PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Custodio, Álvaro (1912-1992)Other forms

Dates of existence/Biographical dates:

Écija (Sevilla, España) 1912-12-13 - San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid, España) 1992-04-27

History:

Spanish dramatist who exiled in Mexico. He was born in Écija (Seville) in 1912 and was member of a well-off family. His parents owned the "Teatro Custodia" of Écija, currently the "Teatro Municipal". In 1921, he and his mother, Victoria Custodio, moved to Madrid. He studied the higher secondary-education course in the Madrid High School and was in contact with the theatre business and the theater group La Barraca thanks to his sister, the actress Ana María Muñoz Custodio. He graduated in Laws in the "Universidad Central de Madrid" in 1934, and in the International Training Federation as well. He was member of the "Federación Universitaria Española" (FUE). He worked as embassy secretary since 1936 to 1939, and was in contact with Federico García Lorca, though they grew apart due to some differences. During the Spanish Civil War, he joined the Communist Party and worked in the Propaganda Office of the 2nd Spanish Republic, and carried out several diplomatic, communication and intelligence tasks. He was sent to the "Estado Mayor de Aviación". He took shelter in José Giral's house and moved to France with his wife, Isabel Richart, and their daughter, Isabel Custodio, when Franco's army took Barcelona. They were imprisoned in Banyuls-Sur-Mer concentration camp. He lived in Paris but moved to Santo Domingo in 1940 on board "De la Salle" ship, while his wife and daughter returned to Spain. He settled in Cuba between 1941 and 1944, where he directed his first shows with the theatre group "Teatro Popular" at the same time he worked as film critic for "Hoy" socialist newspaper. His differences with the editorial board forced him to leave the Communist Party and moved to Mexico in 1944. He there founded the "Compañía de Teatro Español" and directed classic works and Federico García Lorca's pieces, and collaborated in several magazines as well. During his last years, his activity decreased and focused on the direction of the "Compañía Vocacional Real Coliseo" in San Lorenzo del Escorial.

Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939

Date of the event: 1936 - 1939

República Española, 1931-1939

Occupations

Diplomats

Places

Domicile:

Cuba between 1941 and 1942

Domicile:

México between 1942 and 1973

Lugar de Nacimiento:

Écija (Sevilla, España) in 1912-12-13

Lugar de Defunción:

San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid, España) in 1992-04-27

Subjects

Exiles

Sources

. Pla Brugat, Dolores. Catálogo del fondo de historia oral : refugiados españoles en México : Archivo de la Palabra. 1ª ed.. Dolores Pla Brugat (coordinadora). México D.F.: Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia. 2011. 1 CD-ROM. 978-607-484-184-8.

Bibliothèque nationale de France

Custodio, Álvaro. Aub, Elena. Proyecto de Historia Oral "Refugiados Españoles en México", Archivo de la Palabra, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), México : entrevista a Alvaro Custodio. realizada por Elena Aub [Para El Instituto Nacional de Antropología E Historia de México En Colaboración Con el Ministerio de Cultura de España]. [s.L.: S.N.]: 1982]. 2 V..

CCBAE: Registro de autoridad Álvaro Custodio