The actor Paco Martínez Soria was born on December 18, 1902 in the town of Tarazona, in the province of Zaragoza. He was also a theatrical entrepreneur.
When he was 6 years old he moved to Barcelona, due to the transfer of his father who was a policeman. After completing his studies, he carried out various jobs, as a clerk or commercial. At the same time, he began to be interested in the theater, collaborating in performances carried out by amateur groups in the Barrio de Gracia.
His professional debut takes place in the cinema, in 1934, when he is fortunate enough to be able to play an extra role in the film “Sereno … and storm”, directed by the director Ignacio F. Iquino, with whom he continues working during the following years, in feature films such as “On the fringes of the law”, “Alma de Dios”, “The deceased is alive” or “Accident wedding”.
For a few years he continues to make films, most of them with the same director, which he combines with his work in the theater. It was in 1965, when Pedro Lazaga hired him to work on the film “The city is not for me”, that he acquired great popularity, playing the role of a good-natured and hicky town man. He was so successful in this performance that he was pigeonholed in it, representing him in all the films that followed, such as “Abuelo Made in Spain”, “Don erre que erre”, “You have to educate dad”, “Grandpa has a plan ”or“ I’m made a kid ”.
As for his work in the theater, in 1940 he founded his own company, at the Fontalba Theater in Madrid, with which he premiered with the play “Your wife is not my thing” and which is followed by others, all of them comic-minded.
In 1942 he became part of the Teatro de la Zarzuela company, becoming, in addition to being an actor, its director, until 1944.
In 1960 he bought the Talia Theater in Barcelona, where he achieved success after success with his comic works, for no less than 40 years, settling to live in the town of Cabrera de Mar, in the province of Barcelona. There he is seen in works such as “Carlos’s aunt”, “Anacleto gets divorced”, “Bonaparte wants to live in peace” or “Keep my secret, Lucas!”, Among many others.
Among the awards and distinctions that the actor garnered over the years, we will highlight the National Theater Award, the National Film Award, the Gold Medal of the city of Valladolid or the Antena de Plata.
Paco Martínez Soria died on February 26, 1982 in Madrid, being transferred to Cabrera de Mar and buried in the small cemetery of that town.