Renowned Argentine singer and composer Leo Dan passed away this morning, January 1, 2025, of undisclosed causes. He had lived in Miami for over thirty years and announced his retirement from performing just a year ago. A beloved figure in Latin American music and a prominent member of the Nueva Ola movement alongside Palito Ortega and Leonardo Favio, he was celebrated for timeless hits such as “Cómo te extraño mi amor,” “Te he prometido,” “Mary es mi amor,” “Pídeme la luna,” and “Qué tiene la niña.” Beyond his musical success, he also starred in several feature films during the sixties.
Born Leopoldo Dante Tévez in Atamisqui, Santiago del Estero, Dan made his cinematic debut in the 1965 film ¡Santiago Querido!, directed by Catrano Catrani and Virgilio Muguerza. This movie, named after the song he composed in homage to his birthplace, tells the poignant story of a wealthy man who takes in a little orphan girl and her donkey, only for the donkey to be put down following an accident.
In 1966, Dan starred in ¡Cómo te extraño…! (How I Miss You), directed by Enrique Cahen Salaberry and co-starring Claudia Mores, Leonor Rinaldi, and Pedro Quartucci. Named after his popular song, the film follows an air stewardess who tries to convince her father to return to Europe with her. Meanwhile, the ranch foreman endeavors to prevent him from leaving.
The following year, Dan reunited with Cahen Salaberry for the comedy La muchachada de a bordo, which chronicles the adventures of two conscripts on an aircraft carrier, including one man's rivalry with an officer over a woman. In 1968, he starred in the remake of the 1942 drama Story of a Poor Young Man / La novela de un joven pobre, also directed by Cahen Salaberry. Co-starring Niní Marshall and Rafael Carret, the film depicts the life of a young man who, driven by financial need, becomes a manager at an estate in southern Argentina and attempts to win the heart of a wealthy heiress.
In 2018, Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón featured Dan's hit "Te he prometido" on the soundtrack of his multi-award-winning film Roma, which garnered both Oscars and Golden Globes.
