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Lina Romay

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This article is about the Spanish actress. For the Mexican-American singer of the same name, see Lina Romay (singer).
Lina Romay
Born
Rosa María Almirall Martínez

(1954-06-25)25 June 1954
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Died15 February 2012(2012-02-15) (aged 57)
Málaga, Andalusia, Spain
Other namesCandy Coster, Lulu Laverne
Spouses
Ramon Ardid
​
​
(m. 1972; div. 1978)​
​
(m. 2008)​

Rosa María Almirall Martínez (25 June 1954 – 15 February 2012), known by the stage name Lina Romay, was a Spanish actress and filmmaker. She often appeared in films directed by her long-time companion, and later husband, Jesús Franco. She appeared in approximately 109 Franco films made over a 30-year period, from 1973 to 2010. She sometimes used the pseudonyms Candy Coster and Lulu Laverne.

Early life

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Romay was born Rosa María Almirall Martínez in Barcelona on June 25, 1954.[1] She attended high school at Lope de Vega between 1964 to 1970. After graduating high school, she enrolled in the Massana Art School, where she met and married actor/photographer Ramon Ardid (aka Raymond Hardy). She began acting in amateur stage productions.[1]

Romay first met Franco when he and a friend came to see her troupe's performance of Terra Baixa. After the play ended, Franco offered her a role in one of his films. Her husband at the time, Ramon Ardid, was working for Franco as a still photographer. Her first film with Franco was Relax Baby, but the movie was never released.[1]

Career

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She began appearing in Jesús Franco's films when they met in 1972, adopting the stage name Lina Romay after an actress and jazz artist from the 1940s.[2] She also used the stage names, Candy Coster and Lulu Laverne, stating, I'm Lina Romay when I have brown hair, Candy Coster when I have blonde hair, and Lulu Laveme when I have red hair."[1] Franco cast her in her first lead role in his 1973 film The Female Vampire.[3]

She acted in over a hundred feature films, most directed by Franco. A self-confessed exhibitionist,[3] the majority of their films together were in the erotic film genre (including many X titles featuring unsimulated sex scenes; she had unsimulated sex with Franco in one of this movies),[4][5] but she also appeared in many of his horror, comedy, and action/adventure films as well. Among the better known of her horror films are The Bare Breasted Countess (1973), Barbed Wire Dolls (1975) and Jack the Ripper (1976). Ardid co-starred with her in several of Franco's films until he realized she was having an affair with Franco in 1975. Romay and Ardid finalized their divorce in 1978, and Ardid stopped working with Franco after 1980.

Although Romay was listed in the credits of several of Franco's films as a co-director, actor Antonio Mayans stated in a 2019 interview that Franco used to credit her in that manner for business reasons, and that she never actually co-directed any of the films. However, she contributed occasional plot ideas and assisted in the editing room.[6]

Personal life and death

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Romay was a polyglot, speaking Spanish, Catalan, French, Portuguese, Italian, and English.[1]

Lina Romay and Jesús Franco lived as a couple for almost four decades but only officially married on 25 April 2008.[7] She died from cancer at the age of 57 on 15 February 2012 in Málaga, Spain. Franco died soon after in 2013.

Selected filmography

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Feature films

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Film performances
Year Title Role Notes
1973 The Erotic Rites of Frankenstein Esmeralda, the gypsy [8]
1974 How to Seduce a Virgin Davey's girlfriend [9]
1974 The Lustful Amazons Yuka, the priestess [10]
1974 Exorcism Anna [11]
1974 Lorna the Exorcist Linda Barielle [12]
1974 Countess Perverse Sylvia Aguado [13]
1974 Night of the Skull Rita Derian, Lord Marian's daughter [14]
1974 Célestine, An All Round Maid Célestine [15]
1974 Le Jouisseur Loulou [16]
1975 Female Vampire Irina, Countess of Karlstein [17]
1975 Les Gloutonnes Bianca [18][19]
1975 Les Chatouilleuses Loulou [20]
1975 Les Grandes Emmerdeuses Pina [21]
1975 The Hot Nights of Linda Olivia Radeck Called Olivia Steiner in the French prints[22]
1975 Barbed Wire Dolls Maria da Guerra, prisoner [23]
1975 Le Miroir obscéne Marie [24][25]
1976 Julietta 69 Justine [26]
1976 Midnight Party Sylvia Sanders, a stripper Character named Laura in the Spanish version[27][28]
1976 Downtown Cynthia Ramos' aka "Annette"; stage name ‘Cynthia La Belle” [29]
1976 Jack the Ripper Marika Hoffman [30][31]
1976 Die Marquise de Sade Lady Doriana Gray and her twin sister [32]
1977 Ilsa the Wicked Warden Juana Marez, prisoner no. 10 [33][34]
1977 Women Behind Bars Shirley Fields, Perry Mendoza’s love [35][36]
1977 Die Sklavinnen Madame, Princess Arminda [37]
1977 Kiss Me Killer Moira Ray, a stripper [38]
1978 Wicked Woman Margerita Martin [39][40]
1978 Tender and Perverse Emanuelle Greta Douglas, Gordon's sister [41]
1978 The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff Adéle [42]
1979 Elles font tout Nini la fesse, a porno star [43]
1980 Sinfonia Erótica Martine De Bressac Credited as Candice Coster[44]
1980 Opalo de fuego (Mercaderes del sexo) Cécile Le Pen Credited as Candy Coster[45]
1981 Eugénie Historia de una perversion Sultana aka Princess Irina Von Karlstein Credited as Candy Coster[46]
1981 Aberraciones sexuales de una mujer casada George's Mother [47]
1981 The Girls of the Copacabana Lia, Hans's seductress [48]
1981 The Sadist of Notre Dame Anne [49]
1981 Pick-up Girls Bijou Characters name is "Pussy" in UK prints.[50]
1981 The Cannibals Anna/Diana, Jeremy’s nurse Credited as Candy Coster[51][52]
1981 El Sexo est á loco Marcia/Ms. Fonseca/ Cookie Credited as Candy Coster[53]
1982 La Noche de los sexos abiertos Moira [54]
1982 La Noche de los sexos abiertos Moira [54]
1982 Botas negras, látigo de cuero Lina Daniel Credited as Candy Coster[55]
1982 Macumba Sexual Alice Brooks Credited as Candy Coster[56]
1983 El hotel de los ligues Eva Bombón Credited as Candy Coster[57]
1983 La casa de las mujeres perdidas Desdemona Pontecorvo Credited as Candy Coster[58]
1983 El hundimiento de la casa Usher Maria, Usher's housekeeper and mistress [59]
1983 Confesiones íntimas de una exhibicionista Candy aka 'Velvet Tongue' Credited as Candy Coster[60]
1983 Gemidos de placer Julia [61]
1983 Night Has a Thousand Desires Irina [62]
1983 Mansion of the Living Dead Candy Credited as Candy Coster[63]
1983 Diamonds of Kilamandjaro Hermione De Winter, Diana's mother [64]
1983 La tumba de los muertos vivientes Kurt's wife [65]
1983 Camino solitario Eva Raden/Adriana Esteba Credited as Candy Coster[66]
1984 ¿Cuánto cobra un espía? Ana [67]
1984 Lilian (la virgen pervertida) Irina, nightclub owner Credited as Candy Coster[68]
1984 Una rajita para dos Agent 69/89? Credited as Lulu La Verne[69]
1985 Un pito para tres Lulu, a porn star Credited as Lulu Laverne[70]
1985 El ojete de Lulú Lulú Credited as Lulú Laverne[71]
1985 Entre pitos anda el juego Candy Credited as Candy Coster[72]
1985 El chupete de Lulú Lulú Credited as Lulú Laverne[73]
1986 El mirón y la exhibicionista The exhibitionist Credited as Lulu Laverne[74][75]
1986 Para las nenas... leche calentita Chelo Cucufate Credited as Lulu Laverne[76]
1986 Furia en el trópico Marga Lopez [77]
1986 Las chuponas Lulu Credited as Lulu Laverne[78]
1986 Sangre en mis zapatos Paquita la Fina Credited as Candy Coster[79]
1986 Sola ante el terror Melissa Calvo Credited as Candy Coster[80]
1987 Phollastia Barbara Carrington [81]
1988 Faceless Mme. Orloff [82]
1988 Phalo crest Maggie Channing Credited as Brenda Haven[83]
1995 Downtown Heat Melissa [84]
1996 La sombra del judoka contra el Dr.Wong Mari [85]
1998 Tender Flesh Gorgona Radek [86]
2001 Lust for Frankenstein Moira Frankenstein [87]
2001 Mari-Cookie and the Killer Tarantula in 8 Legs to Love You Mari-Cookie/Tarantula [88]
2002 Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell Nelly Smith & Tsai Ming Credited as Candice Coster[89]
2002 Vampire Blues Marga, a Gypsy Fortune-teller [90]
2002 Red Silk Tina Credited as Lulu Laverne[91]
2002 Blind Target Tora [92]
2002 Vampire Junction Alice Brown [93]
2002 Incubus Rosa Harker [94]
2002 Killer Barbys vs. Dracula Comrade Irina von Karstein [95]
2002 Kárate a muerte en Torremolinos Unknown acting role [96][97]
2004 Broken Dolls Tona Martin [98]
2004 Helter Skelter Madame Champville [99]
2005 Las flores de las pasión The voyeur's ex girlfriend [100]
2005 Flores de perversión Madame Augustina Villeblanche [101]
2005 Snakewoman Dr. Van Helsing [102]
2008 La cripta de las mujeres malditas Voice-over [103]
2011 Paula-paula Alma [104]
N/a Rolls Royce Baby N/a [105]
N/a Love Letters of a Nun N/a [citation needed]
N/a Los Blues de la calle pop Genara Winston, aka Butterfly [106]
N/a Bahia blanca Maria [107]
N/a Las últimas de Filipinas Cecilia Muro Also an assistant director as R.M. Almirall[74][108]
N/a Esclavas del crimen Tsai Chin, Fu Manchu's daughter [109]
N/a Esmeralda Bay Loletta, brothel madam Also the film editor, credited as Rosy Almirall[110][111]
N/a Rossa venezia [citation needed]
Film credits
Title Shooting Years Release Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Assistant director Writer Editor Other
Camino solitario 1983 1983 Yes Credited as Rosa M. Almiral [112]
Una rajita para dos 1983 1984 Yes Credited as Aldo Pajini [113]
Un pito para tres 1983-1984 1985 Yes Yes Uncredited [114]
¿Cuánto cobra un espía? 1984 1984 Yes Credited as Rosa Almirall [112]
El ojete de Lulú 1985 1985 Yes Yes Credited as Candy Coster [71]
Entre pitos anda el juego 1985 1985 Yes Yes Credited as Lulu Laverne [72]
El chupete de Lulú 1985 1985 Yes Yes Credited as Lulu Laverne [73]
El mirón y la exhibicionista 1985 1986 Yes Yes Credited as Lulu Laverne [115]
Para las nenas... leche calentita 1985 1986 Yes Yes Credited as Candy Coster [76]
Las chuponas 1982-1984 1986 Yes Yes Credited as Candy Coster [78]
Las chuponas 1982-1984 1987 Yes Yes Credited as Candy Coster [78]
Viaje a Bangkok, ataúd includido 1984 1987 Yes Credited as Rosa Ma. Almirall [70]
Phollastia 1987 1987 Yes Credited as L.L. Laverne [81]
Phalo Crest 1987 1988 Yes Credited as Preston Quaid [83]
Dark Mission 1987 1988 Yes Credited as Rosa M. Almirall [116]
Killer Barbys 1996 1996 Yes Yes Also credited as script supervisor. Credited as Rosa Ma. Almirall [117]
Tender Flesh 1996 1998 Yes Credited as Rosa María Almirall [86]
Incubus 1999 2004 Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director [118]
Blind Target 2000 2002 Yes Credited as the "blood-wrangler". [119]
Helter Skelter 2000 2004 Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director as Rosa Almirall [99]
Vampire Junction 2001 2002 Yes Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director [93]
Incubus 2002 2002 Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director [94]
Las flores de las pasión 2002 2005 Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director as Rosa Almirall [100]
Flores de perversión 2002 2005 Yes Credited as the 1st assistant director as Rosa Almirall [101]
Snakewoman 2005 2005 Yes Yes Credited as Rosa Amirall [102]
La cripta de las mujeres malditas 2007-2008 2008 Yes Yes Credited as the art director, make-up, and second-unit director [120]
Paula-paula 2009 2011 Yes Credited for story, dialogue and make-up as Rosa Maria Almirall [104]
Las últimas de Filipinas 1984 N/a Yes Credited as R.M. Almirall [74][108]
Esmeralda Bay 1988 N/a Yes Credited as Rosy Almirall [121]
Short films
Title Shooting Year Release Year Credited as Notes Ref(s)
Director Screenwriter
El huésped de la niebla 1982 N/a Yes Yes Credited as Rosa M. Almiral [122]
El tren expreso 1982 N/a Yes Yes Credited as Rosa M. Almiral [67]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Greaves, Tim; Collins, Kevin (January 1, 1996). The Lina Romay File: The Intimate Confessions of an Exhibitionist. 1 Shot Publications. ASIN B0DLT7WXTJ.
  2. ^ "Crypt of the Dead profile for Lina Romay". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  3. ^ a b Daultrey, Stephen (May 2014). "Lord of Pleasure and S-Pain". Bizarre. No. 214. London, United Kingdom: Dennis Publishing Ltd. pp. 55–60. ProQuest 1517929871. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  4. ^ Ward, Glenn: Journeys into Perversion: Vision, Desire and Economies of Transgression in the Films of Jess Franco. University of Sussex, May 2011. p. 200.
  5. ^ FRANCO McBastard's Mausoleum: FEBRUARY! THE SADIST OF NOTRE DAME (1979)
  6. ^ Thrower, Stephen (March 26, 2019). Flowers of Perversion. The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco. Vol. 2. Strange Attractor Press. ISBN 9781907222603.
  7. ^ Jess Franco and Lina Romay Interview About Soledad Miranda
  8. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 296.
  9. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 321.
  10. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 336.
  11. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 381.
  12. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 393.
  13. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 326.
  14. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 363-364.
  15. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 391.
  16. ^ Thrower 2015, pp. 402–403.
  17. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 354.
  18. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 340.
  19. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 343.
  20. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 401.
  21. ^ Thrower 2015, pp. 404–405.
  22. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 368.
  23. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 44-45.
  24. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 347.
  25. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 350.
  26. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 20.
  27. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 28.
  28. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 31.
  29. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 60.
  30. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 92.
  31. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 95.
  32. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 70.
  33. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 103.
  34. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 107.
  35. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 53.
  36. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 55.
  37. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 65.
  38. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 377.
  39. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 135.
  40. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 137.
  41. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 374.
  42. ^ Thrower 2015, p. 319.
  43. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 146.
  44. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 171.
  45. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 152.
  46. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 195.
  47. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 188.
  48. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 161.
  49. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 163–164.
  50. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 229–230.
  51. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 173.
  52. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 175.
  53. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 182.
  54. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 242.
  55. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 254.
  56. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 237.
  57. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 267.
  58. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 262.
  59. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 287–288.
  60. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 252.
  61. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 275.
  62. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 301.
  63. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 270.
  64. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 294.
  65. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 245–246.
  66. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 317–318.
  67. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 336.
  68. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 297.
  69. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 332–333.
  70. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 354.
  71. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 368.
  72. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 372.
  73. ^ a b Thrower 2018, pp. 370–371.
  74. ^ a b c Thrower 2018, p. 351.
  75. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 373–374.
  76. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 376.
  77. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 284.
  78. ^ a b c Thrower 2018, p. 375.
  79. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 328–329.
  80. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 325.
  81. ^ a b Thrower 2018, pp. 380–381.
  82. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 387.
  83. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 382.
  84. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 400.
  85. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 274.
  86. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 408.
  87. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 415-416.
  88. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 411.
  89. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 419–420.
  90. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 425–426.
  91. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 429.
  92. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 437-438.
  93. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 444.
  94. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 449.
  95. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 452.
  96. ^ "Muere la actriz Lina Romay, compañera y musa de Jess Franco" [Actress Lina Romay, Jess Franco's partner and muse, dies]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). February 24, 2012. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023.
  97. ^ "Kárate a muerte en Torremolinos" (PDF). Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 10, 2025.
  98. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 433-434.
  99. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 441.
  100. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 455.
  101. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 456.
  102. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 458.
  103. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 463-464.
  104. ^ a b Thrower 2018, pp. 465–466.
  105. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 46.
  106. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 279–280.
  107. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 347.
  108. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 353.
  109. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 377.
  110. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 393.
  111. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 394.
  112. ^ a b Thrower 2018, p. 317.
  113. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 332.
  114. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 304.
  115. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 373.
  116. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 383–384.
  117. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 405.
  118. ^ Thrower 2018, pp. 433–434.
  119. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 437.
  120. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 463.
  121. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 393-394.
  122. ^ Thrower 2018, p. 283.

Sources

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  • Thrower, Stephen (2015). Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco: Volume 1:1959-1974. Strange Attractor Press. ISBN 978-1-907222-31-3.
  • Thrower, Stephen (2018). Flowers of Perversion: The Delirious Cinema of Jesús Franco: Volume Two. Strange Attractor Press. ISBN 9781907222603.
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