Francisco Rabal
About
Biography
Filmography
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Biography
A handsome, athletic performer who played numerous supporting roles in the 1940s and came to prominence as the title character of Luis Bunuel's "Nazarin" (1958), Francisco Rabal appeared in nearly 200 international films, by directors including Michelangelo Antonioni, Jacques Rivette, Arne Mattsson and Pedro Almodovar, making him one of Spain's most popular and prolific actors. He made his American feature debut in 1977, in William Friedkin's "Sorcerer," and won a Best Actor award at Cannes for his role in Mario Camus' "The Holy Innocents" (1984). Rabal had perhaps the role of a lifetime when Carlos Saura tapped him to portray the aging artist in his "Goya in Bordeaux" (2000). Rabal also wrote and directed several short films. He was the father of director Benito Rabal and the grandfather of actor Liberto Rabal.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1948
Began making uncredited appearances in films
1948
Had lead role in "Don Quixote"
1952
First significant film role in "Luna de Sangre"
1957
Appeared in "The Wide Blue Road"
1959
Began collaboration with Luis Bunuel with title role in "Nazarin"
1961
Acted in Bunuel's "Viridiana"
1962
Appeared in Michaelangelo Antonioni's "The Eclipse"
1965
Co-starred in Jacques Rivette's "La Religieuse/Suzanne Simonin, la Reliieuse de Denis Diderot" and in Claude Chabrol's "Marie-Chantal Contre le Docteur Kha"
1967
Played opposite Catherine Denueve in Bunuel's "Belle de Jour"
1967
Starred in Vittorio Cottafavi's TV series "Christopher Columbus"
1968
Had title role in "El 'Che' Guevara"
1970
Acted in "Goya"
1977
Appeared in first American feature, "Sorcerer"
1984
Directed by Carlos Saura in "Los Zancos"
1984
Earned Best Actor prize at Cannes for "The Holy Innocents"
1988
Appeared in Gregory Nava's "A Time of Destiny"
1990
Was featured in Pedro Almodovar's "Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!"
1998
Co-starred in "Talk of Angels"
2000
Had role of a lifetime as the aged painter in "Goya in Bordeaux", directed by Saura
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