Merche Mar, the 'last starlet' of Barcelona's Parallel, dies

Merche Mar , considered by many to be 'the last great star of the Paralelo' in Barcelona, ​​an artist who was faithful to the Molino for decades, died on Tuesday after suffering a stroke a few days ago , explained sources close to the Barcelona native, who always hid her age.

He began his career at the El Molino theatre, at a very young age, with no theatrical background in his family, at a time, in 1965, when artists such as Johnson and Escamillo were emerging, with whom he performed.

On one occasion she had explained that she studied at a convent school, where she learned piano and ballet and at the age of thirteen she made her debut playing the accordion , after convincing the owner and director of the Molino, Doña Vicenta, during some selection tests.

Accompanied by her father, she passed all the singing, dancing and accordion tests.

During her career, she took part in shows such as Rubias y morenas, La flauta del faraón, Las pícaras molineras, Béseme donde quieras, Taxi al Molino and Pluma y peineta , the last production before the theatre closed in 1997, although, later, in 2010, she returned to "her" Molino, when it reopened, to act as a hostess with a "viper's tongue" in Made in Paral·lel.

Cultural activist Joan Estrada has lamented the death of the artist, whom he has described as "an authentic symbol of Barcelona", a "very friendly, approachable woman , who at El Molino was the first to win over the women in the audience, turning them into her accomplices".

A good companion to her colleagues, from Maña to Amparo Moreno and Susana Egea, according to Estrada, she was also "supportive, without ever being a star of anything."

During his long career, he also acted in theatres throughout Spain, as well as on television, and had a few film roles, such as in the film 'Soldados de Salamina'.

In 2005 she published the book of memoirs, 'El Molino. Historias de una vedette'.