Blanca de Castejón
Blanca de Castejón | |
---|---|
Born |
April 28, 1907 Orocovis, Puerto Rico |
Died |
December 26, 1969 Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
Known for | acting |
Spouse(s) | Rafael Banquells |
Blanca de Castejón (April 28, 1907 – December 26, 1969) was a Puerto Rican actress who became very successful in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. De Castejón was born in 1909 in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. Her real name was Blanca Otero. Her name means white, in English it's Blanch, in Italian it's Bianca, in Portuguese it's Branca.
Contrary to some newspaper clips, she died in Puerto Rico from senile dementia, and never returned to México, because she spent her last years secluded in the second story of a house located in Lomas Verdes, Puerto Rico (the writer is her 3rd cousin).
Castejón went to Argentina in the 1930s, where she made two feature films between 1934 and 1935. With these two movies, Castejon established herself as a bona fide celebrity in the so-called south cone. Her fame transcended Argentina; she also made filmd in Uruguay at the time.
By 1935, she began searching for fame in Hollywood, making a few movies, where she would speak Spanish. Her stay in Hollywood lasted for about five years.
During the 1940s, she established herself in Mexico, marrying actor Rafael Banquells (later the husband of Silvia Pinal and father of Rocio Banquells, who, in turn, is the sister of Silvia Pasquel). In Mexico, de Castejon made about thirty movies, becoming a sex symbol in that country and a member of Mexico's golden era of film. In 1954, de Castejon won the Ariel award (Mexico's version of the Oscars), for supporting actress in School for Bums.
Among the actors she starred with was Antonio Aguilar and many other famous actors.
Castejon died in 1969.[1]
Selected filmography
- There Were Thirteen (1931)
- Ave sin nido (1943) - Anita de Medina
- "Escuela de Vagabundos"(1954)-Emilia Valverde