Born in Montijo, Spain, Quintana and her family migrated to Mexico when she was 5 years old. She began her career working in theatre and later participated in films as an extra. Her first important role was as Carmen Ochoa in "Una solución inesperada", a segment of the drama film Canasta de cuentos mexicanos (1956). She then enrolled in the National Association of Actors' theatre and film institute (Instituto Teatral y Cinematográfico). She was given her first starring role in El buen ladrón (1957) before her breakthrough in Bolero inmortal (1958), in which she debuted as a singer; the film's soundtrack album, for which she recorded songs, was a commercial success throughout Hispanic America. She starred opposite Pedro Armendáriz, her favorite actor, in Dos hijos desobedientes (1960). Greatly admired by audiences for her beauty and talent, she became one of the most popular Mexican performers of the 1960s. Her last appearances were in the telenovelasEl dolor de amar (1966), in which she played a villain for the first time, and Felipa Sánchez, la soldadera (1967), in which the press declared she created "an unforgettable character" as the title role.
Death and legacy
Quintana, who never married, suffered from pancreatic problems and renal failure during her last months. She died of a stroke on 8 August 1968, in Mexico City; she was survived by her mother, Alejandra Molina, and her two siblings, Juana Quintana Molina and José Díaz Molina. She was interred at the Panteón Jardín on 9 August.
A street in Montijo, her hometown, is named after her.
Studio albums
Bolero inmortal (1958)
Diferente (1963)
Toda una vida (1965)
Acércate más (1966)
Compilation albums
La inolvidable Elvira Quintana (1968)
Filmography
Actress
1967
Adriana (TV Series)
1967
Felipa Sanchez, la soldadera (TV Series) as
Felipa Sanchez (1967)
1967
Los años verdes
1966
El dolor de amar (TV Series)
1966
Gutierritos (TV Series) as
Sra. Gutierrez
- Episode #1.1 (1966) - Sra. Gutierrez
1966
¡Viva Benito Canales! as
Rosa
1965
Tintansón CruZoe as
Luana
1965
Las tapatías nunca pierden as
Griselda Rios
1964
Me llaman el cantaclaro as
Amparo
1964
Los amores de Marieta - Los Fabulosos 20s
1964
Tres muchachas de Jalisco as
Elvira
1963
Los derechos de los hijos as
Elvira
1963
Tres palomas alborotadas as
Anita
1963
La divina garza as
Constancia
1962
Lástima de ropa as
Rosa del Valle
1962
Juventud sin Dios (La vida del padre Lambert) as
Patricia
1961
Se alquila marido as
Rita
1961
Amor a balazo limpio as
Chabela
1961
Bonitas las tapatías
1961
De hombre a hombre
1961
Enterrado vivo as
Marisela
1961
Duelo indio as
Marisela
1961
Tres Romeos y una Julieta
1961
Muñecos infernales as
Karina
1961
El tiro de gracia as
Marisela
1961
Una pasión me domina as
Valentina
1961
Los laureles as
Rosita
1960
El torneo de la muerte as
Minerva
1960
Revolver en guardia
1960
Peligros de juventud as
Sue
1960
La ley de las pistolas as
María
1960
Las canciones unidas
1960
El 7 de copas as
Rosa
1960
Pistolas invencibles as
Carmen Montenegro
1960
Poker de reinas as
Catalina Arévalo
1960
Los tigres del ring as
Minerva
1960
Dos hijos desobedientes as
Elvira
1959
Captain David Grief (TV Series) as
Luana
- Port of Rogues (1959) - Luana
1959
800 Leagues Over the Amazon as
Minha
1959
Gutierritos as
Rosa
1959
El vestido de novia as
Rebeca Ponce
1958
Bolero inmortal as
Lina Rivas
1958
La mafia del crimen as
Linda
1958
Un vago sin oficio
1957
El caudillo as
Marisela
1957
Furias desatadas as
Minerva
1957
Secuestro diabolico as
Minerva
1957
Dios no lo quiera as
Rosa
1957
El buen ladrón
1957
Cada hijo una cruz
1957
Wire Service (TV Series) as
Mrs. Ortega
- El Hombre (1957) - Mrs. Ortega
1956
Canasta de cuentos mexicanos as
Carmen Ochoa (segment "Una solución inesperada")
1956
Caras nuevas
1955
Tres melodías de amor as
Marta (uncredited)
1955
Lo que le pasó a Sansón as
Miriam
1955
'Las viudas del cha-cha-cha'
1955
El túnel 6 as
Luz María novia de Ramón
1955
La mujer X as
Invitada a fiesta (uncredited)
1955
El pueblo sin Dios as
Cabaretera
1955
El vendedor de muñecas as
Secretaria de Roberto (uncredited)
Soundtrack
1965
Las tapatías nunca pierden (performer: "La parranda", "Las alteñitas", "Aquellos ojitos verdes", "Qué padre es la vida", "Esos altos de Jalisco")
1964
Me llaman el cantaclaro (performer: "Los igualados", "Atotonilco")
1964
Tres muchachas de Jalisco (performer: "Un jarrito", "Atrevimiento", "Delito")
1963
Los derechos de los hijos (performer: "Alma corazón y vida", "Bésame mucho", "Encadenados", "Historia de un Amor", "No puede ser")
1963
Tres palomas alborotadas (performer: "Canta, Canta, Canta")
1962
Lástima de ropa (performer: "Grítenme piedras del campo", "Fallaste corazón", "La enorme distancia", "No volveré")
1961
Bonitas las tapatías (performer: "Al morir la tarde", "Cocula", "Ay Jalisco no te rajes", "Albur de amor", "Amor con amor se paga", "Guadalajara", "Ni el dinero ni nadie")
1961
Los laureles (performer: "Los laureles")
1960
Pistolas invencibles (performer: "Corazón corazón", "A la noche con la luna", "No volveré", "La cárcel de Cananea")
1960
Poker de reinas (performer: "Piccolísima serenata", "Regalame esta noche", "Llévame")
1958
Bolero inmortal (performer: "Por El Triste Camino", "Desesperadamente", "Amor, Amor, Amor", "Contigo A La Distancia", "Tu Me Acostumbraste", "Nosotros", "Sabras Que Te Quiero", "Besame Mucho", "Nochecita")
Archive Footage
2005
Ni muy, muy... ni tan, tan... simplemente Tin Tan (Documentary)