Ramon Valdes

format_list_bulleted Contenido keyboard_arrow_down
ImprimirCitar

Ramón Esteban Gómez Valdés y Castillo (Mexico City, September 2, 1924-Mexico City, August 9, 1988), known simply as Ramón Valdés, was a Mexican actor and comedian. He is remembered for having played the character of Don Ramón, in the series El Chavo del 8 (1973). He has been recognized as one of the best Mexican comedians.

Born in Mexico City, he grew up in a humble and large family. He made his acting debut in 1949 with a small role in the film Tender Squashes, in which he appeared alongside his older brother Germán Valdés, better known as "Tin Tan".. Thanks to him, Ramón became interested in the artistic world and began his own career at the hands of Germán, since the latter helped him get minor roles or as an extra in several films produced during the course of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Both also had two other brothers who were also dedicated to acting and comedy, Manuel "El Loco Valdés" and Antonio "El Ratón Valdés".

In 1968, he met Roberto Gómez Bolaños, with whom he began working on programs such as Los supergenios de la mesa cuadrada (1968), Chespirito (1970) and El Chapulín Colorado (1973) with various roles. However, it was in the production El Chavo del 8 (1971) where Valdés gained international fame, but he left the project in 1979. He made a brief return to it in 1981, this being his last year and work together with Bolaños. In 1982, he starred in the Venezuelan series Federrico with Carlos Villagrán, and six years later he worked again with him in Ah qué Kiko! (1987). Although both were a derivative inspired by Chavo del 8, neither of the two productions achieved the popularity of Bolaños's broadcast. After suffering from some illnesses, he passed away in 1988 at the age of 65.

Decades after his death, Valdés managed to gain status as a cult person thanks to his impersonation as Don Ramón. This feat was achieved mainly in Brazil, where his character is known as Seu Madruga and is considered a pop icon of Brazilian culture. The social phenomenon due to his character in that country earned him the fact that an author and fan of his named Pablo Kaschner wrote the book Seu Madruga-Vila e Obra, whose story revolves around his roles in Chavo del 8 and the Roberto Gómez Bolaños programs in which he took part. Another book in his memory was written and published in 2021 by his son Esteban Valdés, who titled his work with the name of With permission, said Monchito, this being a complete biography of his personal and artistic life.

Early Years

A photograph of Valdés, shown in his youth.

Ramón Esteban Gómez Valdés y Castillo was born on September 2, 1924 in Mexico City, the son of Rafael Gómez Valdés Angelini, a customs agent, and Guadalupe Castillo, a housewife of Italian-American descent.

When Ramón was two years old, his parents decided to emigrate to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, where they also took his nine siblings: Germán, Manuel, Antonio, Rafael, Guadalupe, Pedro, Armando, Cristóbal, and Amanda. The latter mentioned died at an early age. All the children of the marriage had their own nickname, and thus, Ramón was known as "Moncho".

Growing up, Valdés worked in multiple activities and trades that arose at the time, even in which he was unstable, for which reason he often faced financial problems. During that stage, his older brother, Germán, worked as an announcer for a local radio station, a fact that led him to participate in films, which would promote a change in Ramón's life.

Career

1949-1959: beginnings with Tin Tan and cameos in movies

Valdés' career began with his participation in the 1949 film Calabacitas tiernas. The same year, he acted in films such as Soy charro de levita, Custom Bride, and The King of the Neighborhood.

In the early 1950s, he continued to appear alongside his brother Tin Tan in The Mark of the Skunk and Sinbad the Dizzy. In 1951 he would participate in three films making cameos and in some parts collaborating on the script with minor characters. In 1952, together with his older brother and the Mexican director Gilberto Martínez Solares, they recorded and would be part of the film Las locuras de Tin Tan, which received a reception from Emilio García Riera in Documentary History of Mexican cinema: 1951-1952 criticizing the film's script, saying that Germán Valdés "paid dearly for the substitution of his usual good scriptwriter Juan García for a "humorist" as calamitous as [Carlos] León was", putting as examples jokes such as the character of Valdés saying "I always have to be in trouble with skirts" while he was on the slopes of a volcano.

The Valdés brothers with Paco Malgesto (from left to right): Ramón, Antonio, Malgesto, Germán, Guadalupe, Armando, (behind, left to right) Cristóbal, and Manuel, in 1958.

In 1953 he would act in three films taking a leading role in the film Dios los cria. The following year he acted in the film Mulata together with Ninón Sevilla and Pedro Armendáriz. In 1955 he would be part of the supporting cast for the films Escuela de vagabundos and La vida no vale nada, starring Pedro Infante and being the first films in which he would not act at the same time. next to his older brother Tin Tan and the director Martínez Solares. In 1956 Valdés would continue acting as a secondary character in the film Una movida chueca directed by Rogelio A. González, that same year he would shoot four films again along with his older brother, Germán. He would also have an extra role in the film El inocento where he would act alongside Pedro Infante and Silvia Pinal. In 1957 he would participate with Germán Valdés in The adventures of Pito Pérez, the first film with his brother without the direction of Martínez Solares. In the following year he would act together with the Cuban rumbera María Antonieta Pons in the films The Thousand and One Nights and The Odalisque No. 13 , the latter together with the duo Viruta and Capulina. In the middle of that year, the screenwriter and actor Roberto Gómez Bolaños called him to be part of the cast of his film Three Lessons in Love , this being his first contact with Chespirito.

1960-1967: continuation with minor roles

At the beginning of the 1960s, together with Luz María Aguilar in the film Vivir del cuento, a film that according to critics does not belong to the classic era of comics and although the script is good and lends itself to exploiting the typical character that Tin Tan (Germán Valdés) has accustomed to his audience, the rhythm is slow and not very spontaneous. Ramón Valdés appears incidentally in a rather minor role, like Marcelo and the big-eyed Jasso. That same year, he acted with the singer Martha Roth in the film Variedades de medianoche, Valdés also participated in the film Tin Tan and the models as an extra role and El operetta ghost as a policeman. In 1961 he would participate in six films, standing out in El duende y yo along with his brother Germán and María Esquivel. In 1962 he would act in seven films, being the main character in two, in which he would also share the cast with Eulalio González, María Elena Velasco and he would act again together with Pedro Armendáriz in Los valientes no mueren and Viruta y Capulina in the film In danger of death! directed by Roberto Gómez Bolaños. The following year he will take a leading role in the biblical film King Solomon's Treasure alongside Germán Valdés, Fanny Kaufman "Vitola" and Ana Bertha Lepe. He would participate in two more films and would have a supporting role in the film Entrega immediata together with Cantinflas.In 1964 he was in five films giving effectiveness to his characters. The following year he participated in nine films, being a leading role in the film El pecador, in which he shared credits with Joaquín Cordero, Marga López, Arturo de Córdova and Pina Pellicer, an actress who died before the release. That year he would once again share roles with Cantinflas in the film El señor doctor.

In 1966 he would act in three films, showing more prominence in the film The false heir, in which he shared credits with José Jiménez Fernández, Cesáreo Quezadas Cubillas, Miguel Ángel Álvarez and Sara García. In the middle of 1967 he recorded the film Crown of tears, starring Marga López and Enrique Lizalde. The following year he would record two films, being the protagonist in The inopportune notice, in addition to the fact that in each segment of the film where they find a job they are accompanied by some film and TV personality of the time. In addition, that year he filmed the tape El cuerpazo del delito where he would act alongside Roberto Gómez Bolaños in the Second Episode: & # 34; La Rebelde & # 34;; however, its premiere took place on July 9, 1970. Ramón Valdés and Chespirito met and became friends during the filming of this film. That year he would record with Hilda Aguirre in La hermanita Dinamita, Tin Tan in Chanoc en las garras de las fieras and Los Polivoces in Ahí, madre! by Gomez Bolaños.

1968-1982: work with Chespirito and international success

Grafiti de Valdés characterized as Don Ramón, located in Managua, Nicaragua.

The screenwriter and actor Roberto Gómez Bolaños Chespirito, who had worked with Viruta and Capulina, was putting together the cast of a new television program. Since he was a fan of Valdés, he called him to join the cast. Thus, in 1968 he began working on the series Los supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada , together with Rubén Aguirre and María Antonieta de las Nieves. In 1972 that program became Chespirito, which lasted until 1973 in its first broadcast version.

In 1971, Valdés, who had become friends with "Chespirito," became part of the comedy El Chavo del Ocho, directed by Enrique Segoviano, where he played the role of Don Ramón, a resident of the neighborhood characterized by his laziness and exaggerated laziness; but especially because of his eternal confrontation with Mr. Barriga and Mrs. Florinda, although deep down he was a character with a great heart and tenderness. Gómez Bolaños offered him the character thinking that he was the ideal actor to bring him to life, since his idea was for Valdés to act as he used to be in his daily life or as Gómez Bolaños specified "be yourself", with which consolidated his popularity and grew to dimensions that he never achieved in other projects. That same year he would record again with Mario Moreno in the feature film El profe, playing Father Martín and curiously Angelines Fernández would be Valdés' wife, iconically fulfilling an unexpected event in modern audiences. She would also appear in the third season of the Mexican sitcom television series, Los Beverly del Peralvillo.

In 1972 he started El Chapulín Colorado, a comedy also directed by Gómez Bolaños. In it he performed the interpretations of "Super Sam", "Rasca Buches", "Pirata Alma Negra", "Tripa Seca" and "Peterete" (in the latter, making a comparsa with "Chómpiras"). Thus, with the programs in which he participated under the direction of Roberto Gómez Bolaños, Valdés experienced what he had never felt before: the recognition and prominence that he never had with his brother "Tin Tan" with whom he would record the film that same year Chanoc against the tiger and the vampire and would have a secondary role in Hijazo de mi vidaza, a film starring Eduardo Manzano, the following year Valdés would record again with Manzano for the film Between poor people and rich people , he would also continue to participate in the Chanoc adventure film by Humberto Gurza entitled Chanoc and the tarantulas , there Ramón would participate in a film for the first time together with his niece Rosalía Valdés, produced and starring her brother Germán, this being the last film she recorded with him, since he would die of a hepatic coma derived from pancreatic cancer, after this fact, Ramón was in mourning without being able to record no movies the following year.

In 1975, Valdés would return to filming Chanoc in the snake pit taking the role of Tsekub Baloyán, a character played by his deceased brother, Germán. He took the same role in the feature film, Chanoc on the Island of the Dead. The following year the celebré would be released and one of Chespirito's first films together with his popular cast, El Chanfle directed by Enrique Segoviano, Valdés would play Moncho Reyes, coach of the Club América soccer team. That year he would record with Carmen Salinas and Rafael Inclán in The kidnapping of one hundred million, he would participate in the filming En esta primavera starring the famous Mexican singer-songwriter, Juan Gabriel and would continue to be the protagonist in a new film of the adventure character, Chanoc.

Problems and job separation with Chespirito

Despite the fame and recognition, in 1979 he resigned from the two Chespirito shows. Some rumors indicate that this was the product of disagreements that arose due to salary, while others affirm that it was solidarity with his colleague and friend Carlos Villagrán, or the personal differences between his co-workers became stronger and stronger and finally led to a final separation. In an interview, Esteban Valdés, the actor's son, declared that his father's departure was due to the fact that Florinda Meza ― Gómez Bolaños' partner ― wanted to have absolute control over the program. This situation would have caused discomfort to Valdés, who preferred to receive orders only from Gómez Bolaños. His resignation followed that of Villagrán, which occurred at the end of 1978. However, the real reason is due to the fact that he received in April 1979, a beneficial circus offer which led to a temporary departure from the cast, Valdés only filmed 12 episodes of Chavo del Ocho and 9 of Chapulín Colorado in the 1979 season (around three months), to later dedicate himself to other personal projects.

Two years later, in 1981, Valdés returned to the Chespirito program, where he worked again with Gómez Bolaños for a year. In this new opportunity, Valdés would once again play Don Ramón in El Chavo, as well as other old and new characters from various sketches of the program, except that of "Peterete", since at that time the partner of Chómpiras in "Los Caquitos » was the «Botija» (since 1980), played by Édgar Vivar. In this case, Valdés took another role, that of "Licenciado Morales" although he only appeared in a single sketch of the segment. Valdés remained incorporated into the cast from March until November 1981, when he withdrew again, appearing in some sketches previously recorded in 1982 and 1983. Among this series of problems, Valdés would continue his acting project in the adventure and comedy film, OK mister. Pancho where he would share roles with María Elena Velasco.

1982-1988: projects with Carlos Villagrán and last works

Ramón Valdés in his last years of work would accompany Carlos Villagrán, who admits him as a great companion and charismatic outside the scenarios.

In 1982, definitively away from Chespirito, he accompanied Villagrán in his own project in Venezuela. The comedy Federrico would take place there, produced and broadcast by RCTV. Valdés would act as "Don Moncho"; However, due to the low audience, he only participated in the first season of the program, and returned to Mexico where he would record the movie The Bravest in the World together with his companions Édgar Vivar and María Antonieta. of the Snows That same year he recorded for the movie Los gatilleros del diablo along with Eric del Castillo and Pedro Infante Torrentera, son of actor Pedro Infante. In 1985, Ramón Valdés would have an iconic role in the film Luis Miguel, apprentice pirate starring the singer Luis Miguel, then a teenager, in which Valdés gave life to a pirate whose objective was to teach his nephew (Luis Miguel) the work of a privateer. However, he always ended up scolding him in true El Chavo del 8 style, meanwhile, they both embarked on a journey in search of a treasure.

In 1987, he returned to Mexican television with his former acting partner Carlos Villagrán in Ah qué Kiko!, reprising his character as Don Ramón. Although unlike his role in El Chavo, in this series Don Ramón was the manager of a grocery store and Kiko, his assistant. According to Villagrán, the last scene that the actor recorded was made a year before he died; noting that in it he entered a cemetery and was lost in a thick fog that was in the place to carry out the sequence.

For Villagrán himself, this meant the departure of Valdés. According to him, seeing his friend walk away and disappear into the white mist until he did so completely, meant something premonitory, which until now he cannot get out of his mind and due to deteriorating health he was not allowed to continue acting, so he left the show.

Personal life

Ramón Valdés' first wife was Ermelinda Andrade, with whom he had two children, Rafael and Ramón. Details of the relationship are unknown, so its origin and why they decided to separate remain unknown.

The second wife of Ramón Valdés was Aracely Julián, who was a singer and was part of the trio “Las Hermanas Julián”. She also participated in the films La última noche (1948), Pampered Negra (1949), and Musica de siempre (1958). They got married in 1956. From this union Aracely, Gabriela, Esteban, Carmen and Selene were born.

Ramón Valdés' third marriage was to Claudia Akel and as a result of that relationship he had three children: Jorge, Diana and Miguel. However, as in his first marriage, no details of the relationship are known.

Death

On August 9, 1988, Valdés died in Mexico City at the age of 63, due to non-traumatic cardiorespiratory arrest, medullary cancer, and prostate cancer. His body was buried in a crypt of the Mausoleos del Ángel pantheon, located in the same city.

Posthumous Honors

In 2019, his son Esteban Valdés released a trailer on YouTube, a platform on which he announced the creation of "With permission said Monchito", a channel on which he would share anecdotes and stories about his father, as well as interviews with relatives, people who knew him and coworkers. Two years later, Esteban published the book With permission said Monchito , where he talked about his father's life and career.

Filmography

Más resultados...
Tamaño del texto:
undoredo
format_boldformat_italicformat_underlinedstrikethrough_ssuperscriptsubscriptlink
save