From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Francisco Rabal (March 8, 1926 – August 29, 2001), 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 on 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Francisco Rabal, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Movie | The Revolution on Two Horses | Zio Henrique | 2002-04-25 |
Movie | Lázaro de Tormes | El Ciego | 2001-01-19 |
Movie | Just Run! | Don Vicente | 2001-06-28 |
Movie | Dagon | Ezequiel | 2001-10-12 |
Movie | Speaking of Buñuel | Himself | 2000-06-09 |
Movie | Divertimento | 2000-10-22 | |
Movie | Peixe-Lua | Tio Nini | 2000-09-29 |
Movie | Goya in Bordeaux | Goya | 1999-09-04 |
Movie | Divine | Papá Basilio | 1998-09-16 |
Movie | Talk of Angels | Don Jorge | 1998-10-30 |
Movie | Day and Night | Cristobal | 1997-02-12 |
Movie | La novia de medianoche | Wenceslao Corredoira | 1997-10-30 |
Movie | Airbag | Villambrosa | 1997-06-20 |
Movie | Little Bird | El Abuelo | 1997-08-31 |
Movie | Little Miracles | Don Francisco | 1997-09-04 |
Movie | Oedipus Mayor | Tiresias | 1996-08-23 |
Movie | One Hundred and One Nights | Luis Buñuel (voice) | 1995-01-25 |
Movie | Felicidades, Tovarich | Abuelo | 1995-01-01 |
Movie | On Earth as It Is in Heaven | San Pedro | 1995-11-03 |
Movie | The Lame Pigeon | 1995-10-06 | |
Movie | La Lola se va a los puertos | Don Diego | 1993-09-10 |
Series | Truhanes | Ginés Giménez | 1993-10-05 |
Movie | The Man Who Lost His Shadow | Antonio | 1992-01-15 |
Movie | Manuel, le fils emprunté | Juan Alvarez | 1990-02-09 |
Movie | Torquemada | Torquemada | 1989-05-12 |
Movie | Baroque | 1989-10-10 | |
Series | Juncal | José Álvarez "Juncal" | 1989-02-18 |
Movie | Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! | Máximo Espejo | 1989-12-12 |
Movie | The White Dove | Domingo | 1989-11-23 |
Movie | A Time of Destiny | Jorge Larraneta | 1988-04-22 |
Movie | Scent of a Crime | Coronel Olvera | 1988-10-21 |
Movie | Divine Words | Pedro Gailo | 1987-09-15 |
Movie | Camorra (A Story of Streets, Women and Crime) | Guaglione | 1986-01-24 |
Movie | History | Remo | 1986-01-02 |
Movie | El hermano bastardo de Dios | 1986-09-10 | |
Movie | Tiempo de silencio | Muecas | 1986-03-13 |
Movie | El disputado voto del señor Cayo | Señor Cayo | 1986-11-03 |
Movie | Our Father | Abel | 1985-04-21 |
Movie | The Lost Paradise | El político anciano | 1985-01-13 |
Movie | Futuro Imperfecto | 1985-01-28 | |
Movie | Bohemian Nights | Max Estrella | 1985-08-21 |
Movie | La vieja música | Domingo Ferreiro | 1985-09-26 |
Movie | Scapegoat | Comisario Cárdenas | 1985-11-14 |
Movie | The Witching Hour | Cesar | 1985-11-04 |
Movie | Marbella | Juan | 1985-10-13 |
Movie | Victòria! 3: El seny i la rauxa | Coronel Márquez | 1984-02-03 |
Movie | Coarse Salt | Gabino | 1984-02-06 |
Movie | Epilogue | Rocabruno | 1984-01-20 |
Movie | Los zancos | Manuel | 1984-10-10 |
Movie | The Holy Innocents | Azarías | 1984-04-04 |
Series | Teresa de Jesús | Alonso | 1984-03-12 |
Movie | Treasure of the Four Crowns | Sócrates | 1983-01-21 |
Movie | Victòria! La gran aventura d'un poble | Coronel Márquez | 1983-09-09 |
Movie | Crooks | Ginés Jiménez Valera | 1983-09-21 |
Movie | Victòria! 2: La disbauxa del 17 | Coronel Márquez | 1983-12-06 |
Movie | The Beehive | Ricardo Sorbedo | 1982-10-11 |
Series | Cervantes | Mateo Alemán | 1981-04-06 |
Movie | Reborn | Giacomo | 1981-09-27 |
Movie | Under Siege | William Lombard | 1980-08-08 |
Movie | Vultures Over the City | Bender | 1980-01-01 |
Movie | The Rebel | Tony | 1980-01-01 |
Movie | El gran secreto | Domingo | 1980-10-12 |
Movie | Nightmare City | Major Warren Holmes | 1980-12-11 |
Movie | Speed Driver | Esposito | 1980-12-04 |
Movie | Hunted City | Don Alfonso | 1979-09-27 |
Movie | El buscón | Mata | 1979-11-27 |
Movie | Hotel Fear | Marta's lover | 1978-02-16 |
Movie | Corleone | Don Giusto Provenzano | 1978-11-10 |
Movie | Stay As You Are | Lorenzo | 1978-09-14 |
Movie | Sorcerer | Nilo | 1977-06-24 |
Movie | I Am the Law | Albanese the Outlaw | 1977-09-23 |
Movie | Io sono mia | Padre di Orio | 1977-11-18 |
Movie | Emilia... parada y fonda | 1976-08-15 | |
Movie | The Desert of the Tartars | M.llo Tronk | 1976-10-29 |
Movie | The Long Vacations of '36 | Teacher | 1976-10-28 |
Movie | The Dead Man | Azevedo Bandeira | 1975-08-21 |
Movie | Fight to the Death | Comisario Emilio Mendoza | 1975-01-27 |
Movie | La peccatrice | Turco | 1975-07-20 |
Movie | C.I.A. Secret Story | Mehdi Ben Barka | 1975-08-21 |
Movie | The City of World | Matteo | 1975-10-16 |
Movie | Blanca's Weddings | Antonio | 1975-11-17 |
Movie | Eye of the Cat | Eminenza | 1975-10-19 |
Movie | Dormir Y Ligar: Todo Es Empezar | Self (uncredited) | 1974-05-15 |
Movie | Death Will Have Your Eyes | The Blackmailer | 1974-01-01 |
Movie | It's Nothing Mama, Just a Game | Tío | 1974-05-29 |
Movie | Tormento | Agustín Caballero | 1974-09-02 |
Movie | The Tempter | Bishop Marquez | 1974-11-22 |
Movie | The Guerrilla | El Cabrero (The Shepherd) | 1973-02-16 |
Movie | Counselor at Crime | Vincent Garofalo | 1973-08-30 |
Movie | La colonna infame | Giacomo Mora - il barbiere | 1973-04-19 |
Movie | It Can Be Done Amigo | Sheriff | 1972-03-31 |
Movie | Nada menos que todo un hombre | Alejandro Gómez | 1972-02-14 |
Movie | Le soldat Laforêt | Paco | 1972-04-21 |
Movie | Planet Venus | Party chauffer | 1972-08-27 |
Movie | Exorcism's Daughter | Fuso | 1971-01-01 |
Movie | N.P. | Ingegnere N.P. | 1971-01-01 |
Movie | El apartamento de la tentación | Hombre que se cruza con Julieta (uncredited) | 1971-05-24 |
Movie | Laia | 1970-01-01 | |
Movie | Ann and Eve | Francesco | 1970-08-03 |
Movie | Cutting Heads | Díaz II | 1970-10-16 |
Movie | Blood in the Bullring | Juan Carmona | 1969-05-19 |
Movie | Un adulterio decente | Conserje (uncredited) | 1969-08-25 |
Movie | Spain Again | Reportero | 1969-06-07 |
Movie | The Challenges | Carlos | 1969-09-19 |
Movie | Eagles Over London | Martin | 1969-09-20 |
Movie | Simon Bolivar | José Antonio Del Llano | 1969-09-12 |
Movie | Bloody Che Contra | Che Guevara | 1968-01-01 |
Movie | After the Deluge | Pedro | 1968-01-25 |
Movie | The Witches | Paolo | 1967-02-22 |
Movie | Long Days of Vengeance | Sheriff Douglas | 1967-02-23 |
Movie | Oscuros sueños de agosto | Julio | 1967-07-01 |
Movie | Cervantes | Rodrigo Cervantes | 1967-11-02 |
Movie | The Nun | Dom Morel | 1966-05-06 |
Movie | Hoy como ayer | Ramón | 1966-08-29 |
Movie | Camino del Rocío | José Antonio | 1966-12-05 |
Movie | España insólita | (voice) | 1965-05-13 |
Movie | The Devil Also Cries | Tomás | 1965-03-14 |
Movie | Currito de la Cruz | Manuel Carmona | 1965-07-01 |
Movie | The Blue Panther | Paco Castillo | 1965-08-25 |
Movie | María Rosa | 1965-11-13 | |
Movie | Legacy of the Incas | Gambusino | 1965-09-08 |
Movie | Le Gros Coup | Michel Arland | 1964-06-24 |
Movie | Weeping for a Bandit | José María 'El Tempranillo' | 1964-08-31 |
Movie | Summer Night | Bernardo | 1963-06-03 |
Movie | Mathias Sandorf | Frédéric de Rotenbourg | 1963-02-13 |
Movie | Autopsy of a Criminal | Carlos | 1963-08-05 |
Movie | The Reunion | Alberto | 1963-09-19 |
Movie | Viridiana | Jorge | 1962-04-01 |
Movie | L'Eclisse | Riccardo | 1962-04-12 |
Movie | The Female: Seventy Times Seven | Pascual | 1962-08-30 |
Movie | I tromboni di Fra' Diavolo | Fra Diavolo | 1962-10-11 |
Movie | The Hand in the Trap | Cristóbal Archaval | 1961-05-01 |
Movie | At Five in the Afternoon | Juan Reyes | 1961-05-16 |
Movie | Hijo de hombre | 1961-01-16 | |
Movie | Pigeon Shoot | Elia | 1961-05-25 |
Movie | Azahares rojos | Arturo Gómez Mancera | 1961-11-01 |
Movie | Trío de damas | Alberto Sáinz Robledo | 1960-01-01 |
Movie | El hombre de la isla | Lorenzo 'El Moro' | 1960-07-07 |
Movie | Nazarin | Father Nazario | 1959-06-04 |
Movie | Diez fusiles esperan | José Iribarren | 1959-06-15 |
Movie | Sonatas | Marqués Javier de Bradomín | 1959-10-12 |
Movie | Revenge | Narrator (voice) (uncredited) | 1958-05-02 |
Movie | L'uomo dai calzoni corti | Mario | 1958-06-23 |
Movie | La noche y el alba | Pedro | 1958-10-10 |
Movie | Saranno uomini | Giacomo | 1957-03-23 |
Movie | Marisa la civetta | Antonio | 1957-03-19 |
Movie | Whom God Forgives | Juan Cuenca | 1957-05-05 |
Movie | The Mighty Crusaders | Tancredi d'Altavilla | 1957-12-23 |
Movie | The Wide Blue Road | Salvatore | 1957-11-22 |
Movie | La gran mentira | César Neira | 1956-04-01 |
Movie | Radio Stories | Gabriel | 1955-07-25 |
Movie | Death of a Cyclist | (uncredited) | 1955-09-07 |
Movie | The Miller's Saucy Wife | Cristóbal Paterna | 1955-12-05 |
Movie | El canto del gallo | Padre Miller | 1955-09-26 |
Movie | Revelation | Sergio Gresky | 1955-12-30 |
Movie | All Is Possible in Granada | Fernando Ortega | 1954-03-08 |
Movie | Judas' Kiss | Quinto Licinio | 1954-02-27 |
Movie | Murió hace quince años | Diego | 1954-10-04 |
Movie | I Was a Parish Priest | Martín | 1953-09-30 |
Movie | Hay un camino a la derecha | 1953-10-28 | |
Movie | Luna de sangre | Pedro Alvareda | 1952-02-18 |
Movie | Sor Intrépida | Tomás | 1952-01-04 |
Movie | María Morena | El Sevillano | 1952-06-02 |
Movie | Doubt | Rafael Figueroa | 1951-10-08 |
Movie | Alhucemas | Tostado (uncredited) | 1948-02-06 |
Movie | Don Quixote | (uncredited) | 1947-03-01 |
Movie | El crimen de Pepe Conde | 1946-10-28 | |
Movie | La rueda de la vida | Bronquista de pelea en salón (uncredited) | 1942-11-30 |
Movie | Land Without Bread | Spanish Narrator, 1996 (voice) | 1933-12-01 |