Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano (born November 30, 1936),
Early life
Born in Santa Rosalía de Camargo, Chihuahua, Luz Elena Ruiz Bejarano was given her pseudonym "Lucha Villa" by television producer Luis G. Dillon
("Lucha" a
hypocorism for Luz Elena, and "Villa" in honor of
Pancho Villa). She has been a constant presence in popular music and film since the early 1960s. Villa's early hits included "Media vuelta", by José Alfredo Jiménez, as well as "La cruz del cielo" and "Viva quien sabe querer"
In the 1970s, Lucha Villa traveled to Denver, Colorado to perform for a benefit for the Crusade for Justice, youth programs and school.
In 1996, Villa, along with Lola Beltrán and Amalia Mendoza, recorded the studio album, Disco del Siglo: Las Tres Señoras, produced by Juan Gabriel,
Acting career
She appeared in several films during the 1950s and early 1960s, received her first starring role in
El gallo de oro (1964),
and starred in
Me cansé de rogarle, a musical with Jiménez and recording star Marco Antonio Muñiz. She has appeared in some fifty films and won an Ariel Award for Best Actress (the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar) for
Mecánica nacional (1973).
Personal life
She fell into a coma because of complications during surgery in August 1997, but recovered after a long stay in hospital,
and has appeared on television sporadically since then. She was married five times: Mario Miller (1951-1958), Alejandro Camacho, Arturo Durazo (guitarist for Los Apson, 1960), Justiniano Rengifo, (from Zacatecoluca, El Salvador, 1974), and Francisco Muela. Lucha Villa has three children: Rosa Elena (1953), Carlos Alberto (1954), María José (1974).
Discography
Early in her career she made a collaborative album with Luis Aguilar on
RCA Victor. Most of her output has been on
Musart Records; she also recorded for
Ariola and WEA Warner.
Selected filmography
-
The Empire of Dracula (1967)
-
National Mechanics (1972)
External links
