José María Fernández Unsáin was born in Argentina in 1925. Although he studied medicine, Fernández Unsain chose literature as his career. He came to Mexico in 1958 and worked on the screenplays of hundreds of films over the next several decades. He also directed a number of films in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1976, Fernández Unsain became the president of the newly-formed SOGEM (Sociedad General de Escritores de Mexico, an organization which strives to guarantee the rights of authors. He held this post until his death in 1997. Fernández Unsain is survived by his widow, actress Jacqueline Andere (he had previously been married to actress Olivia Michelle), and four children, including daughter Chantal Andere, an actress and singer.