When I was in high school I had the fortune to meet Manuel Benítez (El Cordobés), one of the most famous bullfighters of the 20th century. My family had an extravagant and festive dinner with him and his wife where we were entertained by his overwhelming energy and disregard for convention as he played the bull through the waiters napkins to the Paso Doble ringing out from the piano. At the end of the meal, we parted ways, with contact details scribbled on a scrap of paper that has long since been lost.
I am now reading the biography of El Cordobés (Or I'll Dress You in Mourning, which I'll review after I've finished). The book was written over thirty years ago and so does not cover most of his life. After reading the details of his youth growing up in Francoist Spain, I can't help but wonder what has happened to him.
I did a little searching on the web (as you do) and found surprisingly little current news. For someone so famous (in Spain) I thought there would be the occasional newspaper article in the past few years mentioning him, but not that I could find. Nor could I find any mention of his death. In fact, the stub article in wikipedia claims he's still alive. A little further digging and it turns out he gave up retirement and was in the ring (in Spanish) as recently as 2004 (at the age of 68!).
His predecessor, Manolete, died in the bullring not long after coming back from retirement to redeem his name after the public turned against him for retiring. It seems that anyone who makes it as a bullfighter (and a lot of people who tried but didn't succeed) are destined to die in the ring.
I'd be interested to know more about his recent life, if anyone finds anything (or who reads Spanish better than I and finds Spanish news about him).
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I worshiped El Cordobes as a 60's College student in upstate NY. I had his pictures from Life magazine plastered on my sorority
ReplyDeleteroom walls- at a time when my riends had Beatles posters. He was incredible. Desided to do a web search down memory lane and was pleased to at least find his name but no pictures yet. Hello to all you fellow fans out there.
"El Cordobes" is still alive, apparently living in seclusion near his hometown Cordoba. However, in May of this year, 2007, Manuel Benitez was in attendace when his son, Julio Benitez, received the "alternative" (traditional ceremony when a young bullfighter is confirmed as a professional). Bullfighter "Finito de Cordoba" was supposed to welcome young Julio to the professional world but he kindly deferred that honor to Manuel Benitez who warmly embraced his son.
ReplyDeleteYou may see a short video about this event in YouTube. The video shows a combination of scenes of the alternative ceremony of "El Cordobes" more than 40 years ago with scenes of his own son alternative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJyCXx7hVQE
Cool, thanks for the information. When I wrote the original post I scoured the 'net for pictures or news, but couldn't find much (even in Spanish). It sounds like he came out of retirement and was still fighting as recently as a few years ago, but I was only able to find one short news article about that.
ReplyDeleteI came across this blog while researching El Cordobas. I never knew there were others out there who still remembered what an incredible person and bullfighter he was. My mother and father were such fans of his in the 60's. I still have the lithograph photos my mother had from then. They also had the original edition of "Or I'll dress you in mourning" which I now have. From what I know he is alive but keeps to himself. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful contributions and memories of a 20th century renaissance man. This has been very enjoyable to read.
ReplyDeletehi.... have you found out anything on him??
ReplyDeleteI saw him in Spain before a bullfight coming out of a fancy hotel with all teh younger bullfighters...... i had no idea who he was but his smile and all of him never left me.......
My brother then lived in spain for a year and returned with presents... i took a poster of a bullfighter... hardly looked at it... then my father... who had read the book when it came out mentioned it to me.... i then put it all together.. you see when my dad was living in mexico city in college he faught bulls too. two gringos........ im prettty sure they got ruffed up a bit... but wonderful pictures.
please please let me know if you have found out if he still is alive. i would love to photograph him. Thank you for your time, Maddie Phillips (p.s. hi from Texas!)
hi me again........
ReplyDeleteto all you college students in the 60's.....
my dad was obsessed to....... i only wish i could meet him....... i did see him on accident though.......... wonderful day... had no idea who he was..... but remembered this man..... found out later... after my father wanted me to read a book.
thanks, maddie...
p.s. i would like to know if he is still hiding in cordobes.....
i will go on the hunt for him!
I had the pleasure of seeing El Cordobes in the ring in Barcelona in 1971.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of him but someone in my hotel who encouraged me to go see him fight the bull.
It was an amazing experience. I never went to a bull fight after that. I had seen the best...
I was lucky enough to see him three times in Tijuana in 1969 or 70. I took my sister to one corrida for her 21st b-day. One of the bulls that day was tremendous and received the honor of being saved. I can't remember the term now, it's been so long. The bull jumped the interior fence twice, killed one of the picadores horses and I'm pretty sure injured one of the matadors. The bull and El Cordobes put on a wonderful show that day and like I said the bull was saved. My sister has been a vegetarian ever since. To each his/her own.
ReplyDeleteI was travelling through Spain in 1970 and saw a large poster of El Cordobes in a small bar in Valencia during "festival". We went to the bullfight and was mesmerized by the beauty of the ballet. Suddenly the bull pinned El Cordobes and I thought I was going to watch the death of this great man when he jumped back up and went on to drive in the sword and just turn his back to the bull. The bull stood for a few seconds and just fell over dead. I could not believe what I had just seen. I went back to the bar and bought the poster after the festival. I carried it for three more months hitchhiking and put it up at home for years after. I never knew what became of it as I left it at my parents...I just found this site while thing back on this great time and enjoy reading the other posts. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI too had that poster of El Cordobes and wonderful memories of meeting him, while on my first trip abroad, in 1965, with 3 girlfriends. we were on a tour and spent one night at a hotel in Cordoba, and jokingly asked the bellboy where we could find him...he replied HERE... A small tip and he gave us his room number. brazenly, we knocked on the door and asked for autographs...he was delightful. imagine our surprise when 15 minutes later, there was a knock on our door and that bellboy says, El Cordobes would like the pleasure of your company for dinner! We had the most amazing night... Many schoolgirl giggles. he was gorgeous. and the next morning, he came to say goodbye to our bus and BROUGHT me flowers! thank God we took many photos or no one would have believed us.
ReplyDeleteIn 1970 I attended my first bullfight on my vacation in Spain. Manuel Benitex "El Cordones" and Jose Fuentes and Diego Puerta all performed.
ReplyDeleteI purchased a rayon event poster 29 x 48 .
I have had it in storage until today and I may be selling it. It is in perfect condition with vibrant colors ,great for framing and preserving behind glass
A great Spanish bullfighter the most highly paid torero in history.
Thank you for your article.