Alfredo Alcón

Alfredo Félix Alcón (; 3 March 1930 – 11 April 2014) was an Argentine theatre and film actor born in Buenos Aires. Widely regarded as one of the best and most important Argentine actors of the 20th century.

He worked in more than 50 movies since his first one, '' El amor nunca muere'' (''Love Never Dies''), in 1955, and received many recognitions for his work: among others, the Silver Condor, the Martin Fierro Award and the 1981 Diamond Konex Award.

He died on April 11, 2014 at the age of 84.

Biography

Alfredo Alcón was born on March 3, 1930, in Liniers. His family has Spanish ancestry: his paternal grandmother immigrated from Cádiz, and his mother from Castile. As a result, he had a fluent Spanish accent, which helped him when he worked in Spain. His father died soon after his birth, and so the family moved to Ciudadela, Buenos Aires. One of his early influences was '' Richard III'' by William Shakespeare, which he read at the age of 11.

He began working as a radio host, announcing news from the Liniers market (the main market of livestock in Argentina). His first famous film was the 1955 '' Love Never Dies'', starred by Mirtha Legrand. The film was directed by Luis César Amadori. The success of the film made them work again as lead actors in '' La Pícara soñadora'', directed by Ernesto Arancibia, and '' Con gusto a rabia'', directed by Fernando Ayala.

He made his most successful films with the director Leopoldo Torre Nilsson. ''Un Guapo del '900'' (1968) was followed by three historical films: '' Martín Fierro'' (based in the poem '' Martín Fierro'') in 1968, ''El Santo de la Espada'' in 1970 (based in the life of José de San Martín), and '' Güemes: la tierra en armas'' in 1971 (based in the life of Martín Miguel de Güemes). They also filmed ''La Mafia'' in 1972, '' The Seven Madmen'' in 1973, '' Boquitas pintadas'' in 1974 and ''El Pibe Cabeza'' in 1975.

He has worked in theater as well, both as actor and director. Some of his plays were directed by Margarita Xirgu, Carlos Gandolfo and Omar Grasso, and he directed the plays ''Los caminos de Federico'', ''Bocca-Alcón'', ''Homenaje Ibsen'', ''¡Shakespeare todavía!'' and ''Final de partida''. He played ''Hamlet'' during the Dirty War, amid concerns for its potential political connotations.

His last work in television was a cameo in '' Herederos de una venganza'' (2011), as the leader of a masonic lodge. He had worked before in '' Por el nombre de Dios'' and '' Vulnerables'' (both from 1999). He also worked in the play ''Los reyes de la risa'' with Guillermo Francella.

Alcón was hospitalized on November 28, 2013. He did not recover, and died on April 11, 2014 of respiratory failure. He was mourned at the Argentine National Congress, and the coffin was taken to La Chacarita Cemetery, with a brief stop at the Teatro General San Martín.

Selected filmography

*'' Love Never Dies'' (1955)
*''Sugar Harvest'' (1958)
*'' The Candidate'' (1959)
*'' Summer Skin'' (1961)
*'' The Innocents'' (1963)
*'' Martín Fierro'' (1968)
*''El Santo de la Espada'' (1970)

*'' The Seven Madmen'' (1973)
*'' Nazareno Cruz and the Wolf'' (1975)
*''What's Autumn?'' (1977)
*'' Son of the Bride'' (2001)
*'' In the City Without Limits'' (2002)

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alcon, Alfredo
1930 births
2014 deaths
Argentine people of Spanish descent
Argentine male film actors
Argentine male stage actors
Male actors from Buenos Aires
Burials at La Chacarita Cemetery