Luis Mariano was born in 1914 in Irun, Spain. His family ran away from the Spanish civil war and settled in Bordeaux, France for a while. He started there the school of the Beaux-Art, showing some talent with drawing. Besides, he successfully passed the entrance examinations to the Municipal Conservatory of Bordeaux (regional school of arts) where he showed talent for singing. Luis Mariano became famous in France in the 50s with the light opera "La Belle de Cadix".