Spanish actress Concha Velasco dies at 84

The actress was cast in numerous films, series and plays. Her notable projects include “Las Chicas de la Cruz Roja,” “Las que Tienen que Servir” and “Gran Hotel.”

Imagen de archivo realizada en el año 2018 de Concha Velasco. La actriz española falleció el 2 de diciembre de 2023 a los 84 años. — (Cordon Press)

Published by

Rosana Rábago Sainz

2 de diciembre, 2023

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Spanish actress Concha Velasco died on Saturday at the age of 84. She acted in more than 100 projects, including films, series and plays. She died at the Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain, after suffering from an illness that forced her children to admit her to a residence.

It was her sons, Manuel and Paco Martínez, who reported the news through a press release sent to the media, including the EFE news agency, in which they assured that "a complication in her illness" was the cause of their mother's death:

We regret to inform that our mother, Concha Velasco, passed away today Saturday, [Dec.] 2, at 2 a.m. in the Hospital Puerta de Hierro de Majadahonda, having received the Holy Sacraments, as a result of a complication in her illness. We have nothing but words of gratitude for the hospital staff, and the staff of the Santa Matilde and Orpea Punta Galea residences who have taken such good care of her in these difficult times. We are fortunate to have enjoyed the best mother in the world and to receive the affection of so many Spaniards who love and admire her. Thank you all.

Her children also assured that the funeral for the Spanish actress will begin Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (local time) in the neighborhood of La Latina in Madrid, where many colleagues are expected to come to pay their last respects.

Concha Velasco, a lifetime of acting

The Spanish actress was born in Valladolid on Nov. 29, 1939. From a very young age she was linked to the world of acting, She began her career with the 1954 film "La Reina Mora" ("The Moorish Queen"). It was her first of many roles as a supporting actress, among which stand out "La Fierecilla Domada" (1956), "Muchachas en Vacaciones" (1957) and "Las Chicas de la Cruz Roja" (1958).

However, she began to make a name for herself in 1965. That year, in "Historias de la Televisión" ("Television Stories"), Concha Velasco had to sing. The song she sang, composed by Augusto Algueró and Antonio Guijarro, was none other than "Chica Ye Ye," a song that would be forever linked to the actress.

Two years later, she acted in "Las que Tienen que Partir," ("Those Who Have to Leave") another of her great roles. Her acting career continued until 2021, the year in which her arthrosis and the lymphoma she had suffered years before forced her to retire. However, during her more than 60 years working on the screen and stage, Concha Velasco left audiences with roles to remember. In recent years, her notable performances include the Spanish series "Velvet," "Las Chicas del Cable" ("Cable Girls") and, especially, "Gran Hotel."