Manolete

Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (July 4 1917 in Córdoba, Spain - August 28 1947 in Linares, Spain), better known as Manolete, was a famous Spanish bullfighter. He rose to prominence shortly after the Spanish Civil War. He is considered by some to be the greatest bullfighter of all time. His style was sober and serious, with few concessions to the gallery, and he excelled at the 'suerte de matar', the kill. He died following a goring in the right upper leg as he killed the fifth bull of the day, the Miura bull Islero, an event that left Spain in a sense of shock.

The "corrida" in Linares was a "mano a mano". Manolete had been lured out of retirement by the up and coming Luis Miguel Dominguin, who was at the time courting the American movie star, Ava Gardner. General Francisco Franco, then ruler of Spain, ordered three days of "national mourning", during which only funeral dirges were heard on the radio.

In popular culture

Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody will play him in 2006's Manolete.
The George A. Romero film, Land of the Dead featured a character named Manolete, who was named after the bullfighter.
Crooked Fingers' 2005 album Dignity and Shame is loosely based in part on the life of Manolete.

External links

http://www.fib.se/mano.html
http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/bullfighting/manolete.htm
[Manolete, Estrella Internacional] La Cueva de Zaratustra
{http://www.peta.org/feat-manoletemovie.asp

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