Concha Velasco

Concepción Velasco Varona (29 November 1939 – 2 December 2023), known professionally as Concha Velasco, also Conchita Velasco, was a Spanish actress, singer, dancer, television presenter, and theatrical producer. She received numerous accolades throughout her career in film, theater, and television spanning over six decades, including two National Theater Awards presented by the Spanish Ministry of Culture in 1972 and 2016, the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Spanish Television Academy in 2009, and the Honorary Goya Award presented by the Spanish Film Academy in 2012.

Some of her credits include leading film performances in Red Cross Girls (1958), Los tramposos (1959), The Fair of the Dove (1963), Television Stories (1965), The Witching Hour (1985), and Beyond the Garden (1996); leading stage performances in , in several plays that author Antonio Gala wrote for her, and in the Spanish productions of Filumena Marturano and Hello, Dolly!; leading television performances in Teresa de Jesús and Herederos on Televisión Española, Motivos personales on Telecinco, and Gran Hotel on Antena 3; as well as a television presenter in numerous shows for those three networks.

Velasco had been also the recipient of many honours. The Government of Spain honoured her with the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts in 1987, the Gold Medal of Merit in Labour in 2008, the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise in 2016, and the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic posthumously in 2023. The Spanish Film Academy honoured her with its Gold Medal in 2003.

Life and career

Concepción Velasco Varona was born in Valladolid on 29 November 1939. She was raised in Valladolid until she was six years old, when her family moved to Larache. At age ten, she moved to Madrid where she studied classical and Spanish dance at the National Conservatory. She made her debut as a dancer in the corps de ballet of the La Coruña opera and later worked as a flamenco dancer with Manolo Caracol and as revue dancer with Celia Gámez.

Velasco began her career in the cinema at the age of fifteen in several titles as a supporting actress. Her first film as a leading actress was Red Cross Girls (1958). During the 1960s and 1970s she combined her work starring in films and in plays for theater and television. In the film Television Stories (1965) she performed the song "" composed by Augusto Algueró with lyrics by Antonio Guijarro. The song became a hit and she suddenly found success as a yé-yé singer recording eight albums.

After an early career with a filmography in line with the tenets of Francoism and close to the regime's favoured filmmaker José Luis Sáenz de Heredia, she eventually developed left-wing views and was reportedly vetoed for her trade union activity. At age 80, she described herself as "Catholic, Socialist, and Spanish". Also in the 1980s she launched her career as television presenter hosting the New Year's Eve variety shows to welcome 1985, 1986, and 1987 on Televisión Española, where she also sings and dances. She hosted on Antena 3 the broadcast of the New Year's Eve clock bell strikes live from Puerta del Sol in Madrid to welcome 1998 –along with Constantino Romero–.

In theater, she had her own theatrical troupe first, and a production company with her husband later, producing many of the plays she starred in herself, which led her to bankruptcy and to have debts with the Tax Agency on several occasions. On 14 March 2018 she announced that, after a career of 64 years, the stage play El funeral would be her last. She retired on 21 September 2021 with her last performance of the play La habitación de María at Theatre of Bretón de los Herreros in Logroño.

On 28 May 2010 she revealed she was battling lymphatic cancer which was discovered in April. She got back to her activities months after. She died at the Hospital Puerta de Hierro in Majadahonda (Madrid) on 2 December 2023, at the age of 84. She lay in repose at La Latina theater in Madrid for public wake. The following day her mortal remains were taken to Valladolid where she was honored in front of Teatro Calderón, and people paid tribute to her, as the funeral procession passed by. Her funeral took place in the Cathedral and she was buried in the Pantheon of Illustrious Vallisoletans at El Carmen cemetery.

Filmography and performances Film

1954: 1955: The Moorish Queen as Bailaora 1956: 1956: 1956: 1957: 1958: 1958: Red Cross Girls as Paloma 1959: as Conchita 1959: Los tramposos as Julita 1959: 1959: 1960: 1960: 1960: Peace Never Comes as Paula 1961: The Reprieve as Antonia 1961: 1961: 1961: My Wedding Night as Fernanda Jiménez 1961: as Lía / María / Estefanía 1962: 1963: 1963: The Fair of the Dove as Susana / Mari Loli 1964: 1965: Television Stories as Katy 1965: 1965: La frontera de Dios 1966: 1966: 1966: 1966: Honeymoon, Italian Style as Rosetta de Curtis 1967: 1967: Las Locas del conventillo as María 1967: as Juana Cortés 1968: 1968: as Marta 1968: 1969: 1969: 1969: Juicio de faldas as Marta 1969: El taxi de los conflictos 1970: as Nuria 1970: 1970: 1970: 1971: 1971: as Iris 1971: 1971: 1972: The Lonely Woman as Africa 1972: 1972: 1973: 1973: 1973: 1974: Torment as Rosalía de Bringas 1974: as Margarita 1975: as Mapi Sánchez 1975: Pim, pam, pum... ¡fuego! 1975: 1975: 1975: 1976: Long Vacations of 36 as Mercedes 1976: 1977: 1978: 1979: 1979: Ernesto as Aunt Regina 1982: The Beehive as Purita 1985: The Witching Hour as Pilar 1989: Esquilache as Pastora Patermo 1992: as Concha 1996: Beyond the Garden as Palmira Gadea 1999: 2000: Km. 0 as Marga 2001: Sólo yo sé tu nombre 2003: Moscow Gold as Pastora Bernal 2006: Welcome Home 2007: Boystown as Antonia 2007: Crazy as Nuria 2009: Rage as Sra. Torres 2014: 2018: 2020: 32 Malasana Street

As herself 1996: Sombras y luces: Cien años de cine español 2009: Por la gracia de Luis

Stage

Television Date Title Role Network Notes 1 December 1965 Estudio 1: La dama del alba Televisión Española Version of La dama del alba by Alejandro Casona for television 1966 Estudio 1: Don Juan Tenorio Doña Inés Televisión Española Version of Don Juan Tenorio by José Zorrilla for television 29 January 1971 Estudio 1: La alondra Televisión Española Spanish version of L'Alouette by Jean Anouilh for television 2 April 1971 Estudio 1: Marea baja Televisión Española Spanish version of Miranda by Peter Blackmore for television 26 May 1972 Estudio 1: ¿Quiere usted jugar con mí? Televisión Española Spanish version of by Marcel Achard for television 2 March 1973 Estudio 1: Una muchachita de Valladolid Mercedes Televisión Española Version of by for television 11 May 1973 Estudio 1: Las brujas de Salem Televisión Española Spanish version of The Crucible by Arthur Miller for television 1984 Teresa de Jesús Teresa of Ávila Televisión Española 1985 Patricia / Celinda Televisión Española 1996 Elena Andrade Antena 3 1997 Leonor Antena 3 1998 Compañeros Charo Antena 3 2005 Las cerezas del cementerio Beatriz Televisión Española Adaptation of the novel of the same name by Gabriel Miró Motivos personales Aurora Acosta Telecinco 2007–2009 Herederos Carmen Orozco Argenta Televisión Española 2010 Doroti Televisión Española Spanish version of The Golden Girls in the role of Dorothy Zbornak 2011–2013 Gran Hotel Ángela Salinas Antena 3 2016 Bajo sospecha Doña Adela Varcárcel Antena 3 Velvet Petra Alcalde Vargas Antena 3 2017–2020 Cable Girls Doña Carmen Cifuentes Netflix

As herself Date Title Role Network Notes 1972 14th Benidorm Song Festival Host Televisión Española 1973 15th Benidorm Song Festival Host Televisión Española 4–6 May 1978 4th Co-host Televisión Española 1 January 1985 eve ¡Viva 85! Co-host Televisión Española 1 January 1986 eve ¡Viva 86! Host Televisión Española 1 January 1987 eve ¡Viva 87! Host Televisión Española 1990–1991 Viva el espectáculo Host Televisión Española 1992 Querida Concha Host Telecinco Queridos padres Host Telecinco 1993–1994 Host Antena 3 1 January 1998 eve Campanadas Co-host Antena 3 1999 Host Antena 3 Spanish version of Surprise Surprise 3 February 2001 15th Goya Awards Co-host Televisión Española 2001–2002 Tiempo al tiempo Host Televisión Española 29 January 2006 20th Goya Awards Co-host Televisión Española 2006 Mi abuelo es el mejor Host Televisión Española 2011–2020 Host Televisión Española

Accolades Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult 1958 CEC Awards Best Supporting Actress Muchachas en vacaciones Syndicate of Spectacle Awards Best Supporting Actress 1972 National Theater Prize Abelardo y Eloísa 1974 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Spanish Cinema Torment CEC Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Torment TP de Oro Best National Actress Estudio 1 1975 TP de Oro Best National Actress El Teatro 1981 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Theater Yo me bajo en la próxima, ¿y usted? 1984 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Television Teresa de Jesús Antena de Oro Best Performer Teresa de Jesús TP de Oro Best Actress Teresa de Jesús 1985 Valladolid International Film Festival Golden Spike for Best Actress The Witching Hour TP de Oro Best Actress La comedia musical española 1986 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Theater ¡Mamá, quiero ser artista! Valladolid International Film Festival Spike of Honor TP de Oro Best Actress La comedia musical española 1988 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Theater Carmen, Carmen 1989 Goya Awards Best Supporting Actress Esquilache 1992 Fotogramas de Plata Best Performer in Theater La truhana 1993 Huesca International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement in Film 1996 Goya Awards Best Actress Beyond the Garden Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Cinema Beyond the Garden CEC Awards Best Actress Beyond the Garden 1999 2001 Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater Hello, Dolly! 2002 Premios Max Best Musical Hello, Dolly! 2004 Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival Ciudad de Huelva Award 2007 TP de Oro Lifetime Achievement Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Television Actress in a Leading Role Herederos 2008 ATV Awards Best Actress in a Television Series Herederos Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Television Actress in a Leading Role Herederos Málaga Film FestivalMálaga Award 2009 Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater La vida por delante Sant Jordi Awards Lifetime Achievement RNE Special CEC Awards Medal of Honor ATV Awards Best Actress in a Television Series Herederos Lifetime Achievement 2010 Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Theater Actress in a Leading Role La vida por delante 5th Premio Valle-Inclán La vida por delante Premios Max Best Actress in a Leading Role La vida por delante 2011 Actors and Actresses Union Awards Lifetime Achievement Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater Concha, yo lo que quiero es bailar 2012 Goya Awards Honorary ATV Iris Awards Best Actress in a Television Series Gran Hotel Premios Ondas Best Female Performer in a National Fiction Gran Hotel Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Television Actress in a Secondary Role Gran Hotel Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Television Gran Hotel 2013 Valladolid International Film Festival Spike of Honor Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater Hécuba 2014 Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater Hécuba 2015 Premios Valle-Inclán de Teatro 9th Premio Valle-Inclán Hécuba 2016 National Theater Prize Fotogramas de Plata Best Actress in Theater Reina Juana 2019 Premios Max Honorary 2020 Fotogramas de Plata Lifetime Achievement

Honours Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts (30 December 1987) Gold Medal of the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain (4 April 2003) Gold Medal of Merit in Labour (5 December 2008) Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise (7 October 2016) Valladolid Gold Medal (City Council of Valladolid, 17 March 2018) Madrid Gold Medal (City Council of Madrid, 15 May 2018) Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (5 December 2023; posthumous)

Legacy

On 27 June 2011, a star with her name was placed at the . On 3 November 2011, the Sala Concha Velasco –a multipurpose theater with capacity for 610 seats on retractable stands– was opened at the Valladolid Arts Laboratory. On 8 May 2014, a street in Valladolid received her name. On 10 February 2024, she was honored at the 38th Goya Awards ceremony, held in Valladolid, by its presenters Ana Belén, Javier Ambrossi, and Javier Calvo performing a medley of two of her songs "¡Mamá, quiero ser artista!" and "Chica ye ye". She was honored in the opening number of the eleventh season of Tu cara me suena aired on 12 April 2024 on Antena 3, Roko impersonated her, and the season's contestants joined, in singing "¡Mamá, quiero ser artista!". On 3 October 2024, Correos, the Spanish postal service, issued a sheet of stamps in tribute to her as part of its Spanish cinema series.