Early life Elizabeth Ann Sheridan Scarbrough was born on 12 July 1923 in
Mexico City, of a British mother and Mexican father of Irish descent. She had 6 brothers and one sister. She studied philosophy and letters at the
University of Missouri in the United States. Back in Mexico, she studied at Mexico City College. She was a distinguished student of the famous Japanese director and instructor
Seki Sano, to whom she became an assistant in the direction of a number of theatrical montages.
Theater Beginning in 1961, Sheridan participated as an actress and protagonist on the Mexican stage for four years. She worked with
Alejandro Jodorowsky in montages like
The lesson,
Penelope,
The sonata of the specters,
Fando y Lis and
The opera of Order, among others. From 1963, she was part of numerous Mexican classical theater ensembles. Some of her works include
The Trojan Women (1963), directed by Jose Solé,
La moza del cántaro (1964), directed by Jose Luis Ibáñez,
Los secuestradores de Altona (1965), directed by Rafael López Miarnau,
Strange interlude, directed by Xavier Rojas,
Doce y una trece, by Juan José Gurrola,
Mudarse por mejorarse (1966), by José Luis Ibáñez,
Diálogo entre el amor y un viejo (1966), also by Ibáñez,
Por Lucrecia, directed by Héctor Gómez,
La noche de los asesinos directed by Juan José Gurrola,
A Streetcar Named Desire (1968), directed by Dimitro Sarrás and
Ah, los días felices (1977) by Manuel Montoro. In 1987 she performed what would probably be her most memorable theatric performance,
RW Fassbinder's
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, directed by
Nancy Cárdenas. The poet
Pita Amor wrote an essay entitled
The Bitter Tears of Beatriz Sheridan about her impressive performance. Sheridan was also a pioneer and director of live readings of poetry and literature.
Octavio Paz would demand the presence of Sheridan for every reading of his poems. Sheridan's most remembered cinematographic work was arguably in
Confidencias (1983), by
Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, based on the novel
Pétalos perennes by
Luis Zapata, and acting alongside
María Rojo. For this performance she was awarded the Silver Ariel Award in the category of Best Actress. Sheridan's last film work was in the award-winning film
Gaby: A True Story, by
Luis Mandoki, starring
Norma Aleandro and
Liv Ullmann.
Television Sheridan was a pioneer of Mexican
telenovelas. She participated in
Senda prohibida, the first melodrama produced in Mexico. From that point onward she participated in numerous television productions. Other television work included
La constitución (1970), with
María Félix, where she interpreted the historical persona of Carmen Serdán;
La venganza (1977), next to
Helena Rojo and
Gabriel y Gabriela (1982), with
Ana Martín. She also participated in the telenovelas
Vivir un poco (1985), with
Angélica Aragón,
Alondra (1995), with
Ana Colchero and
Gonzalo Vega, and
Amor real (2003), with
Adela Noriega. Her last work as an actress was in the telenovela
Contra viento y marea (2005), where she partnered with the actress
Azela Robinson.
Director In the last two decades of her life, Beatriz Sheridan stood out as the director of numerous Mexican melodramas. Her unique techniques in television influenced a wide range of notable Mexican actors. Her first directing appearance was through famed Chilean producer
Valentín Pimstein in the telenovela
Vivir un poco, where she served as director of dialogue. Her first project as a leading director was in the telenovela
La indomable (1987), produced by
Julissa. Her most memorable work as a director is the famous television trilogy known as
La Trilogía de las Marías, starring singer
Thalía:
María Mercedes (1992),
Marimar (1994), and
María la del barrio (1995). These telenovelas were a huge international success.
Death Beatriz Sheridan died on Sunday, 30 April 2006 at 4:00 am in her apartment in the Colonia San Miguel Chapultepec in Mexico City of a heart attack, at 71 years of age. Her ashes were scattered in the Caribbean Sea, facing the beaches of
Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico, one of the actress's favorite places where she owned a house. ==Selected filmography==