looking for better job opportunities, Kamalich moved to Mexico
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...
in 1970, where she had participated in three stage productions, and more importantly in Panamericana
Panamericana
Panamericana is a 2010 documentary about the life at the longest road on Earth: a road-trip from Mexico to Argentina through 12 countries and for 13,000 kilometers.-Plot:...
's 1969 version of the well-known telenovela (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s), Simplemente Maria
Simplemente Maria
Simplemente Maria ' is a telenovela, starring Victoria Ruffo, Manuel Saval, Jaime Garza and Silvia Derbez. The telenovela, a production of Valentín Pimstein , premiered on October 16, 1989 and ended on May 11, 1990 on El Canal de las Estrellas....
. The Peruvian version
Simplemente María (Peru)
Simplemente Maria is the name of several telenovelas with the Peruvian version being among the earliest and among the most popular. It ran from 1969 to 1971. It starred Saby Kamalich playing a woman who goes from a struggling single mother trying to improve herself to being a married fashion...
, was the fourth filmed of Simplemente Maria, which had already been a hit in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Simplemente Maria made Kamalich famous across Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, in markets such as Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, and the aforementioned countries, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
It was during the filming of Simplemente Maria that Kamalich finally met her childhood idol, Braulio Castillo, who was already a family man with five children.
Since then, Kamalich has worked in a considerable number of telenovelas, usually playing benevolent characters. One exception was her 2005 participation in Gitanas
Gitanas
Gitanas is a Mexican telenovela which aired in 2004. It was largely based on the Chilean telenovela Romané, and was co-produced by the Mexican company Argos Comunicación and Telemundo. It aired at 9PM EST and PST from late 2004 until mid-2005...
, where she plays a villain. In Gitanas
Gitanas
Gitanas is a Mexican telenovela which aired in 2004. It was largely based on the Chilean telenovela Romané, and was co-produced by the Mexican company Argos Comunicación and Telemundo. It aired at 9PM EST and PST from late 2004 until mid-2005...
, she had the opportunity to act with Saul Lisazo
Saul Lisazo
Saul Lisazo is an Argentine actor and ex-footballer.-About Saul:Saúl Gustavo Lisazo Oscoidi is one of 6 siblings: Maria, Fernanda, Araceli, Alejandro, Mauricio, and Vanina. One event in his childhood that marked him was the death of his father when he only was 12 years old...
, who played her son, among other actors.
In 2005 she also acted in another Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
serial, "Corazón partido" where she reappeared as villain yet again in the role of "Virginia Graham".
In 2007 Kamalich participates in another telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
produced by Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
. Madre Luna
Madre Luna
Madre Luna is a Spanish-language telenovela produced by the United States-based television network Telemundo and RTI Colombia. This limited-run series, also known as Grains of Love, debuted on July 2, 2007. Veteran telenovela writer Julio Jiménez developed the story as a vehicle for star Amparo...
which is being shot in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, she is to play the role as a villain. This would be the first time in many years that Kamalich leaves Mexico
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...
(where she has resided for over 3 decades) to a foreign country (Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) to participate in this telenovela (Madre Luna
Madre Luna
Madre Luna is a Spanish-language telenovela produced by the United States-based television network Telemundo and RTI Colombia. This limited-run series, also known as Grains of Love, debuted on July 2, 2007. Veteran telenovela writer Julio Jiménez developed the story as a vehicle for star Amparo...
).
Among the most significant telenovelas are: 1971's Rosas Para Veronica, which was another major hit, 1973's Mi Rival, and 1979's Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
, which was also remade later on.
After the decade of the 1970s was over, Kamalich's telenovela career slowed somewhat. During the 1980s, she participated in ten productions, including 1988's Amor en Silencio
Amor en silencio
Amor En Silencio is a Mexican telenovela, produced and broadcast byTelevisa in 1989. The telenovela, which starred Erika Buenfil and Omar Fierro in the lead roles, is most remembered for its shocking scene in which the main heroine, Marisela and her fiancé Fernando are shot to death at their...
("Silently Loving You"). During the 1990s, her work became even more sporadic, but she did participate in Carrusel de las Américas, which was the sequel of the children's telenovela hit Carrusel, alongside Ludwika Paleta
Ludwika Paleta
Ludwika Paleta is a Polish-Mexican actress. She is the daughter of musician Zbigniew Paleta and Barbara Paciorek Paleta, and the sister of actress Dominika Paleta.-Early Life and Career:...
. In 1998, she and Lucía Méndez
Lucía Méndez
Lucía Leticia Méndez Pérez is a Mexican telenovela and film actress, top model and singer that has sold over 10 million records world wide.- Early success :...
acted together in Tres veces Sofia (Three Times Sofia).
Kamalich obtained her Mexican citizenship; but she still proclaims Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
as her country. She misses her family in Peru, where her five children reside.
Saby Kamalich, as a result of her career that spans 35 years in Mexico as an actress, will be given the Eduardo Arozamena medal for her contributions to that country's show business. She has won the prestigious 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...
for best acting performances in Mexico for best supporting actress in Mariana.
Apart from that, she also made a film, also named Simplemente Maria, based on the successful telenovela.
External links
- Saby Kamalich at the Telenovela Database