Andrea Palma biography and main films

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Charles McCarthy

Andrea Palma placeholder image (1903-1987) was a Mexican film and television actress. Following his role in the movie The woman of the port, is considered the first major female star in the country's film industry.

Her success as the enigmatic prostitute Rosario also catapulted her as the first diva in Latin America. During his artistic career, he came to work with prominent directors such as Luis Buñuel, Fernando de Fuentes, Juan Bustillo Oro, Juan J. Delgado or Julio Bracho, among others..

Andrea Palma, the first diva of Latin America. IMDb source

It is estimated that he may have participated in more than 30 films that were part of the so-called "golden age" of Mexican cinema. In most of her films, of the melodramatic genre, she played characters that oscillated between the two female archetypes of cinematography in Mexico: "the good mother" or "the prostitute.".

Article index

  • 1 Biography
    • 1.1 Early years
    • 1.2 His theatrical beginnings
    • 1.3 His artistic success
    • 1.4 Maturity of your career
    • 1.5 Dedication to theater and television
  • 2 Major Movies
  • 3 Featured TV Shows
  • 4 References

Biography

Early years

In April 1903, Guadalupe Bracho Pérez Gavilán was born in Durango, Mexico, who would later be known by her stage name Andrea Palma. He had 10 siblings among which the film director, Julio Bracho, stands out. In addition, she was the cousin of two Hollywood actors: Ramón Novarro and Dolores del Río.

His parents, Luz Pérez Gavilán and Julio Bracho Zuloago, lost their land and their textile business during the Mexican Revolution. That is why they decide to move to Mexico City during Andrea's childhood. In the capital, during his school years, his affinity for theater began to be evident.

In his youth, Palma became interested in the world of fashion, specifically hat design. Perhaps influenced by her family's past business, she entered the textile industry during the 1920s.

She came to open her own store, which she called Casa Andrea and from where she took her first name as an actress. Later he would add the last name of one of his clients.

His theatrical beginnings

Her first acting break came in the theater, when she replaced her friend Isabela Corona, who had recently given birth. He had to interpret a controversial work for the time, Maya by Simón Gantillón.

After that first experience, he dedicated more time to the theater company, closed the store and began to be known as Andrea Palma. After a year of traveling dedicated to the boards, Andrea traveled to the United States.

There he remained in the 1930s, having small roles in the films of his cousins ​​and with the help of the young and also British-born actor, Cecil Kellaway..

In those years he did not completely abandon the world of fashion. She got a job in a hat factory and then went on to design hats for the German actress Marlene Dietrich, her most prominent client and muse..

Your artistic success

The Mexican actresses Andrea Palma and Linda Christian in the movie Tarzan & the Mermaids (1948). Source: Sol Lesser Productions [Public domain]

Shortly after, and with the expiration of her US residency, Andrea was offered to star in the film in Mexico that catapulted her to fame., The Woman of the Port (1934). Her character, Rosario, was a young woman in her twenties dedicated to prostitution to support her sick father and younger brother..

The interpretation of this role, inspired by the peculiar style of her German client (distant woman, with a thick voice and strong character), positioned her as one of the most sought-after actresses of the time.

In the following film, she represented a totally opposite character, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a religious, poet and Mexican writer of the 17th century..

After visiting Hollywood on time to participate in two unsuccessful films, The last rendez-vous Y Immaculate, started the 1940s by taking a short break from cinema and doing theater in his country.

In 1943 he returned to the film industry under the direction of his brother, Julio Bracho, with the film Different Dawn. In this he played the role that was considered the best character of his artistic career. It was about Juliet, a frustrated wife during the day and dedicated to prostitution at night..

Maturity of your career

In 1947 she traveled to Spain to act in a theatrical play, and it was in that country where she met her husband, the Spanish actor Enrique Díaz Indiano. Two years later, when he returned to Mexico, his fame had diminished a bit, but he still participated in two successful classics of the “rumberas” genre. Both films were starred by Cuban star Ninón Sevilla.

Although Seville was the sensation of the moment, Andrea played a great role in Adventuress (1950) when playing Rosaura, a lady from Guadalajara high society who leads a double life renting a brothel in Ciudad Juárez. The second film of the also known genre of the "cabareteras" was Sensuality.

Since mid-1955, although not in leading roles, Andrea highlights her participation accompanied by other great talents of the Mexican seventh art. For example, in 1955 under the direction of Luis Buñuel, he filmed Essay of a crime.

In addition, he worked with the Argentine actress and singer, Libertad Lamarque in The woman who had no childhood, as well as in films with “La Doña” María Félix, Mexican actress and singer.

Dedication to theater and television

Andrea remained in the film industry until 1973, the date of his last film with his brother Julio Bracho, In search of a wall. However, since the late 1950s his main dedication was theater and television.

Her role as host of the series stands out from this period. The weekly novel (1963), which closely presented the classics of literature. His last role was in the also serial program, Angel War (1979), with his niece and goddaughter Diana Bracho.

In 1979 he decided to retire from the artistic world for health reasons and, finally, in October 1987 he died in the Federal District..

Top Movies

-The woman of the port (1934)

-Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz (1935)

-Immaculate (1939)

-The rosary (1943)

-Different Dawn (1943)

-The House of the Fox (1945)

-Vultures on the roof (1945)

-Adventuress (1950)

-Sensuality (1951)

-The lie (1952)

-Working women (1952)

-Eugenia Grandet (1952)

-Stolen tears (1953)

-Essay of a crime (1955)

-Mexico of my memories (1963)

-The process of Christ (1965)

-In search of a wall (1973)

Featured TV shows

-My wife gets divorced (1959)

-Shadow mirror (1960)

-The weekly novel (1963)

-Zapa leather (1964)

-The green tail (series) (1970)

-Wrist (1967)

-Poor Clara (1975)

-Angel War (1979)

References

  1. Ibarra, J. (2006) Los Brachos: three generations of Mexican cinema. Mexico: University Center for Cinematographic Studies.
  2. Lahr-Vivaz, E. (2016). Mexican Melodrama: Film and Nation from the Golden Age to the New Wave. Tucson: University of Arizona
  3. The Century of Durango. (2017, October 6) Three decades without Andrea Palma. Recovered from com.mx
  4. Torchia, E. S. (s.f.). Andrea Palma: Biography. Recovered imdb.com
  5. Ibarra, J. (2005, January 21) Andrea Palma. First Diva of Mexican Cinema. Recovered from web.archive.org

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