Estrellita Castro

Estrellita Castro was a Spanish singer and actress who was considered to be the creator of the copla genre, a typical Spanish musical style that combines flamenco and French couplets. She started singing from an early age and busked around in Sevilla streets. She made her debut at Tronío Theatre in Sierpes Street in Seville but soon became successful in the main theatres in Spain, Europe, Latin America and even the USA. She was also introduced to tangos by the famous Argentinian singer Carlos Gardel. Her success as a singer paved her way to the film industry, and she became one of the most popular and highly-paid Spanish actresses of the time. She starred in 40 movies, the most important of which were filmed in Germany - Suspiros de España, The Barber of Seville and Mariquilla Terremoto. She had a powerful acute voice and a charming personality that conquered the public. One of the iconic features of her personal looks was a hair-curl on her forehead. She was married twice and had ten children from her second marriage. She died in 1983 at the age of 75 due to a cardiac arrest. Her dead body remained exhibited at Teatro Lara, where she had been so successful in her heyday. She was buried in Madrid in the Almudena Graveyard, with a hair curl on her forehead and a Spanish mantilla. She left behind a legacy of copla songs and movies that are still admired by many fans of Spanish culture.