Lilia Prado | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Prado,c. 1950s | |
| Born | Leticia Lilia Amezcua Prado (1928-03-30)30 March 1928 |
| Died | 22 May 2006(2006-05-22) (aged 78) Mexico City, Mexico |
| Occupations | Actress, dancer |
| Years active | 1947–1991 |
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Leticia Lilia Amezcua Prado[1] (30 March 1928 – 22 May 2006), known asLilia Prado, was a Mexican actress and dancer. Noted for her beauty and on-screen sensuality,[2] she was a famous star andsex symbol of theGolden Age of Mexican cinema.
Prado began her career in 1947 as an extra in films, and received her first leading role inConfidencias de un ruletero (1949).[1] She was directed by Spanish filmmakerLuis Buñuel inSubida al cielo (1952),Abismos de pasión (1954), andLa ilusión viaja en tranvía (1954). Her performance inTalpa (1956) earned her a nomination for theAriel Award for Best Actress. She wasCantinflas' leading lady in the popular comedyEl analfabeto (1961).
In 1999, Prado received theGolden Ariel for her career,[1] and the following year she was honored by theCineteca Nacional.[3]
Prado was born inSahuayo,Michoacán, and from there her family moved toMexico City, where she attended school.[4] She wanted to be a dancer and travel around the world, but her father never gave her permission to study music or dance.[4] In order to earn her own money, she began working as a telephone operator.[4]
Her career began in 1946 when a journalist named Javier Campos took her to the set of the filmBel Ami at Estudios Azteca.[1] The next day, she was given work as an extra.[1] She appeared in uncredited roles inLa barca de oro (1947) andSoy charro de Rancho Grande (1947), and had a "good little role" as a maid inDueña y señora (1948).[1]
Around the same time, she won a beauty contest and began attending acting classes.[1]Celestino Gorostiza, one of her acting teachers, had much faith in her and directed her in play.[1] When Prado left the stage to work in more films, Gorostiza told one of Prado's friends, "The cinema won a star, but the stage lost a good actress".[1]
Prado obtained her first starring role inConfidencias de un ruletero (1949) withResortes.[1] The film was followed by musical and comedy films in which Prado "danced and showed her legs".[1]
