Francisco Rabal
Encyclopedia
Francisco Rabal perhaps better known as Paco Rabal, was a Spanish actor born in Águilas
, a small town in the province of Murcia
, Spain
.
In 1936, after the Spanish Civil War
broke out. Rabal and his family left Murcia and moved to Madrid
. Young Francisco had to work as a street salesboy and in a chocolate factory. When he was 13 years old, he left school to work as an electrician at Estudios Chamartín.
Rabal got some sporadic jobs as an extra
. Dámaso Alonso
and other people advised him to try his luck with a career in theater.
During the following years, he got some roles in theater companies such as Lope de Vega or María Guerrero. It was there that he met actress Asunción Balaguer
; they married and remained together for the rest of Rabal's life. Their daughter, Teresa Rabal, is also an actor.
In 1947, Rabal got some regular jobs in theater. He used his full name, Francisco Rabal, as stage name
. However, the people who knew him always called him Paco Rabal. (Paco is the familiar form for Francisco.) "Paco Rabal" became his unofficial stage name.
During the 1940s, Rabal began acting in movies as an extra
, but it was not until 1950 that he was first cast in speaking roles, and played romantic leads and rogues. He starred in three films directed by Luis Buñuel
- Nazarín
(1959), Viridiana
(1961) and Belle de jour (1967).
William Friedkin
thought of Rabal for the French villain of his 1971 movie The French Connection
. However, he could not remember the name of "that Spanish actor". Mistakenly, his staff hired another Spanish actor, Fernando Rey
. Friedkin discovered that Rabal did not speak English or French, so he decided to keep Rey. Rabal has previously worked with Rey in Viridiana. Rabal did, however, work with Friedkin in the much less successful but Academy Award-nominated cult classic
Sorcerer
(1977), a remake of The Wages of Fear (1953).
Throughout his career, Rabal worked in France
, Italy
and Mexico
with directors such as Gillo Pontecorvo
, Michelangelo Antonioni
, Luchino Visconti
, Valerio Zurlini
, Jacques Rivette
and Alberto Lattuada
.
It is widely considered that Rabal's best performances came after Francisco Franco
's death in 1975. In the 1980s, Rabal starred in Los santos inocentes
, winning the Award as Best Actor in Cannes Film Festival
, in El Disputado Voto del Señor Cayo and also in the TV series Juncal. In 1989, he was a member of the jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
. In the 1999 he played the character of Francisco Goya in Carlos Saura
Goya en Burdeos
, winning a Goya Award as Best Actor.
Francisco Rabal is the only Spanish actor to have received a honoris causa doctoral degree from the University of Murcia
.
Rabal's final movie was Dagon
, a film which was dedicated to him right before the credits. The dedication read "Dedicated to Francisco Rabal, a wonderful actor and even better human being."
Rabal died in 2001 from compensatory dilating emphysema, while on an airplane travelling to Bordeaux
, when he was coming back from receiving an Award at Montreal Film Festival.
Águilas
Águilas is a municipality and seaport of southeastern Spain, in the province of Murcia. It is situated at the southern end of Murcia's Mediterranean coastline, otherwise known as the Costa Cálida, near the border with the Province of Almería....
, a small town in the province of Murcia
Region of Murcia
The Region of Murcia is an autonomous community of Spain located in the southeast of the country, between Andalusia and Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
In 1936, after the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
broke out. Rabal and his family left Murcia and moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. Young Francisco had to work as a street salesboy and in a chocolate factory. When he was 13 years old, he left school to work as an electrician at Estudios Chamartín.
Rabal got some sporadic jobs as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
. Dámaso Alonso
Dámaso Alonso
Dámaso Alonso y Fernández de las Redondas was a Spanish poet, philologist and literary critic. Though a member of the Generation of '27, his best-known work dates from the 1940s onwards. -Early life and education:...
and other people advised him to try his luck with a career in theater.
During the following years, he got some roles in theater companies such as Lope de Vega or María Guerrero. It was there that he met actress Asunción Balaguer
Asunción Balaguer
Asunción Balaguer is a Spanish actress. She has appeared in 86 films and television shows since 1952.-Selected filmography:* La otra imagen * The Bird of Happiness * El evangelio de las maravillas...
; they married and remained together for the rest of Rabal's life. Their daughter, Teresa Rabal, is also an actor.
In 1947, Rabal got some regular jobs in theater. He used his full name, Francisco Rabal, as stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
. However, the people who knew him always called him Paco Rabal. (Paco is the familiar form for Francisco.) "Paco Rabal" became his unofficial stage name.
During the 1940s, Rabal began acting in movies as an extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
, but it was not until 1950 that he was first cast in speaking roles, and played romantic leads and rogues. He starred in three films directed by Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
- Nazarín
Nazarín
Nazarín is a 1959 Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel and co-written between Buñuel and Julio Alejandro, adapted from the eponymous novel of Benito Pérez Galdós...
(1959), Viridiana
Viridiana
Viridiana is a 1961 Spanish-Mexican motion picture, directed by Luis Buñuel and produced by Mexican Gustavo Alatriste. It is loosely based on Halma, a novel by Benito Pérez Galdós....
(1961) and Belle de jour (1967).
William Friedkin
William Friedkin
William Friedkin is an American film director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing The French Connection in 1971 and The Exorcist in 1973; for the former, he won the Academy Award for Best Director...
thought of Rabal for the French villain of his 1971 movie The French Connection
The French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
. However, he could not remember the name of "that Spanish actor". Mistakenly, his staff hired another Spanish actor, Fernando Rey
Fernando Rey
Fernando Casado Arambillet , best known as Fernando Rey, was a Spanish film, theatre, and TV actor, who worked in both Europe and the United States...
. Friedkin discovered that Rabal did not speak English or French, so he decided to keep Rey. Rabal has previously worked with Rey in Viridiana. Rabal did, however, work with Friedkin in the much less successful but Academy Award-nominated cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
Sorcerer
Sorcerer (film)
Sorcerer is a 1977 thriller adventure film, produced and directed by William Friedkin, starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal and Amidou. It is the second remake of the 1953 French film Le Salaire de la Peur ....
(1977), a remake of The Wages of Fear (1953).
Throughout his career, Rabal worked in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
with directors such as Gillo Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvo was an Italian filmmaker. He worked as a film director for more than a decade before his best known film La battaglia di Algeri was released...
, Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian modernist film director, screenwriter, editor and short story writer.- Personal life :...
, Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
, Valerio Zurlini
Valerio Zurlini
Valerio Zurlini was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter.-Biography:During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlini became a member of the Italian Communist Party...
, Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette is a French film director. His most well known films include Celine and Julie Go Boating, La Belle Noiseuse and the cult film Out 1....
and Alberto Lattuada
Alberto Lattuada
Alberto Lattuada was an Italian film director.Lattuada was born in Milan, the son of composer Felice Lattuada...
.
It is widely considered that Rabal's best performances came after Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's death in 1975. In the 1980s, Rabal starred in Los santos inocentes
Los santos inocentes
Los santos inocentes or The Holy Innocents is a Spanish drama film directed by Mario Camus, based on famous Miguel Delibes' same title novel. It is starred by Alfredo Landa and Francisco Rabal...
, winning the Award as Best Actor in Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, in El Disputado Voto del Señor Cayo and also in the TV series Juncal. In 1989, he was a member of the jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
39th Berlin International Film Festival
The 39th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 10 to 21, 1989.-Jury:* Rolf Liebermann * Leslie Caron* Chen Kaige* Vadim Glowna* Randa Haines* Vladimir Ignatovski* Adrian Kutter* Francisco Rabal...
. In the 1999 he played the character of Francisco Goya in Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
Goya en Burdeos
Goya en Burdeos
Goya en Burdeos is a 1999 Spanish historical drama film written and directed by Carlos Saura about the life of Francisco de Goya.-Awards:* 5 Goya Awards, includding Best Actor...
, winning a Goya Award as Best Actor.
Francisco Rabal is the only Spanish actor to have received a honoris causa doctoral degree from the University of Murcia
University of Murcia
The University of Murcia is the main university in Murcia, Spain. With 38,000 students, it is the largest university in the Región de Murcia.-History:...
.
Rabal's final movie was Dagon
Dagon (film)
Dagon is a 2001 horror film directed by Stuart Gordon and written by Dennis Paoli. Despite the title, the plot is actually based on H. P. Lovecraft's novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth rather than on his earlier short story "Dagon" .-Plot:...
, a film which was dedicated to him right before the credits. The dedication read "Dedicated to Francisco Rabal, a wonderful actor and even better human being."
Rabal died in 2001 from compensatory dilating emphysema, while on an airplane travelling to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
, when he was coming back from receiving an Award at Montreal Film Festival.
Selected filmography
- La rueda de la vidaLa rueda de la vidaLa rueda de la vida is a 1942 Spanish film directed by Florián Rey.- Reception :La rueda de la vida was nominated for the best film of year in Spain, one of the 5 best films of the year....
(1942) - La Prodiga (1946)
- Luna de sangre (1950)
- La honradez de la cerradura (1950)
- María morenaMaría MorenaMaría Morena is a 1951 Spanish drama film directed by José María Forqué and Pedro Lazaga. It was entered into the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Paquita Rico - María Morena* José María Mompín - Fernando...
(1951) - Sor intrépida (1952)
- Hay un camino a la derecha (1953)
- La guerra de Dios (1953)
- La pícara molinera (1954)
- All Is Possible in GranadaAll Is Possible in GranadaAll Is Possible in Granada is a 1954 Spanish comedy film directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia. It was entered into the 1954 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Merle Oberon - Margaret Faulson* Francisco Rabal - Fernando Ortega* Peter Damon - Robbie...
(1954) - Historias de la radioHistorias de la radio'Historias de la radio' is a 1955 Spanish comedy film composed by three episodes directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia....
(1955) - El canto del gallo (El canto del gallo) (1955)
- La gran mentira (La gran mentira) (1956)
- Amanecer en Puerta Oscura (1957)
- NazarínNazarínNazarín is a 1959 Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel and co-written between Buñuel and Julio Alejandro, adapted from the eponymous novel of Benito Pérez Galdós...
(1958) - Los clarines del miedo (1958)
- El hombre de la isla (1959)
- Ten Ready RiflesTen Ready RiflesTen Ready Rifles is a 1959 Spanish drama film directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Francisco Rabal - José Iribarren* Ettore Manni - Miguel...
(1959) - Trío de damas (1960)
- ViridianaViridianaViridiana is a 1961 Spanish-Mexican motion picture, directed by Luis Buñuel and produced by Mexican Gustavo Alatriste. It is loosely based on Halma, a novel by Benito Pérez Galdós....
(1961) - Hijo de Hombre (1961)
- La Mano en la trampa (1961)
- L'eclisseL'eclisseL'eclisse is a 1962 film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni. It is considered the last part of a trilogy which was preceded by L'avventura and La Notte....
(1962) - Fra Diavolo (1962)
- The ReunionThe Reunion (film)The Reunion is a 1963 Italian comedy film directed by Damiano Damiani. It was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Walter Chiari - Cesarino* Letícia Román - Carla* Francisco Rabal - Alberto* Riccardo Garrone - Sandrino...
(1963) - El conde Sandorf (1963)
- El diablo también llora (1963)
- Llanto por un bandido (1963)
- María Rosa (1964)
- Currito de la Cruz (1965)
- La ReligieuseLa ReligieuseLa Religieuse is an 18th century French novel by Denis Diderot. Completed in about 1780, the work was not published until 1796, after Diderot's death...
1965) - Le StregheLe stregheLe streghe is a film produced by Dino De Laurentiis in 1965 and released in 1967. It consists of 5 short stories, directed by Franco Rossi, Luchino Visconti, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Vittorio De Sica...
(1966) - Camino del Rocío (1966)
- Belle de Jour (1967)
- Cervantes (1968)
- El Che Guevara (1968)
- El largo día del águila (1969)
- Sangre en el ruedo (1969)
- Goya (historia de una soledad)Goya, historia de una soledadGoya, historia de una soledad is a 1971 Spanish drama film directed by Nino Quevedo. It was entered into the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Francisco Rabal - Goya* Irina Demick - Duchess d'Alba* Jacques Perrin* José María Prada* Teresa del Río...
(1970) - Laia (1970)
- La Epopeya de Bolivar (1970)
- Nada menos que todo un hombre (1971)
- La Leyenda del Alcalde de Zalamea (1972)
- La guerrilla (1972)
- La otra imagenLa otra imagenLa otra imagen is a 1973 Spanish film directed by Antoni Ribas. It was entered into the 1973 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Asunción Balaguer* Jorge Bofill* Miquel Bordoy* Marta Flores* Fernando García Ulloa* Antonio Lara* Julián Mateos...
(1973) - Tormento (1974)
- El buscón (1974)
- Las largas vacaciones del 36Las largas vacaciones del 36Long Vacations of 36 is a 1976 Spanish drama film directed by Jaime Camino dealing with the effects of Spanish Civil War on citizens of a village near Barcelona....
(1976) - The Desert of the TartarsThe Desert of the TartarsThe Desert of the Tartars is a 1976 award-winning film by Italian director Valerio Zurlini with an international cast, including Jacques Perrin, Vittorio Gassman, Max von Sydow, Francisco Rabal, Helmut Griem, Giuliano Gemma, Philippe Noiret, Fernando Rey, and Jean-Louis Trintignant...
(1976) - Attenti al buffoneAttenti al buffoneAttenti al buffone is a 1976 Italian comedy film.- Cast :*Nino Manfredi as Marcello Ferrari* Mariangela Melato as Giulia* Eli Wallach as Cesare* Enzo Cannavale as Lolo* Francisco Rabal as the priest...
(1976) - Emilia... parada y fonda (1976)
- Corleone (1977)
- SorcererSorcerer (film)Sorcerer is a 1977 thriller adventure film, produced and directed by William Friedkin, starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal and Amidou. It is the second remake of the 1953 French film Le Salaire de la Peur ....
(1977) - Yo soy mia (1977)
- Así como eres (1978)
- Incubo sulla città contaminata (1980)
- El gran secreto (1980)
- Sal Gorda (1982)
- La colmenaLa colmena (film)La Colmena is a 1982 Spanish film directed by Mario Camus. Based on the novel The Hive by Camilo José Cela, it depicts the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and its impact on several characters. Cela has a small role as Matías.- Synopsis :The film is set in Madrid during the postwar period,...
(1982) - Treasure of the four crownsTreasure of the Four CrownsTreasure of the Four Crowns is an action adventure film, featuring Tony Anthony, Ana Obregón, Gene Quintano and Francisco Rabal and directed by Ferdinando Baldi...
(1983) - Epílogo (1983)
- Escapada Final (1983)
- Truhanes (1983)
- Padre nuestroPadre nuestro (1985 film)Padre nuestro is a 1985 Spanish drama film directed by Francisco Regueiro. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Victoria Abril - Cardenala* Rafaela Aparicio* Luis Barbero* Lina Canalejas...
(1985) - Luces de Bohemia (1984)
- Los santos inocentesLos santos inocentesLos santos inocentes or The Holy Innocents is a Spanish drama film directed by Mario Camus, based on famous Miguel Delibes' same title novel. It is starred by Alfredo Landa and Francisco Rabal...
(1984) - Marbella, un golpe de cinco estrellas (1985)
- La hora bruja (1985)
- Los paraísos perdidos (1985)
- Camorra: Contacto en NápolesCamorra (A Story of Streets, Women and Crime)Camorra is a 1986 Italian crime film directed by Lina Wertmüller. It was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Ángela Molina as Annunziata* Harvey Keitel as Frankie...
(1986) - El disputado voto del señor Cayo (1986)
- El hermano bastardo de Dios (1986)
- Tiempo de silencio (1986)
- Divinas palabras (1987)
- Barroco (1988)
- Gallego (1988)
- La Blanca Paloma (1989)
- ¡Átame! (1989)
- El aire de un crimen (1989)
- La taberna fantástica (1990)
- El hombre que perdió su sombra (1991)
- La Lola se va a los puertos (1993)
- El palomo cojo (1995)
- Así en el cielo como en la tierra (1995)
- Felicidades, Tovarich (1995)
- Edipo alcalde 1996)
- AirbagAirbag (film)Airbag is a 1997 Spanish film written and directed by Juanma Bajo Ulloa.- Cast:* Fernando Guillén Cuervo as Konradín* Karra Elejalde as Juantxo* Alberto San Juan as Pako* Manuel Manquiña as Pazos* Maria de Medeiros as Fátima do Espíritu Santo...
(1997) - Pequeños milagros (1997)
- Water Easy Reach (1997)
- Pequeños milagros (1997)
- Un día bajo el sol (1998)
- El evangelio de las maravillasEl evangelio de las maravillasEl evangelio de las maravillas is a 1998 Mexican drama film directed by Arturo Ripstein. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Francisco Rabal - Papá Basilio...
(1998) - Goya en BurdeosGoya en BurdeosGoya en Burdeos is a 1999 Spanish historical drama film written and directed by Carlos Saura about the life of Francisco de Goya.-Awards:* 5 Goya Awards, includding Best Actor...
(1999) - Tú qué harías por amor (1999)
- Lázaro de Tormes (2000)
- Divertimento (2000)
- DagonDagon (film)Dagon is a 2001 horror film directed by Stuart Gordon and written by Dennis Paoli. Despite the title, the plot is actually based on H. P. Lovecraft's novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth rather than on his earlier short story "Dagon" .-Plot:...
(2001; Final film before death)