José Luis de Vilallonga

José Luis de Vilallonga
Born	José Luis de Vilallonga y Cabeza de Vaca January 29, 1920(1920-01-29) Madrid, Spain
Died	August 30, 2007(2007-08-30) (aged 87) Andratx, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Resting place	Poblenou Cemetery
Occupation	Author, aristocrat and actor
Years active	1958–1997
Spouse	The Hon. Essylt-Priscilla Scott-Ellis (1945-1972) Syliane Stella Morell (1974-1995) María Begoña Aranguren Gárate (1999-2007)
Children	John Alfonso Stephen de Vilallonga y Scott-Ellis Carmen Beatrice de Vilallonga y Scott-Ellis
Parents	Salvador de Vilallonga y de Cárcer (father) María del Carmen Cabeza de Vaca y Carvajal (mother)
Relatives	María Antonia de Vilallonga y Cabeza de Vaca (sister) Alfonso Salvador de Vilallonga y Cabeza de Vaca (brother)

José Luis de Villalonga y Cabeza de Vaca, 9th Marquess of Castellbell (29 January 1920 – 30 August 2007) was an author, aristocrat and actor who co-starred with Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Biography

Born in Madrid, Spain, de Villalonga – who also went by the surname of Cabeza de Vaca – was a Grandee of Spain and part of the nobility, holding the title of Marquis de Castellbell. Upon the declaration in 1931 of Spain's Second Republic his family went into exile in Biarritz, France, but returned six months later. When the Spanish Civil War erupted in 1936, de Villalonga was at a French school, but his father ordered him back to Spain to fight on the side of General Franco. His father was an enthusiastic supporter of Franco, and at age 16 de Villalonga was a serving member of a Nationalist execution platoon.

After World War II, de Villalonga became increasingly disenchanted with the Franco regime, and he left the Spanish diplomatic service to live abroad. In 1954 his first novel, The Ramblas End in the Sea, was published, causing the Spanish military government censor to issue a ban on his reentry to the country. He then obtained work as a foreign correspondent for the national press agency EFE and for the magazines Paris Match, Marie Claire and Vogue. His social connections and ability to relate gossip among Europe's jet set enabled him to regularly sell magazine articles, in addition to authoring four autobiographical tell-all books about his numerous love affairs. After recording taped interviews with Spain's King Juan Carlos, he wrote an official biography of the King that was published in 1993.

Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, de Villonga continued his acting career. Though he refused a Hollywood acting contract, a highlight in his acting career was a role as "José da Silva Pereira," the dashing Brazilian multimillionaire whom Holly Golightly planned to marry in Blake Edwards' 1961 classic movie, Breakfast At Tiffany's.

Villalonga was married three times, to The Honourable Essylt-Priscilla Scott-Ellis (daugther of Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden) (b. 1916 d. 1983) (married 1945, divorced 1972), Syliane Stella Morell (married 1974, divorced 1995), and since 1999 to journalist Begoña Aranguren. A spendthrift, he soon disposed of much of his first wife's inheritance and property. His frequent affairs, including a relationship with the French actress Michèle Girardon and Hungarian actress Magda Gabor, both while still legally married to Essylt-Priscilla Scott-Ellis. Girardon eventually committed suicide in 1975 after de Villalonga ended their relationship to marry Syliane Stella Morell. Though courts twice found him liable for alimony to his first wife Essylt-Priscilla Scott-Ellis, de Villalonga never paid the judgment, an act which reduced her to poverty for the remainder of her life. His third wife Begoña Aranguren also became disenchanted
with de Villalonga, and the couple separated in 2002. Aranguren wrote a scathing portrayal of the aging socialite and their marriage in 2004.

De Villalonga died at his home on the island of Majorca on 30 August 2007 from natural causes. He is survived by children John and Carmen from his first marriage and an adopted son Fabricio. King Juan Carlos expressed his sadness at Vilallonga's death.

Select filmography

• Blood and Sand (1989) - Don José
• La Diputada (1988)
• Poppers (1984)
• Scarab (1984)
• National Heritage (1981)
• Patrizia (1980)
• The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1976)
• The Angels (1973)
• How Did a Nice Girl Like You Get Into This Business? (1970)
• Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
• Darling (1965)
• Any Number Can Win (1963)
• Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - José da Silva Pereira, a Brazilian millionaire.
• The Nina B. Affair (1961)
• The Lovers (1958)

Bibliography

• The Man of Pleasure (1961), ISBN 2020009617
• Allegro Barbaro (1969), ISBN 2020010771
• Fiesta (1995), ISBN 2221082133
• Solo, Editions (2000), ISBN 2226003312

External links

• Obituary in The Times
• Jose Luis de Villalonga at IMDb