Jaime Fernandez, a renowned Mexican movie star, director, and union leader, was born in Monterrey, Mexico, as the youngest of the three Fernandez brothers. His half-brother Emilio "El Indio" Fernandez was Mexico's greatest native-born movie director, as well as a notable movie star himself, while his brother Fernando Fernández was a famous singer and movie actor.
Fernandez began his acting career at the tender age of 10, making his credited screen debut in director Fernando de Fuentes's Allá en el Rancho Grande in 1949. His second credited role was in La malquerida, directed by his brother Emilio Fernández. Jaime Fernandez collaborated with the great El Indio on seven other films and won the Ariel Award for Best Actor in a Minor Role for La rebelión de los colgados, directed by his brother.
Jamie Fernandez had won his first Ariel award for Best Young Actor for El rebozo de Soledad and would later win a third as Best Supporting Actor for Aventuras de Robinson Crusoe, Las, directed by Luis Bunuel. He eventually appeared in over 180 films and a number of television mini-series, as well as acted on the stage. The peak of his career was in the 1950s and '60s, but he continued to work as a movie actor until the 21st century.
In 1979, Fernandez made his directorial debut with La mafia de la frontera, the first of six films he would helm, five of which were released between 1979 and 1982. He also directed himself in La cosecha de mujeres and San Juan de Dios es Jalisco. The last film he directed was Las paradas de don Roque, which was released in 1992.
Fernandez was also heavily involved in the National Actors Association (ANDA),Mexico's largest and most influential actors union. He was elected general secretary of ANDA in 1966 and served in the post for 11 years. As a union boss, Fernandez established his reputation as a strong defender of actors' rights. The union underwent a crisis when some actors formed their own, competing union, but his strong leadership during the schism earned him the nickname "Chief White Feather."
After stepping down as ANDA boss, Fernandez remained active in the union. On April 16, 2005, he was attending a meeting of union representatives with Televisa in Mexico City when he suffered a fatal heart attack linked to his chronic diabetes.
Jaime Fernandez was survived by his widow, Glenda, and four children.
