Elsa Daniel and Lautaro Murúa in Leopoldo Torre Nilsson's The House of the Angel (1957)
Elsa Daniel, the iconic Argentine actress that performed in numerous films, particularly during the 50s and 60s, died Sunday at the age of 78 in Buenos Aires, after a series of health complications. Née Elsa Nilda Gómez in San Lorenzo, province of Santa Fé, she worked with some of Argentina's most famed directors including Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, Leonardo Favio, Román Viñoly Barreto, and Daniel Tinayre.
Born on September 28, 1938 , Elsa Daniel had a prolific career in radio, theater, film and television in her native Argentina. She made her film debut in Román Viñoly Barreto's 1954 family drama El abuelo / The Grandfather, for which she was named Breakthrough Actress of the Year by the Argentinean Film Critics Association.
Some of her most seminal performances came under the direction of filmmaker Leopoldo Torre Nilson: Graciela (1956) and La casa del ángel / The House of the Angel (1957), both opposite Chilean-born actor Lautaro Murúa, La caída / The Fall (1959), and The Hand in The Trap / La mano en la trampa (1961). The House of the Angel and The Hand in the Trap both premiered in the official competition at the Cannes Film Festival, the latter receiving the International Film Critics Prize, while The Fall was in the official competition at the Berlinale.
For her work in Viñoly Barreto's Un centavo de mujer / A Woman's Penny (1958) she received the Best Actress Award from the National Film Institute. She also participated in the films La novia / The Bride (1961) by Ernesto Arancibia, Las furias / The Furies (1962) by Viasta Lah, Los inconstantes (1963) by Rodolfo Kuhn, La cigarra no es un bicho / The Games Men Play (1963) by Daniel Tinayre, Un momento muy largo / Il Vuoto (1964) by Piero Vivarelli, Cosquín, amor y folklore / Cosquín, Love and Folklore (1965) by Delfor M. Becaglia, and the omnibus film Viaje de una noche de verano / A Midsummer Night's Trip (1965).
In 1967 she starred in the leading role of Leonardo Favio's classic Este es el romance del Aniceto y la Francisca, de cómo quedó trunco, comenzó la tristeza y unas pocas cosas más... / The romance of Aniceto and Francisca opposite Federico Luppi for which she won the Silver Condor Award for Best Actress presented by the Argentinean Film Critics Association.
In the last sixties and seventies, Elsa Daniel also worked with filmmakers Héctor Olivera, Derlis M. Becaglia, Enrique Carreras, José Martínez Suárez, Emilio Vieyra, and Oscar Barney Finn. She retired from acting in 1987, and in 2003 she was presented with a special Silver Condor for her career.
