[1] Dominguín was a socialite, having friends like Pablo Picasso and romantic relationships with the American actress Ava Gardner and the fashion model China Machado.

[2] In 1955 he married actress Lucia Bosè,[3] who gave birth to his son Miguel Bosé, a Grammy award-winning singer.

He also occasionally appeared in films, predominantly playing himself in cameo roles, in movies such as Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and Testament of Orpheus (1960).

[4] In 1959, he and his brother-in-law, Antonio Ordóñez, engaged in a bullfighting rivalry that was chronicled in Peter Viertel’s novel Love Lies Bleeding, and later in Ernest Hemingway's posthumous book The Dangerous Summer.

His comeback was at Las Palmas, the Canary Islands, when he wore the costume known as the "suit of lights", which had been designed for him by Picasso.

In his Telegraph obituary, it states that he killed two bulls and won one ear, but was overshadowed by younger men; however, the actress Deborah Kerr, who was in the crowd, is quoted as insisting, "He is still the greatest bull-fighter".

[citation needed] Subsequently Ava divorced Sinatra, and Luis Miguel saw his chance to establish a more stable relationship.

"[10] Italian actress and former Miss Italy, Lucia Bosè flew to Madrid to shoot the film Muerte de un ciclista ("Death of a Cyclist").

At the airport, she met the producer, Manuel Goyanes, and Luis Miguel, who introduced him to the Italian actress.

Dominguín returned to the bullfighting arenas abroad and their first son, singer Miguel Bosé, was born in Panama on 3 April 1956.

Dominguín and Bosé were married for years, but their differences were accentuated over time, especially her lack of interest for the bulls.

[citation needed] Dominguín divorced Bosè in 1968, and in 1987 married Rosario Primo de Rivera, niece of José Antonio Primo de Rivera,[12] Spanish far-right politician and founder of the Falange Española fascist political party.