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Mirtha Legrand

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Suárez.
Mirtha Legrand
Mirtha Legrand in 2013
Born
Rosa María Juana Martínez Suárez

(1927-02-23) 23 February 1927 (age 97)
Villa Cañás, Santa Fe, Argentina
Other namesChiquita, La Chiqui
Occupations
Years active1940–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1946; died 1994)​
Children2
Relatives

Rosa María Juana Martínez Suárez (born 23 February 1927), known by her stage name Mirtha Legrand (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmiɾta leˈɣɾan]; from the French le grand, "the great"),[1] is an Argentine actress and television presenter. With an 80-year career,[2][3] Legrand is one of the most recognized entertainment figures in Argentina.[4] Despite having appeared in 36 films and 20 theatrical performances, Legrand is best known for her interview television programme Almorzando con las estrellas (Having Lunch with Stars), which first aired in 1968 on Alejandro Romay's Channel 9. The show was later renamed Almorzando con Mirtha Legrand (Having Lunch with Mirtha Legrand).[5]

Early life and career

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Mirtha Legrand, 1946
Mirtha Legrand, 1949
Mirtha in 2010
Mirtha in the Teatro Colón in 2010.

Legrand was born on 23 February 1927 in Villa Cañás. She and her twin sister Silvia were born to José Martínez, a librarian, and Rosa Suárez, a school teacher. They had a sibling named José Antonio. Their parents were Spanish. When they separated in 1934 Rosa moved to Rosario with her three children, where the Legrand sisters took classes of singing and dancing. In 1936 they moved to the La Paternal neighborhood in Buenos Aires.[5]

Legrand began her career in the carnival of 1939 when she participated in a contest organised by the Diario de Cine programme (Cinema Diary) at Belgrano Radio. She rose to fame in the late 1930s and early 1940s, during the golden era of the Argentine film industry that resembled the Hollywood one. Rosa María's stage name Mirtha Legrand was coined by her agent Roberto Cerebello when she was 14 years old. Legrand's film debut was in Educating Niní, which also had the participation of Niní Marshall and Legrand's sister Silvia.[5]

Personal life

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While filming Cinco besos in 1945, Legrand met Daniel Tinayre, a director of French origin. Legrand married Tinayre on 18 May 1946. They had two children, Daniel Andrés, born in 1947, and Marcela, born in 1950. Legrand and Tinayre were married until Tinayre's death in 1994. Tinayre had been diagnosed with hepatitis B in September 1994 and died a month later. Their son Daniel died from pancreatic cancer in 1999.[6]

Selected filmography

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Her cinematographic career spanned more than 25 years from 1939 to 1965. She participated in 36 films of Argentina and Spain, including:[5]

Awards

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Nominations

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References

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  1. ^ Zucchi, Marina (23 February 2017). "Mirtha Legrand cumple 90 años: todo nació con una orquídea" [Mirtha Legrand celebrates her 90th birthday: everything was born with an orchid]. Clarín (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 March 2017.
  2. ^ "A 80 años del debut de Mirtha Legrand: El minuto de cine que cambió su vida". 24 July 2020.
  3. ^ "El mensaje de Sputnik V por la vacunación de Mirtha Legrand: "Le deseamos más éxito, ahora que está protegida del COVID-19"". 12 March 2021.
  4. ^ Mirtha Legrand: 40 y una Vida en Televisión. Corregidor S.A.I.C.I. Y E., Ediciones. 2009. ISBN 9789500517843.
  5. ^ a b c d "Mirtha Legrand cumple 90 años" [Mirtha Legrand celebrates her 90th birthday] (in Spanish). Télam. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Mirtha Legrand y Daniel Tinayre: así en la vida como en el cine" [Mirtha Legrand and Daniel Tinayre: in life as in cinema]. La Nación (in Spanish). 19 July 2017. Archived from the original on 19 July 2017.
  7. ^ a b https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0499464/ [user-generated source]
  8. ^ "Todos los nominados a los Martín Fierro 2014" [All the nominations for the 2014 Martín Fierro]. La Nación (in Spanish). 15 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
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