Actor Francisco Rabal: biography, filmography and personal life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Francisco Rabal is a famous Spanish film actor. He began his acting career with extras, but very quickly he was able to win the respect and recognition of both the audience and the directors with his talent and perseverance. Soon he played leading roles in the most famous films, for which he then received many awards and prizes as the best actor.

Biography

Francisco Rabal Valera was born in early March 1926 in the city of Aguilas. As soon as the boy was ten years old, a civil war broke out in the country, and the entire Rabal family was forced to move to Madrid.

To help his parents, Francisco Rabal started working early. At first, after school, he traded on the streets of the city, then worked part-time at a chocolate factory. When he was thirteen years old, the boy was forced to leave school, and got a permanent job. He was lucky, and he worked as an electrician at one of the Spanish film studios.

Work in the theater

Working at a film studio, Francisco Rabal participated several times in extras. He was noticed and advised to enter the theater, where he could open up already as an actor.

Francisco Rabal Valera listened to the advice and very soon he began to perform in theater companies, where he played several roles. These roles were remembered and loved by the audience.

Only in 1974, Francisco Rabal was able to get a permanent job in the theater. Despite the fact that he always performed under his real name, friends and people close to him called him Paco. The name Paco is a diminutive of the actor's name. Therefore, very soon Paco Rabal became the stage name of an actor in the theater.

Film career

In films, the actor Francisco Rabal began acting in 1940. But only at first it was small episodes in the extras. More serious roles were offered to him in 1950. He was filmed not only in Spain, but also in other countries. For example, in Mexico, France, Italy. He was offered work by the most famous directors, including Carlos Saura, Lina Wertmbler, Torre Nilsson, Claude Chabrol and others.

Fame and success in cinema came to Paco Rabal after he starred in such famous films as Nazarin and Viridiana. Directed by Luis Buñuela in the film "Nazarin", which was released in 1958, shows the hectic life of the Nazarin priest, who is forced to wander and look for food for himself. Many consider him a sorcerer and wizard, and some drive him away. In this film, the famous actor plays the main male role - the priest himself. Nazarina.

In another film by the same director, Paco Rabal also plays the main male role. The film Viridiana was released in 1961. Viridiana's uncle is in love with his own niece. As soon as the young girl finds out about his love, she decides not to take a monastic vow, but to stay with her beloved.

It is known that the popular and talented actor has played in more than 30 films. Each of his roles is a new discovery of the acting skills of Paco Rabal. In 1976, the film "Tatar Desert" directed by Valerio Zurlini was released. Paco Rabal plays Sergeant Tronk in this film. According to the story, the junior lieutenant, after graduation, goes to a military fortress, which is located on the edge of the empire. But the military garrison is constantly in suspense, as they are waiting for an attack by a serious enemy - the mythical "Tatars".

In 1980, the audience fell in love with the role of Paco Rabal in the film "Zombie City" directed by Umberto Lenzi. Major Morren Holmes, played by a talented and famous actor, is trying to protect his city from mutants who have arrived by plane. But they are already everywhere. Uninfected people try to leave the city to find a shelter where they can hide from the zombies.

The last film where the talented actor starred was the horror film Dagon, which was released in 2001. Directed by Stuart Gordon. This film tells about young people who capsize on a yacht and get into trouble. They have to face the villagers - cultists who worship Dagon, the underwater god.

Actor Francisco Rabal: biography and personal life

Even at the beginning of his acting career, Francisco "Paco" Rabal Valera worked in theater companies, where he met his future wife. The aspiring actress Asuncion Balaguer became his chosen one. It was the only marriage of actor Francisco Rabal, which lasted until his death.

In this happy marriage, the famous actor had two children. Son Benito became a famous film director, and daughter Teresa is known both as an actress and as a performer of songs that are very popular.

The famous actor Francisco Rabal, whose films are watched with pleasure not only in Spain, but also abroad, died at the end of August 2001. Paco Rabal died on the plane when he returned from the next film festival, where, as usual, he received an award for his acting work. The famous actor was buried in his hometown.

Awards and prizes

Paco Rabal received many awards and prizes for his successful work in cinema. For his role in the film "Holy Innocents", which was released in 1984, the talented actor received a prize at the Cannes Film Festival. The prize was awarded to him for the best male role.

The Goya Award for Best Actor was presented to Paco Rabal for his lead role in Goya in Bordeaux, which was released in 1999. It is known that it is Francisco "Paco" Rabal Valera who is the six-time winner of the film award in Spain.