Sixty-three film roles, forty-three directorial credits, and 158 produced telenovelas define the career of Ernesto Ramírez Alonso. Known widely as El Señor Telenovela, he became a central figure in the Mexican entertainment industry throughout a professional life that spanned from the late 1930s until the early 21st century.
Early Film Career
Born in Aguascalientes City in 1917, Alonso launched his acting career with an uncredited role in the 1938 production La Zandunga. His screen presence expanded during the 1940s, a decade featuring titles such as Papacito Lindo, La Gallina Culeca, Historia de una gran Amor, El Padre Morelas, El Jorobado, La Corte del Faraon, Marina, El Gallero, and El Precio de la Gloria. In the latter, he performed alongside his brother, Alfonso Ramírez Alonso. His work during this period included appearances in The White Monk, Tragic Wedding, Everybody's Woman, and Philip of Jesus.
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Alonso’s filmography progressed into the 1950s with significant high-profile collaborations. He served as the narrator for Luis Buñuel’s 1950 project Los Olvidados. Five years later, he held the lead role in the 1955 Buñuel production Ensayo de un crimen. These projects solidified his standing in Mexican cinema before his transition into the medium of television.
Television Production and Directing
In 1960, Alonso began his television work with the serial Cartas de amor, appearing opposite Angélica María. That same year, he directed and produced Espejo de Sombras and produced Cuidado con el Angel. Throughout the following decades, he balanced directing, producing, and acting roles in projects like La Leona and La Cobarde. His directorial tenure concluded with the 1979 adaptation of Cumbres Borrascosas. Between the 1980s and the 2000s, he focused on production, overseeing twenty-five telenovelas in the 1980s, nine in the 1990s, and four in the 2000s, finishing with Barrera de Amor.
Late Career and Legacy
Alonso continued acting into his later years, most notably as Enrique de Martino in the 1983 production El maleficio and in the 1986 film sequel El Maleficio II. His final acting credit occurred in the 2002 telenovela Entre el Amor y el Odio, where he portrayed Father Abad. In 2006, the Ariel Awards committee recognized his extensive body of work with the Special Golden Ariel. Alonso died in Mexico City in 2007 at the age of 90.
Fast facts
- Born: 1917, Aguascalientes City
- Died: 2007, Mexico City
- Nickname: El Señor Telenovela
- Film acting credits: 63
- Directorial credits: 43
- Produced telenovelas: 158
- Citizenship: Mexico
- Languages: Spanish
Questions readers ask
Why was Ernesto Alonso called El Señor Telenovela?
He earned the nickname because the majority of his professional output as a producer and director centered on the creation of telenovelas.
What was his final production work?
His last work as a producer was the telenovela Barrera de Amor, which starred Yadhira Carrillo and Raquel Olmedo.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, cinematographer and film producer
