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Emma Penella

1931 – 2007

Spanish actress

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About Emma Penella

Lived 1931 – 2007 (aged 76). Emma Penella was a Spanish actor, film actor and stage actor.

Manuela Ruiz Penella (2 March 1931 – 27 August 2007), better known as Emma Penella, was a Spanish film and television actress.

Biography Manuela Ruiz Penella was born on 2 March 1931 in Madrid, the child of far-right politician Ramón Ruiz Alonso and actress Magdalena Penella Silva, thus she was also the granddaughter of actor Manuel Penella Moreno. The three sisters renounced to using the Ruiz family name as an artistic name, in the wake of their father's involvement in the murder of Federico García Lorca.

She featured in the 1952 film The Eyes Leave a Trace, ensuingly landing a larger degree of recognition with her performance in The Executioner.

In 1967, Emma Penella married producer Emiliano Piedra (died 1991).

She died on 27 August 2007 at aged 76 by a sepsis caused due to her diabetes.

Selected filmography The Eyes Leave a Trace (José Luis Sáenz de Heredia, 1952). Carne de horca (Ladislao Vajda, 1953). What Madness! (1953) Doña Francisquita (Ladisalo Vajda, 1953) Cómicos (Juan Antonio Bardem, 1953). Adventures of the Barber of Seville (1954) The Red Fish (José Antonio Nieves Conde, 1955). Fedra (Manuel Mur Oti, 1956). The Battalion in the Shadows (Manuel Mur Oti, 1956). De espaldas a la puerta (José María Forqué, 1956). Back to the Door (1959) Sentencia contra una mujer (1960) El Verdugo (Luis García Berlanga, 1963). Fortunata y Jacinta (Angelino Fons, 1963). Golden Goddess of Rio Beni (1964) La regenta (Gonzalo Suárez, 1975). Padre nuestro (Francisco Regueiro, 1985). El Amor brujo (Carlos Saura, 1986). La estanquera de Vallecas (Eloy de la Iglesia, 1986). Doblones de a ocho (Andrés Linares, 1990). Mar de luna (Manolo Matji, 1994). Pídele cuentas al rey (1999). Los novios búlgaros (Bulgarian Lovers) (Eloy de la Iglesia, 2003). Aquí no hay quien viva (2003–2006) TV series La que se avecina (2007) TV series

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Awards
Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts
Also known as
Manuela Ruiz Penella

Family & relationships

Spouse
Emiliano Piedra

People in Emma Penella's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Emma Penella's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Emma Penella?

Spanish actress (1931–2007)

When was Emma Penella born?

Emma Penella was born on 2 March 1931 in Madrid.

When did Emma Penella die?

Emma Penella died on 27 August 2007 in Madrid.

What was Emma Penella's occupation?

Emma Penella was an actor, film actor and stage actor.

What nationality was Emma Penella?

Emma Penella was Spanish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Emma Penella

· Wikidata: Q171261

· DBpedia: Emma Penella

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Emma Penella. https://biography.guide/emma-penella/

MLA: "Emma Penella." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/emma-penella/.

Chicago: "Emma Penella." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/emma-penella/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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