Marina Herrera Aragón (18 July 1927 – 16 February 2023), known as Marilú or "La Muñequita que Canta" (The Little Doll that Sings), was a Mexican singer and actress. She began her career in 1939. At the time of her death she was one of the last stars from the

Golden Age of Mexican cinema The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema (Spanish: la Época de Oro del Cine Mexicano), spanning the 1930s to 1950s, was a prolific era during which Mexico emerged as the leading film producer in Latin America. Filmmakers during this period tackled themes ...

Background

Marilú was born in Cárdenas,

San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí, officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí, is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 59 municipalities and is named after its capital city, San Luis Potosí. It ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. After her father's death, the family moved to

Tampico Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fif ...

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...

, where Marilú won a singing contest and joined the troupe of a comedian named Don Catarino. In November 1940 she joined Paco Miller's troupe, which later toured Mexican states. In

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

, Marilú became an XEW radio performer and appeared in her first film, '' La liga de las canciones'' (1941). She also sang at the Teatro Lírico and the Teatro Follies. In 1943, she sang at the Waikiki nightclub and joined Alfonso Brito's troupe at the Carpa Colonial.

Career

After signing a contract with Filmex (a production company), she studied drama with Gustavo Villatoro and co-starred with actor and director

Joaquín Pardavé Joaquín Pardavé Arce (30 September 1900 – 20 July 1955) was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940s. ...

in three of his films: ''Los hijos de Don Venancio'' (1944), ''Los nietos de Don Venancio'' (1946), and '' El barchante Neguib'' (1946). In 1952, she signed a recording contract with Peerless Records and released her first hit single, "Veleidad". Her other Peerless recordings include "Inquietud", "Consentida", and a Spanish version of "

Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" is a popular music, popular song with music by Bronislaw Kaper, and lyrics by Helen Deutsch. The song was published in 1952. The song was featured in the 1953 film ''Lili (1953 film), Lili'', starring Leslie Caron. Recorded vers ...

" (from the film '' Lili''). In 1958 she recorded ''Noche de luna'', an album of Gonzalo Curiel songs, for

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

's Vik label. In the 1970s she recorded two albums, ''Tangos de Buenos Aires'' and ''Marilú hoy''. Her most recent albums are ''Cuidado muy sentimental'' and ''Recordando a Daniel Zarabozo''.

Personal life and death

Marilú was the wife of cartoonist David Carrillo, founder of the Mexican Society of Cartoonists, until his death in 2015. In 2016, she said: "My life is singing and I will continue doing it until the public allows me, ecausewhen they no longer accept me for sure I will cry, and I will have to retire, but as long as that does not happen I will continue, because I still have faculties." Marilú died on 16 February 2023, at the age of 95.Cantante y actriz Marilú, 'La Muñequita que Canta' muere a los 95 años

References

External links

* {{authority control 1927 births 2023 deaths 20th-century Mexican actresses 20th-century Mexican women singers Bolero singers Mexican stage actresses Mexican film actresses People from San Luis Potosí RCA Victor artists 21st-century Mexican women singers Golden Age of Mexican cinema Women in Latin music