23 Facts About Raquel Meller

Francisca Romana Marques Lopez, better known as Raquel Meller, was a Spanish diseuse, cuple, and tonadilla singer and actress.

Raquel Meller was an international star in the 1920s and 1930s, appearing in several films and touring Europe and the Americas.

Raquel Meller's family was one of the oldest in Aragon and were quite wealthy before becoming impoverished during the Carlist Wars.

Raquel Meller's father died when she was not yet 10 years old and she was placed under the care of her aunt, Sister Maria del Carmen, an abbess in the convent at Figueras.

Raquel Meller moved back to Barcelona, where she worked as a seamstress, embroidering the robes of priests and bishops.

Raquel Meller sang as she worked, eventually drawing crowds who would stand on the street outside of the dressmaker's shop.

Raquel Meller later appeared in Madrid where she attracted the attention of the King and Queen of Spain.

In 1919, Raquel Meller appeared in her first film, Los arlequines de seda y oro.

Raquel Meller quickly became popular throughout the Western world and was a darling of the media.

Raquel Meller was known to wear slender gold bracelets on her right wrist, each representing a significant step in her stage career.

Spanish senator Emilio Junoy alleged that Raquel Meller betrayed the spy Mata Hari to the French police in an apparent fit of jealousy over her husband Gomez Carrillo, who had penned a biography of Mata Hari.

Raquel Meller denied the rumor, pointing out that Mata Hari was executed in 1917, two years before he married Meller.

The Russian firm Films Albatros conceived of the 1926 film Carmen as a star vehicle for Raquel Meller, whose portrayal of the main character was a great success despite being at odds with the vision of director Jacques Feyder.

Feyder later recalled how Raquel Meller's attitude led to problems while filming:.

Raquel Meller was twice booked to perform in the United States but canceled both appearances.

Raquel Meller arrived via the SS Leviathan, on which she attempted to book a deluxe suite for her five Pekingese.

Raquel Meller visited New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and Los Angeles.

The sight and sound of Meller were captured for the Fox Movietone sound system, first demonstrated to the public at the Sam H Harris Theatre in New York City on 21 January 1927.

On her 1926 visit to Los Angeles, Raquel Meller attracted the attention of Charlie Chaplin, who tried to secure her to costar with him.

In 1932 Raquel Meller shot a second version of Violettes imperiales for the talkies, and in 1936 began shooting Lola Triana, whose production was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War.

In 1937 Raquel Meller traveled to Argentina where she remained until 1939.

Raquel Meller's legend was rekindled with the films The Last Torch Song and The Violet Seller, which starred Sara Montiel singing songs popularized by Meller.

Raquel Meller is interred in the Montjuic Cemetery in Barcelona.