Michel, Elmo: actor who usually played comic supporting roles, but occasionally was given a bigger part, as in El buen ladrón (The Good Thief, 1955) in which he had the leading role of a priest.
Michel, Lilia [Lilia Larios de Baledón] (1926 or '27 - 2011 ): actress, generally in light comic roles. Widow of actor-director Rafael Baledón (and later, Wolf Rubinskis). Although she occasionally appeared as an actress (primarily on TV), Michel has dedicated most of final years to portrait painting. She won Best Co-Starring Actress Arieles for Un beso en la noche and Vértigo, in consecutive years.
Michel, Lina: blonde, French-born actress of the 1970s in films like Trío y cuarteto and Zona roja.
Michel, Olivia (1937--): buxom actress of the late 1950s and early 1960s, at one time married to writer José María Fernández Unsain. Later turned to writing and earned Best Story and Best Screenplay Ariel nominations for Mexicano, tú puedes (1983).
Michel, Paco [Jesús Flores Pereyra] (1930-1997): singer, composer, and actor, born in Huasteca, Paco Michel spent a number of his teenage years working in the United States, where he began his musical career. He returned to Mexico in 1950 and by mid-decade was starting to appear on TV and in films like Caras nuevas. Michel wrote around 250 songs including "Ay Chabela" and "Creo en tí."
Mijares, Martha (1938--): attractive, youthful actress of the 1950s, mostly cast as "sensitive" young women. Nominated for an Ariel as Best Juvenile Performer for Maldita ciudad, while she was still attending the ANDA acting school. Retired from acting at the end of the decade when she got married.
Mil Máscaras [Aaron Rodríguez] (1942--): professional wrestler (since 1964) hired by Luis Enrique Vergara after the producer had lost both Santo and Blue Demon to other companies; made his screen debut in 1966 (Mil Máscaras). Mil, born in San Luis Potosí, has managed to outlast both of his more famous predecessors, and has the distinction of starring in films in four different decades. As a wrestler he won a number of titles and became quite well-known in Japan and the U.S.A. His brother wrestles professionally as Dos Caras.
Milton, Nadia: blonde actress (originally a pop singer) of the late '60s and early '70s; born in Chile. Attractive but sort of snobbish-looking.
Miranda, Juan [Alfonso Torres]: muscular actor, former "Mr. Mexico." After playing small roles in some films of the mid-late '60s under his real name, Torres was given a big buildup in some Westerns of the early '70s. He continued to work throughout the rest of the decade, but his screen career faltered after that.
Mirós, Gilda: attractive supporting actress of the 1960s. Probably Puerto Rican, since some (but not all) of her films had a connection with this island. She was active at least into the 1980s, appearing in an award-winning Latino play in New York.
Miroslava [Miroslava Stern or Miroslava Sternova] (1926-1955): Miroslava Stern left her native Czechoslovakia and came to Mexico in 1934; she spent some time in the USA studying, but returned to Mexico in the mid-'40s. She was briefly married in 1946, then turned to a film career. She even appeared on the cover of Life magazine (10 July 1950). Miroslava was nominated as Best Co-Starring Actress for Las tres perfectas casadas She committed suicide (some claim she was murdered) in 1955 after completing work on Luis Buñuel's Ensayo de un crimen. Her life was the subject of a filmed biography in 1992: Miroslava (dir. Alejandro Pelayo).
Mistral, Jorge [Modesto Llosas Rosell] (1920 or 1922?-1972): Jorge Mistral was born in Valencia, Spain. He became a popular romantic leading man in the latter half of the 1940s, but after a dispute with his producers left for Mexico in 1949. He worked mostly in Mexico in the '50s, but did make occasional Spanish films and pictures elsewhere. In the 1960s he directed several films. Mistral committed suicide in 1972.
Mojica, José (1896-1974): singer and actor who, after appearing with the Chicago Opera in the 1920s, made a few Spanish-language movies in the early 1930s, and a handful of Mexican features later in the decade. In 1940, his mother died and Mójica decided to leave his singing career and become a Franciscan friar (he was ordained in 1947). His autobiography was turned into a big-budget, all-star film, Yo, pecador (1959--Mójica was portrayed by Pedro Geraldo). Mójica would occasionally make acting appearances in later life in order to raise funds for his order's charitable work (cf, Seguiré tus pasos, 1966).
Molina, Carmen (1920-1998): actress and dancer, who made a notable appearance in Walt Disney's The Three Caballeros, and later received a Best Co-Starring Actress Ariel nomination for Las mañanitas.
Molina, Pinky (1940?--): Guatemalan-born child actress/singer of the early 1950s.
Mondragón, Jorge [Jorge Mondragón Roldán] (1903-1997): actor and union official, one of the founding members of ANDA. As a teenager, Mondragón joined the Virginia Fábregas stage company, and he later worked with another famous actress, María Tereza Montoya. During his long career, Mondragón appeared in more than 2,000 plays, 200 films, and numerous TV and radio shows. He also served as production manager on some Calderón films in the 1950s.
Montalbán, Ricardo (1920-2009): Ricardo Montalbán was born in Mexico City, but spent time as a young man in the United States. His Mexican film career began with small roles in 1942, but he quickly shot to leading-man status. However, in mid-decade Montalbán signed a contract with MGM and relocated to Hollywood where he contended with Fernando Lamas for the role of resident "Latin Lover" for many years. Over the next several decades he would only occasionally return to Mexican cinema (Sombra verde, 1954, and Buenas noches, año nuevo!, 1964). His brother Carlos was also an actor and in fact received a Best Actor nomination for Bambalinas.
Montaner, Rita (1900-1958): Cuban-born singer and actress, usually seen in supporting roles where she also got to sing; received an Ariel nomination as Best Co-Starring Actress for Negro es mi color.
Monteagudo, Consuelo (1906-1973 or '75?): Spanish-born singer and actress in the zarzuela genre; on-screen in Mexico, chiefly in supporting roles as portly neighbors, friends, etc.
Monteclaro, Lorenzo de: ranchera singer and actor, in films from the mid-1970s.
Montejo, Carmen [María Teresa Sánchez González] (1925-2013): Cuban-born actress who came to Mexico in the early 1940s, after working in Cuban radio since childhood. Slightly typecast as rather neurotic young women, Montejo (much) later moved into character roles in movies, on the stage, and on TV. Earned an Ariel nomination as Best Actress for Al caer la tarde; won the Best Co-Starring Actress award for Mujeres sin mañana; nominated as Best Co-Starring Actress for Sor Alegría and La infame. Montejo also received a Diosa de Plata for her stage work in 1971, and won the IMCINE award at the 1995 Arieles.
Montenegro, Sasha [Alejandra Asimovic Popovic]: born in Yugoslavia of Argentine parents, the raven-haired Montenegro first began appearing in Mexican films in 1971, but shot to stardom with Bellas de noche (1974), first of the "fichera" (bar-girl) genre. Montenegro, who frequently appeared nude, was a stalwart in sexy-comedies in the 1980s. She later married former Mexican president José López Portillo (1976-82) and retired from films.
Monteros, Rosenda (1935--): although she never became a major star in Mexico, the Veracruz-born actress and dancer Rosenda Monteros appeared in a significant number of foreign films, including The Magnificent Seven (1960) and She (1965). Briefly married to director Julio Bracho (1955-57). Nominated as Best Co-Starring Actress for Rapiña.
Montes, Lina [Esperanza Martí Montes de Oca] (1923-1984 or '85): Montes made her stage debut at the age of 13; in the 1940s, the blonde actress played romantic leads opposite actors like Jorge Negrete, but then retired from acting for two decades. In the 1970s, a much heavier and literally unrecognizable Montes returned for some character roles in pictures like Longitud de guerra and El principio (for which she won a Best Co-Starring Actress Ariel).
Montes, Yolanda see "Tongolele"
Montesco, Ofelia [Ofelia I. Grabowsky Edery] (1936-1983): attractive Peruvian-born actress, on-screen in Mexico from the late '50s through the early '80s, although her period of greatest activity was over by 1970. Perhaps best known internationally for Santo vs. las mujeres vampiro.
Monti, Aldo [Aldo Bartolomé Montefiore or Monteforte] (1929--): Monti was born in Italy but emigrated to Venezuela in 1947. He appeared in several films there, as well as working on the stage and on TV, before moving on to Mexico in the mid-1950s. He received a big build-up as a handsome romantic lead on TV and in films like Kermesse and Misterios de la magia negra, but never became a major star. He continued to appear in films sporadically throughout the '60s and early '70s (while still working on TV and the stage). In the late 1980s he relocated to San Diego where he produces and directs films (he had directed several films and TV programs in Mexico prior to this).
Monti, Maura: beautiful and sexy actress who appeared in a large number of films between 1965 and 1968, then suddenly retired. Oddly enough, Monti only occasionally was cast as the female lead--La mujer murciélago is a notable exception--she more often appeared as part of an ensemble cast. At one time married to director Gilberto Gazcón.
Montiel, Nelly (1919-1951): supporting actress of the 1940s, somewhat typecast as stylish "society" women (as in Campeón sin corona and Me han de matar mañana).
Montiel, Sara or Sarita [María Antonia Abad Fernández] (1928-2013): a major figure in Spanish cinema, Sara Montiel made her film debut there in 1944. In 1950 she came to Mexico, where she appeared in 13 films, including several with Pedro Infante. She moved to Hollywood and married director Anthony Mann, but after a few films (such as Run of the Arrow, where her dialogue was post-dubbed), she went back to Spain and had her greatest success with El último cuple. Montiel continued to work in films, on TV and the stage thru the '80s.
Montoya, Alicia [Alicia Rodríguez Montoya] (1920-2002): the
daughter of famous actress María
Tereza Montoya, Alicia Montoya started acting professionally at the age of
2 (!). She appeared in over 400 stageplays and numerous films.
Montoya received Ariel nominations as Best Supporting Actress for
Lolo and De muerte natural.
Posted 20 July 99, updated 1 June 2014 by dwilt@umd.edu