# Fanny Schiller

Fanny Schiller Hernández (3 August 1901 – 26 September 1971) was a Mexican award-winning character actress and television star, who also acted in operettas and musicals, during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. She won two Ariel Awards for best supporting actress, and was nominated for two additional films. She was a social activist, creating the Actor's Union and inspiring the creation of “Rosa Mexicano”. She was accomplished at dubbing and was the voice of many animated characters as well as the official voice of several other notable Mexican actresses.

## Biography

Fanny Schiller Hernández was born on 3 August 1901 in Mexico City, Mexico. At the age of 20, she began performing in the comedy company of Rosita Arriaga touring around the country. She then worked as a dancer with José María Topete, Consuelo Vivanco, María Conesa, before joining the company of her future mother-in-law, Virginia Fábregas.
She made her starring film debut in the movie El Cristo de oro (The Christ of Gold) with Manuel R. Ojeda in 1926, but did not make another film for approximately ten years. Instead, she was touring the country performing in vaudeville and comedy shows. Most of her film work in the 1940s was completed in Mexico. During the 1950s she worked for several periods in Hollywood.
Schiller was primarily known for character acting, portraying eccentric elderly women. She received a Herald Award for her role in Los cuervos están de luto ("The Crows are in Mourning") (1965) and was nominated four times for an Ariel Award. She won the Ariel Award for Best Supporting Actress twice, in 1947 and 1951.
Schiller was well respected for her work at voice-overs and dubbing; Edmundo Santos, voice director of Disney's releases in Spanish, was so impressed with her that he hired her to dub the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (1950). She also was the voice of Snapdragon (the purple flower) in Alice in Wonderland, Aunt Sara in Lady and the Tramp, and the fairy Flora in the 1959 version of Sleeping Beauty. In the 1960s she did dubbing work for Hanna-Barbera, and was the voice of Fred Flintstone's mother in the animated series.
In 1955 Schiller ran for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. This was the first time that women had been eligible to run for office in Mexico and the first time that women in Mexico would be able to participate in a national election, having won the right to vote in 1952. She was defeated, but attended the PRI Civic Day of Mexican Women on April 6, 1955, to celebrate the gains in women's rights.
Shortly before her death, Schiller pushed the National Association of Actors (ANDA) to form nurseries for the children of actresses. Several of her acting friends, including Socorro Avelar, Anita Blanch, Dolores del Río, Irma Dorantes, Gloria Marín, Carmen Montejo, Silvia Pinal, and Amparo Rivelles joined to form a group called 'Rosa Mexicano'. The idea was that by establishing a nursery, actresses could continue working, and by establishing a Montessori education system, their children would receive a strong educational foundation. After operating in temporary spaces, the first stones for the formal location were laid on 30 April 1972, shortly after her death.

## Personal life

Schiller came from a family of actors, and her mother was an actress. She married actor Manuel Sánchez-Navarro (1892-1969), son of actress Virginia Fábregas (1871–1950). Their son was actor Manolo Fábregas (1921-1996) and two of Manolo's children are also actors—Mónica Sánchez-Navarro and Rafael Sánchez-Navarro. Schiller died on 26 September 1971 in Mexico City.

## Awards and nominations

* 1947: Cantaclaro, Best Supporting Actress, won Ariel Award
* 1947: Las abandonadas, Best Actress co-performance, nominated for Ariel
* 1948: A media luz, Best Supporting Actress, nominated for Ariel
* 1951: La mujer que yo amé, Best Supporting Actress, won Ariel

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1926 | El Cristo de oro | | |
| 1935 | Heroic Silence | Modista | |
| 1935 | Rosario | | |
| 1937 | No te engañes corazón | Refugio | Uncredited |
| 1937 | La paloma | Matilde | |
| 1939 | Una luz en mi camino | Sra. Bonato | |
| 1940 | Herencia macabra | Matilde | |
| 1941 | The League of Songs | Doña Gertrudis | |
| 1942 | Del rancho a la capital | Doña Consuelo de Rodríguez | |
| 1942 | Alejandra | Rita | |
| 1942 | Historia de un gran amor | Mesonera | Uncredited |
| 1942 | La virgen que forjó una patria | Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez | |
| 1943 | Santa | Elvira Gómez | |
| 1943 | Cuando habla el corazón | Doña Rosa | |
| 1944 | The War of the Pastries | Tía Marietta | |
| 1944 | La corte de faraón | Viuda | |
| 1944 | The Lady of the Camellias | Prudence | |
| 1944 | El rosario | Duquesa | |
| 1944 | The Lieutenant Nun | Doña Úrsula | |
| 1944 | Mi lupe y mi caballo | | |
| 1944 | El abanico de Lady Windermere | Duquesa | |
| 1944 | Amores de ayer | | |
| 1944 | El rey se divierte | | |
| 1944 | Escándalo de estrellas | Paloma | |
| 1945 | Las abandonadas | Ninón | |
| 1945 | Tuya en cuerpo y alma | Deborah | |
| 1945 | Nosotros | | |
| 1945 | Club verde | | |
| 1945 | Flor de durazno | Doña Encarnación | |
| 1945 | Canaima | Gallineta | |
| 1945 | El monje blanco | | |
| 1945 | Lo que va de ayer a hoy | | |
| 1945 | He Who Died of Love | Tía Rita | |
| 1945 | La casa de la zorra | Invitada a fiesta | |
| 1946 | Cantaclaro | Doña Nico | |
| 1946 | Palabras de mujer | Doña María, mamá de Fernando | |
| 1946 | La viuda celosa | | |
| 1946 | Bailando en las nubes | | |
| 1946 | Tú eres la luz | | |
| 1946 | Sinfonía de una vida | | |
| 1946 | Por un amor | | |
| 1946 | Las Colegialas | Leondina | |
| 1946 | Ramona | | |
| 1946 | El último amor de Goya | | |
| 1946 | Los maridos engañan de 7 a 9 | | |
| 1946 | Pervertida | | |
| 1946 | Mujer contra mujer | | |
| 1947 | A media luz | Fru-Fru | |
| 1947 | El tigre de Jalisco | Tía de Mary, turista | |
| 1947 | Encadenada (El yugo) | Doña Julia | |
| 1948 | Adventures of Casanova | Woman who complains in crowd | Uncredited |
| 1948 | María la O | | |
| 1948 | La hermana impura | | |
| 1948 | La sin ventura | | |
| 1948 | Que Dios me perdone | Olga | |
| 1948 | Señora tentación | Lupe, tia de Blanca | |
| 1948 | Algo flota sobre el agua | María Justina | |
| 1948 | ¡Ay, Palillo, no te rajes! | Tía Isadora | |
| 1948 | El gallero | Isabel | |
| 1949 | Salón México | Señorita prefecta | |
| 1949 | Pobres, pero sinvergüenzas | Señora | |
| 1949 | Secreto entre mujeres | Tía Laura | |
| 1949 | Bamba | Doña Ofelia de Cacho | |
| 1949 | Opio | | |
| 1949 | La panchita | Doña Martinita | |
| 1949 | Las tandas del principal | Doña Romualda | |
| 1949 | Nosotros los rateros | | |
| 1949 | Las puertas del presidio | Madre de Martin | |
| 1950 | Duel in the Mountains | Madre de Esperanza | |
| 1950 | Black Angustias | Doña Chole | |
| 1950 | Cinderella | The Fairy Godmother | Voice role, Latin Spanish dub |
| 1950 | Red Rain | Tía de Elisa | |
| 1950 | La dama del alba | Aurelia | |
| 1950 | Guardián, el perro salvador | | |
| 1950 | La mujer que yo amé | Magdalena, madre de Rosita | |
| 1950 | De Tequila, su mezcal | | |
| 1950 | Donde nacen los pobres | | |
| 1950 | Curvas peligrosas | Madre de Esperanza | |
| 1950 | Pata de palo | Señora de casade citas | |
| 1951 | Una gringuita en México | Tia Rosa | |
| 1951 | Crimen y castigo | Mamá de Ramón | |
| 1951 | ¡Baile mi rey! | Madame | |
| 1951 | We Maids | Mamá de Teresa | |
| 1951 | Beauty Salon | Doña Susana | |
| 1952 | El beisbolista fenómeno | Doña Justa Carmona | |
| 1952 | Cuando los hijos pecan | | |
| 1952 | Sangre en el barrio | Doña Beatriz | |
| 1952 | La loca | Señora González de la Cueva | |
| 1952 | Angélica | Madre de Arturo | |
| 1952 | Por ellas aunque mal paguen | Doña Victoria | |
| 1952 | El enamorado | Anfitriona fiesta | |
| 1953 | Fruto de tentación | Señorita directora | |
| 1953 | The Naked Woman | Violeta Bello | |
| 1953 | Sombrero | Doña Fela | |
| 1953 | Doña Mariquita de mi corazón | Doña Micaela | |
| 1954 | La infame | Victoria | |
| 1954 | Lágrimas robadas | | |
| 1954 | Cantando nace el amor | Doña Ninfa | |
| 1954 | El casto Susano | Doña Virtudes | |
| 1954 | Mulata | Doña Rosario | |
| 1954 | La sobrina del señor cura | Doña Dolores | |
| 1954 | Cuidado con el amor | Isabel | |
| 1955 | Pecado mortal | Flora | |
| 1955 | Historia de un abrigo de mink | Sofía, madre de Camila | |
| 1955 | Maternidad imposible | | |
| 1955 | A Life in the Balance | Carmen Martínez | |
| 1955 | Las engañadas | Doña Carlota | |
| 1955 | Father Against Son | Tía Domitila | |
| 1955 | Lady and the Tramp | Aunt Sarah | Voice role, Latin Spanish dub |
| 1955 | The Treasure of Pancho Villa | Laria Morales | |
| 1956 | Locura pasional | Doña Jacinta, mamá de Mabel | |
| 1956 | Enemigos | Doña Lupe | |
| 1956 | A Woman's Devotion | Señora Reidl | |
| 1956 | Juventud desenfrenada | Doña Mercedes | |
| 1957 | Pablo and Carolina | Señora Cirol | |
| 1957 | The Black Scorpion | Florentina | |
| 1958 | Tu hijo debe nacer | Enfermera | |
| 1958 | The Boxer | Madrastra de Carmen | |
| 1958 | El Zorro escarlata en la venganza del ahorcado | | |
| 1959 | El Zorro Escarlata | La Bruja | |
| 1959 | Sleeping Beauty | Flora | Voice role, Latin Spanish dub |
| 1959 | La mujer y la bestia | La Mariposa | |
| 1959 | The Life of Agustín Lara | Estrella | |
| 1959 | Kermesse | Doña Cruz | |
| 1959 | El zarco | | |
| 1959 | El regreso del monstruo | La bruja / Doña Rebeca | |
| 1959 | Felicidad | | |
| 1959 | Escuela de verano | Señorita Rosario | |
| 1959 | Una señora movida | Lola | |
| 1960 | Poker de reinas | | |
| 1960 | Por ti aprendí a querer | | |
| 1960 | Chucho el Roto | | |
| 1960 | Black Skull | Esposa de Remigio | |
| 1961 | El proceso de las señoritas Vivanco | Doña Conchita | |
| 1961 | El pandillero | Madame Helene | |
| 1961 | Mujeres engañadas | Doña Rita | |
| 1961 | Aventuras de Chucho el Roto | | |
| 1961 | Los jóvenes | Carmelita, Madre de 'El Gato | |
| 1961 | La captura de Chucho el Roto | | |
| 1962 | Genii of Darkness | Rebecca, the witch | |
| 1962 | El malvado Carabel | Modista | |
| 1962 | The Hooded Men from Hell | | as herself |
| 1962 | La entrega de Chucho el Roto | | |
| 1962 | Cielo rojo | | |
| 1962 | La venganza del resucitado | | as herself |
| 1962 | El muchacho de Durango | Doña Manuela | |
| 1962 | La barranca sangrienta | Doña Blanca | |
| 1962 | La emboscada mortal | | |
| 1962 | El tejedor de milagros | | |
| 1963 | Alias El Alacrán | Doña Manuela | |
| 1963 | La risa de la ciudad | | |
| 1963 | Jugándose la vida | Graciela | |
| 1963 | México de mis recuerdos | Tia Gertrudis | |
| 1963 | Baila mi amor | | |
| 1963 | El norteño | | |
| 1965 | Love Has Many Faces | Maria | |
| 1965 | Los cuervos están de luto | Doña Enedina | |
| 1966 | El cachorro | | |
| 1966 | El temerario | | |
| 1967 | La muerte es puntual | | |
| 1967 | Domingo salvaje | | |
| 1967 | Los alegres Aguilares | Tía Natalia | |
| 1967 | Arrullo de Dios | La bruja | |
| 1968 | Sor Ye-yé | Mamá de Juan | |
| 1968 | María Isabel | Manuela | |
| 1969 | No se mande, profe | Headmistress | |
| 1969 | No juzgarás a tus padres | | |
| 1969 | La maestra inolvidable | Teódula | |
| 1970 | Estafa de amor | | |
| 1970 | Crónica de un cobarde | | |
| 1970 | Rubí | Toña - nana | |
| 1970 | Las figuras de arena | | |
| 1971 | The Fearmaker | | |
| 1971 | Dos mujeres y un hombre | | as herself |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952 | Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson | | Episode: "Short Story" |
| 1957 | Captain David Grief | Mama Gideaux | "Distress Signal" (Season 1, Episode 13) |
| 1958 | Más allá de la angustia | | |
| 1959 | Puerta de suspenso | | |
| 1959 | Teresa | Eulalia | |
| 1960 | Pensión de mujeres | | |
| 1963 | Tres caras de mujer | | |
| 1963 | Mi mujer y yo | | |
| 1963 | Madres egoístas | | |
| 1963 | Las modelos | | |
| 1964 | Cumbres Borrascosas | | |
| 1965 | Un grito en la obscuridad | | |
| 1965 | La impostora | | |
| 1965 | Alma de mi alma | | |
| 1966 | El despertar | | |
| 1966 | Cristina Guzmán | | |
| 1966 | Corazón salvaje | | |
| 1967 | Un pobre hombre | | |
| 1967 | Engáñame | | |
| 1968 | Pasión gitana | | |
| 1968 | Águeda | | |
| 1969 | No creo en los hombres | Asunción | |
| 1970 | La sonrisa del diablo | Toña | |
| 1970 | El precio de un hombre | | |
| 1971 | Velo de novia | | |