Lyn May
Encyclopedia
Lyn May, born Lilia Mendiola de Chi in Acapulco
, Guerrero
, is a Mexican
actress, exotic dancer and acrobat of Chinese
descent. She was very well known in the 1970s, when she was a central figure in the Mexican exploitation genre known as "cine de ficheras".
, where she was introduced to television presenter Raúl Velasco
, who signed her to a one-year contract at a cabaret, she changed her name to Lyn May. She sent her children to live at a private boarding school in the United States, leaving her in Mexico City to focus on her career. She became an exotic dancer with an unusual act that consisted of her singing on a pedestal, then holding her right leg straight up tight to her body and pivoting around the pedestal on the other foot, never losing her balance. She began working in the Iris Theater, later she starred at The Capri night club located in the Hotel Regis that was destroyed after the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City. She also made tours throughout Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. She invested in real estate both in Mexico and the United States in order to provide for her family.
, who hired her for a role in his movie Tívoli, which went on to become a success. In her own words, she "didn't act much, but mostly danced well and looked sexy."
After the success of Tívoli, she became synonymous with the Mexican exploitation sub-genre "cine de ficheras", which was widely popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
, Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, is a Mexican
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...
actress, exotic dancer and acrobat of Chinese
Ethnic Chinese
Ethnic Chinese may refer to:*Han Chinese, the dominant ethnic group in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, the Republic of China and Singapore....
descent. She was very well known in the 1970s, when she was a central figure in the Mexican exploitation genre known as "cine de ficheras".
Early years
As a young child, at six years old, she sold necklaces, suntan oil, and other products on the beaches of Acapulco. Unable to attend school since she needed to make money for her family, she taught herself to read. According to interviews, she also suffered sexual abuse during her childhood. At age 14, she ran away from home with a boyfriend, and had two daughters. When her boyfriend left her, she became a go-go dancer to support her daughters. After she was discovered and taken to Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, where she was introduced to television presenter Raúl Velasco
Raúl Velasco
Raúl Velasco was born in Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico. For 30 years, he was the Mexican host/producer of the TV show Siempre en Domingo which is his hallmark contribution to the Latin American world and eventually to other parts of the world where Spanish entertainment programs are broadcast.Raúl...
, who signed her to a one-year contract at a cabaret, she changed her name to Lyn May. She sent her children to live at a private boarding school in the United States, leaving her in Mexico City to focus on her career. She became an exotic dancer with an unusual act that consisted of her singing on a pedestal, then holding her right leg straight up tight to her body and pivoting around the pedestal on the other foot, never losing her balance. She began working in the Iris Theater, later she starred at The Capri night club located in the Hotel Regis that was destroyed after the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City. She also made tours throughout Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. She invested in real estate both in Mexico and the United States in order to provide for her family.
Acting
The Iris Theater was frequented by many celebrities, and she was romantically involved with several, resulting in her appearance on the cover of gossip magazines. At age 20, she was noticed by movie director Alberto IsaacAlberto Isaac
Alberto Isaac was a Mexican film director and screenwriter. In 1980, he was a member of the jury at the 30th Berlin International Film Festival.-External links:...
, who hired her for a role in his movie Tívoli, which went on to become a success. In her own words, she "didn't act much, but mostly danced well and looked sexy."
After the success of Tívoli, she became synonymous with the Mexican exploitation sub-genre "cine de ficheras", which was widely popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Later career
While not having acted since the 1990s, she remains a popular and well-known figure in Mexico, appearing frequently in interviews, gossip magazines, and she is a favorite of Raul "El Gordo" Molina the star of the talk show El Gordo y La Flaca. In 2008, her husband, Antonio Chi Su, died of stomach cancer after four years of illness.External links
- Lyn May at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...