30 Facts About Chespirito

Roberto Mario Gomez Bolanos, more commonly known by his stage name Chespirito, or "Little Shakespeare", was a Mexican actor, comedian, screenwriter, humorist, director, producer, and author.

Chespirito is widely regarded as one of the icons of Spanish-speaking humor and entertainment and one of the greatest comedians of all time.

Chespirito is one of the most loved and respected comedians in Latin America.

Chespirito is mostly known by his acting role Chavo from the sitcom El Chavo del Ocho.

Chespirito is recognized all over the planet for writing, directing, and starring in the Chespirito, El Chavo del Ocho, and El Chapulin Colorado television series.

Chespirito was born in Mexico City on 21 February 1929 to Catholic parents.

Chespirito was the second child of Francisco Gomez Linares, a painter and illustrator, who died at the age of 41 in 1935.

Chespirito's mother, Elsa Bolanos Aguilar, was a bilingual secretary; she died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 66 in 1968.

Chespirito had an older brother called Francisco, and a younger brother called Horacio Gomez Bolanos, who portrayed the character Godinez in El Chavo del Ocho, and an even older half-brother born of one of his father's liaisons.

Chespirito studied mechanical engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, but he never came to practice that profession.

Chespirito was discovered as an actor while waiting in line to apply for a job as a writer; soon he began writing and starring in his children's comedy shows.

Chespirito's first show was Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada, a sketch comedy show that premiered in 1968; the show starred Ramon Valdes, Maria Antonieta de las Nieves, and Ruben Aguirre.

Chespirito's best known roles were in the shows El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulin Colorado.

In El Chavo, Chespirito played an 8-year-old boy who often took refuge inside a wooden rain barrel in a Mexican neighborhood, and in El Chapulin Colorado he played a good-hearted superhero who gets involved in humorous situations.

Chespirito started writing music as a hobby, and most of his early musical work was related to his comedy work, featured particularly in occasional Chapulin Colorado or Chavo del Ocho special episodes.

Chespirito is the creator of the theater comedy Once y Doce, the most successful theater comedy in Mexican history; it is still played occasionally.

Chespirito shared that while pregnant with him, his mother suffered an accident and the doctor advised her to get an abortion; she refused.

Chespirito wrote the books El Diario de El Chavo del Ocho,.

The special, titled America celebra a Chespirito, was a multinational tribute that gathered a diverse group of actors, singers, and fans from 17 nations.

Over Twitter, Chespirito denounced the actions of the Yo Soy 132 movement after the takeover of Televisa Chapultepec following the 2012 election.

In 2012, Chespirito was honored by his friends and former cast members, putting an end to many rumors that the comedian was dying.

At 2:30 PM on Friday, 28 November 2014, Chespirito died from heart failure as a complication of Parkinson's disease at the age of 85, in his home in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Chespirito is widely regarded as one of the most renowned Spanish-language comedians of the 20th century.

Chespirito has been described as one of the most recognized Mexican comedians of the 20th century as well as being well known and honored in all of Latin America.

Chespirito has been honored for his creative writing, characters, comedic pick-up lines, and for his clean humor style.

In 2012, there was a tribute called America celebra a Chespirito made by Televisa, with the popular singer Thalia performing a song written by Gian Marco Zignago.

Chespirito goes on to say that, according to that logic, "no actor should present themselves in the Zocalo where the memory of all those who were murdered during the Ten Tragic Days was muddied".

In July 2013, Maria Antonieta announced that she finally won a lawsuit against Chespirito, backed by Televisa which began in 2001 for the misuse of her character La Chilindrina.

On 31 July 2020, all TV channels and streaming services that broadcast any of Chespirito's series announced that they were no longer broadcasting it from the next day on.

On 20 November 2013, Chespirito received the Ondas Iberoamericano Award for the most outstanding career on television.