Venezuelan television was still in its infancy. Soap operas barely exceeded 50 episodes, each 15 or 30 minutes long, to give the actors time to remember their lines. Videotape hadn't arrived yet, and scenes had to be filmed live, with the smallest possible margin of error.
However, the public had already succumbed to the stories of love and heartbreak offered by the various channels. Some were adaptations of Cuban radio dramas, others of classics of world literature, and still others were created by the first writers who propelled the national industry.
Stars such as Hilda Vera, Luis Salazar, Josefina Rovira, Carlos Márquez, América Alonso, Héctor Hernández Vera, Elvira Mayo, Enrique Faillace, Zoe Ducós, Peggy Walker and Rosita Vásquez, among others, were responsible for seducing the audience until the early 60s.
It was during this time that Edmundo Arias began his career on television. His debut is associated with the television portrayal of Trees die standing upby the Spanish playwright Alejandro Casona. The episode starred Eva Moreno and was directed by César Enríquez.
From that moment on, she remained a key talent for the Quinta Crespo channel. She participated in This is glory, The fourth estate, Story of a scoundrel, Three sinners, The Algerian star, The setting of a sun y Story of Three Sisters...until his career took a dramatic turn, thanks to the character he played in The tyrant.
The drama written by Manuel Muñoz Rico starred Eva Moreno and Edmundo Valdemar. However, Arias had achieved such popularity with his work that the author decided to reward him with the girl's affections, displacing his namesake.
In the mid-60s, having successfully transitioned to filming, Edmundo Arias achieved leading man status. He shared the screen with Eva Moreno, as well as Hilda Vera, Sonia Glen, Hilda Aguirre, and Doris Wells, in films such as A mother's tears, A woman in the night, Young loves, Mother Trumpet, Sin of love, The little orphan girl, Mother's heart, unexpected return, Barbara, The man in the iron mask y Regina Carbonell, with which he paused his career in 1972.
He was dissatisfied with his pay, feeling there was a gap between him and his colleagues. So he decided to take a break, which turned out to be permanent. He dedicated himself to working as a civil engineer and ventured into politics, supporting the COPEI presidential candidate, Lorenzo Fernández.
Away from the spotlight, Edmundo Arias is a living memory of Venezuelan telenovelas. And he keeps it fresh at 90 years old, having celebrated his birthday on August 7th.
