Fábregas, Manolo

(1921-1996)

   actor and theatrical producer, known as "Señor Teatro" for his years of work as an actor, producer, director and theatrical impresario. Fábregas was born on 15 July 1921 in Vigo, Spain. His real name was Manuel Sánchez Navarro Schiller: his grandmother was the famous actress Virginia Fábregas, his father - Manuel Sánchez Navarro - was an actor, and his mother - Fanny Schiller - was also a well-known performer. Manolo's first film role came in 1933, when he appeared with his father in Pecados de Amor. His film career in earnest at the age of 20. He originally played supporting roles, occasionally as someone's son or younger brother, or as a "male ingenue" type, most often in dramatic films, but in the 1950s he moved up to starring roles, often in comedies. At the end of decade he began to devote most of his time to his theatrical endeavors and made only sporadic film appearances afterwards. Fábregas was awarded a "Diosa de Plata" by PECIME for his performance in Mecánica nacional. His final film appearances were in the early 1980s, in the Televicine productions Lagunilla, mi barrio and its sequel, Lagunilla 2. However, he continued to work on television and in the theatre until May 1987, when he suffered a stroke that limited his activities, although he stayed active in the theatrical world until his death of a heart attack in February 1996. Several of his children are also actors, notably Rafael Sánchez Navarro.