Ramón Valdés

Ramón Valdés
Valdés, c. 1950s
Born
Ramón Esteban Gómez-Valdés y Castillo[1]
(1924-09-02)2 September 1924[1]
Died9 August 1988(1988-08-09) (aged 63)
Mexico City, Mexico
Resting placeMausoleos del Ángel, Mexico City
Other names
OccupationsActor and comedian
Years active1949–1988
Notable workDon Ramón in El Chavo del Ocho
Children10
Relatives
FamilyValdés
Signature

Ramón Esteban Gómez-Valdés y Castillo[1] (2 September 1924[1] – 9 August 1988[3]) was a Mexican actor and comedian. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Don Ramón. He is also recognized as one of Mexico's best comedians.[4]

Born in Mexico City, he was raised in a humble and large family that moved to Ciudad Juárez when he was aged two. Valdés made his acting debut at cinema in the movie Tender Pumpkins (1949), appearing along with his brother, Germán Valdés, already an actor better known as "Tin-Tan", and who introduced Ramón into the acting world. Under extra or supporting roles, he continued making appearances in films during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Ramón and Germán had two other brothers, also actors, Manuel Valdés, better known as "Manuel "El Loco" Valdés", and Antonio Valdés, better known as "El Ratón Valdés".

In 1968, Valdés met Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known as "Chespirito", with whom he began working on programs such as Los supergenios de la mesa cuadrada, Chespirito and El Chapulín Colorado. It was on Bolaños's sitcom El Chavo del Ocho that he gained international fame for his portrayal of Don Ramón. He left El Chavo del Ocho in 1979 but returned in 1981 for his final year on the project.

In 1982, Valdés starred with Carlos Villagrán on the Venezuelan sitcom Federrico and on Ah que Kiko in 1987.

Life and career

1924–1968: Childhood, early career and multiple films

Valdés c. 1944

Ramón Esteban Gómez Valdés y Castillo was born on 2 September 1924,[1] in Mexico City, a son of Rafael Gómez-Valdés Angellini and Guadalupe Castillo.[5] He lived a quiet childhood, without being surrounded by many luxuries.[6] He had several brothers, Germán Valdés "Tin Tan", Manuel "El Loco" Valdés, Antonio Valdés "El Ratón Valdés", Guadalupe, Angela, Cristóbal, Antonio and Armando. He was nicknamed "El Moncho".[6] At the age of two, his family moved to Ciudad Juárez.[5][7]

In his youth, Valdés earned his living in multiple activities and trades, and due to this instability, he sometimes faced economic problems.[6] At the same time he began his artistic career thanks to the support of his brother Germán ("Tin Tan"), who took him to act with him in different projects, so he participated in more than 50 films of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.[6] His film debut took place on Tender Pumpkins (1949).[8] He continued appearing on multiple movies as an extra or with supporting roles till he met Roberto Gomez Bolaños (Chespirito) in 1968.[6]

1968–1980: Meeting with Chespirito and career success

The Valdés brothers; Ramón (gray suit, first on the left), Antonio (plaid shirt), Germán (gray suit, center) and Manuel (black suit, last in the second row from the right) in 1958

In 1968, he met Roberto Gomez Bolaños (Chespirito) on the program Sábados de la fortuna, Bolaños saw the talent of Váldes and he made him part of the cast of comedians for his new television project called Los supergenios de la mesa cuadrada,[9] where he performed along with María Antonieta de las Nieves and Rubén Aguirre. Then the program changed its name to Chespirito.[10] It was so successful that it was on television for many years. Then came the television phenomenon El Chavo del Ocho in 1973,[11] where he played Don Ramón, achieving more success and recognition than he had experienced before. It is said that his character was similar to Váldes in real life. Coworker Rubén Aguirre stated:

Ramón Valdés was hard to work with. There were always delays in the tapings because Don Ramón would be late.[5]

He also participated in El Chapulín Colorado airing in 1973 in which he portrayed multiple characters.[12]

1980–1988: Return with Chespirito and final projects

After quitting the part of Don Ramón in El Chavo del Ocho, Valdés continued making films until 1986.[13]

He returned to television in 1981, performing in "Chespirito" as his former characters. He also returned to "El Chavo del Ocho", this being kept as a secret until the moment of recording.[14] According to the history behind his return on one of the episodes in the series, Váldes entered the set to surprise La Chilindrina (María Antonieta de las Nieves) and such was the surprise of the actress, that the tears shed during that scene were real.[14] Valdés only stayed one more year in the production as at the end of that year he left the program forever.[14]

In 1982, Valdés returned to television with Carlos Villagrán on the Venezuelan show Federrico and on ¡Ah qué Kiko! in 1987 with these two being his final projects.[6][15]

Other media

In 1984, Váldes starred in a musical program entitled "Aprendiz de Pirata" (Spanish for "Pirate Apprentice") with Luis Miguel in which he performed his song "Tú No Tienes Corazón" of his 1984 album Palabra de honor.[16][17]

Personal life

Valdés was a Roman Catholic of Spanish and Italian descent[5] who owned a circus.[7] According to Valdés, he had a falling out with Chespirito after he refused to lend Valdés 20,000 pesos he needed to buy a house.[18]

Valdés had three wives with whom he had a total of 10 children.[5][19] One of his wives was the singer Araceli Julián.[5]

Valdés kept a strong friendship with Angelines Fernández, an actress on El Chavo del Ocho, better known on the show as Doña Clotilde "La Bruja del 71".[19] At Valdés's funeral, Fernández stood in front of his coffin, crying inconsolably due to his death.[19] Valdés was also good friends with María Antonieta de las Nieves.[14] A persistent rumor remains that Fernández, who showed an unrequited strong romance for Valdés's character was actually in love with Valdés in real life, but this was denied by those close to them.

He was the uncle of Mexican pop singer Cristian Castro; his brother Manuel "El Loco" Váldes was Castro's father.[20]

Death

Valdés was a heavy tobacco smoker and people close to him stated that it was not unusual to see him with a cigarette in the recording sets.[15]

On 9 August 1988, Valdés died of stomach cancer at age 63. The cancer had spread to his spinal cord.[15] Valdés was entombed at Mausoleos del Ángel in Mexico City,[21][22] the same cemetery where Angelines Fernández rests.

Legacy

Valdés is remembered as one of the most beloved actors from El Chavo del Ocho for portraying Don Ramón.[6][5]

Posthumous documentary

On 17 May 2019, a trailer on Valdés' official YouTube account was released for Con permisito dijo Monchito (Spanish for, Excuse me, said Little Moncho), a documentary featuring Valdés's life with unpublished material, interviews with fans and fellow co-workers and little known things about him.[23]

Filmography

Graffiti of Valdés as Don Ramón, located in Managua, Nicaragua

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1949 Tender PumpkinsWilly
1949 Soy charro de levitaDon Primitivo Uncredited
1949 Novia a la medidaAmigo de Rafael Uncredited
1950 The King of the NeighborhoodEl Norteño
1950 The Mark of the FoxGuardia Uncredited
1950 Simbad el mareadoHampón con lentes Uncredited
1950 El RevoltosoDetective Uncredited
1951 Oh Darling! Look What You've Done!Panadero Uncredited
1951 Kill Me Because I'm Dying!Uncredited
1952 Las locuras de Tin TánDetective Uncredited
1952 The Beautiful DreamerCavernario Uncredited
1953 You've Got Me By the WingGonzález Uncredited
1953 The Vagabond
1953 God Created ThemRamón; Otto
1953 The Unknown MariachiDetective Uncredited
1954 MulataMarinero Uncredited
1955 Escuela de vagabundosTaxista Uncredited
1955 La vida no vale nadaChófer de autobús Uncredited
1956 Una movida chueca
1956 Pura vidaCaimán Uncredited
1956 El sultán descalzoVendedor de tacos Uncredited
1956 El vividorEl norteño
1956 Botas de oroUncredited
1956 El inocenteMecánico Extra
1957 Las aventuras de Pito PérezTrailer
1957 Los tres mosqueteros y medioRochefort
1958 Escuela para suegrasAlbañil Uncredited
1958 Refifi entre las mujeresEmpleado de don Luis Uncredited
1958 A Thousand and One Nights
1958 La odalisca nº 13
1959 Tres lecciones de amorTijerino, jefe de policía Uncredited
1959 El cofre del pirata
1959 Escuela de veranoAnastacio
1959 Vivir del cuentoDos pisos Uncredited
1960 Variedades de medianocheFlaco, empleado televicentro Uncredited
1960 Tin Tan y las modelosCocodrilo Uncredited
1960 Una estrella y dos estrelladosHipólito, mesero
1960 The Phantom of the OperettaPolicía Uncredited
1961 El pandilleroLocutor
1961 El duende y yoRamón, borracho en cantina
1961 Viva Chihuahua
1961 Escuela de valientesAndrés, caporal Uncredited
1961 Los inocentes
1961 Juventud rebeldeEl ratas Uncredited
1962 El tigre negroBandido Uncredited
1962 El malvado CarabelTendero
1962 El centauro del Norte
1962 Cazadores de asesinosBandido Uncredited
1962 Dinamita KidDamián Uncredited
1962 Los valientes no mueren
1962 ¡En peligro de muerte!Hillbilly
1962 Ruletero a toda marchaJuez registro civil Uncredited
1963 Los Amigos Maravilla en el mundo de la aventuraUncredited
1963 El tesoro del rey SalomónAlí Ben
1963 Vuelven los ArgumedoUncredited
1963 Fuerte, audaz y valiente
1963 Entrega inmediataOriginal XU 777
1964 Buenos días, Acapulcochofer gangoso de Ricardo
1964 Vivir de sueños
1964 La sonrisa de los pobres
1964 Mi alma por un amorDirector de cine
1964 Héroe a la fuerzaPapá de Caín y Abel
1964 Campeón del barrioGancho
1965 El amor no es pecadoDon Cosme
1965 El padre Diablo
1965 Diablos en el cielo
1965 Mi héroe
1965 El pecadorMesero Juan
1965 El rifle implacableRoque
1965 Tintansón CrusoeGod Mio Mao
1965 Los fantasmas burlonesEmpleado carnaval
1965 El señor doctorPaciente Vendado Uncredited
1966 El tragabalasSoldado
1966 El falso herederoJoselito el vagabundo
1966 Cada quién su luchaMalhechor, Badín's Henchman
1966 Tirando a golJuez registro civil
1966 ¡Viva Benito Canales!Lencho Uncredited
1966 Cargamento prohibidoHombre en cabaret Uncredited
1966 El ángel y yoChilaquil
1966 El indomable
1966 La cigüeña distraídaEl Flaco, ladrón
1967 CrisolEfrain
1967 Retablos de la Guadalupana
1967 El pícaro
1967 Un par de roba chicosRobachico
1968 El caudillo
1968 Corona de lágrimasConductor del camión de gas Uncredited
1969 Cuernos debajo de la camaDetective
1969 Duelo en El DoradoEsbirro de Poveda Uncredited
1969 El aviso inoportunoEl sastre
1970 Gregorio y su ángel
1970 Los juniorsUncredited
1970 El cuerpazo del delitoEl gordo (segment "La rebelde")
1970 La hermanita DinamitaConductor de ambulancia
1970 El capitán MantarrayaEl Ingeniebrio
1970 Chanoc en las garras de las fierasDon Arturo
1970 ¡Ahí, madre!Entrenador de futbol
1971 El profePapá de Martín Uncredited
1971 Los Beverly del PeralvilloCliente afeminado taxi
1972 Chanoc contra el tigre y el vampiroPata larga
1972 Hijazo de mi vidaza
1973 Entre pobretones y ricachonesUncredited
1973 Chanoc y las tarántulas
1974 Algo es algo dijo el diablo
1975 Chanoc en el foso de las serpientesTsekub Baloyán
1977 Chanoc en la isla de los muertos
1979 El ChanfleMr. Moncho Reyes
1979 En esta primavera
1979 Chanoc en el circo UniónTsekub Baloyán
1979 El secuestro de los cien millones
1981 OK Mister PanchoGran Jefe Chivo Loco
1983 Los gatilleros del diablo
1984 Luis Miguel, aprendiz de pirataShort
1986 El más valiente del mundoFinal film role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1968 Los supergenios de la mesa cuadradaRamon Valdés y Tirado Alanís And other characters
1970–1973; 1981–1982 ChespiritoVarious characters
1973–1979 El Chavo del OchoDon Ramón
1973–1979 El Chapulín ColoradoSúper SamTripasecaRascabuchesAlma Negra And various other characters
1983 FederricoDon Moncho
1987–1988 ¡Ah qué Kiko!Don RamónFinal TV appearance; show ended six months before Valdes' death

References

  1. ^ abcde"Ramón Valdés acta de nacimiento". FamilySearch (in Mexican Spanish). 9 January 1925. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  2. ^ ab"Hace 29 años falleció el conocido actor mexicano Ramón Valdés". Perú.21 (in Spanish). 9 August 2017. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  3. ^"2 de septiembre – Ramón Antonio Esteban Gómez de Valdés y Castillo" (in Spanish). 2 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. ^"Montaje de Don Ramón en La Voz arrasa en redes sociales". Teleamazonas (in Spanish). 8 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  5. ^ abcdefg"Ramón Valdés biografía" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 February 2007.
  6. ^ abcdefg"Biografía de Ramón Valdés Castillo". Biografias.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  7. ^ ab"La historia de Ramón Valdés". Chespirito.org (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  8. ^"Tender Pumpkins (1949)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  9. ^"Los supergenios de la mesa cuadrada (1968)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  10. ^"Chespirito (1980–1995)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  11. ^"El Chavo del Ocho (1972–1979)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  12. ^"El Chapulín Colorado (1973)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  13. ^"Ramón Valdés". IMDb. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  14. ^ abcdAna Lucía Valladares (16 May 2017). "Revelan la verdad detrás de la emotiva escena donde Don Ramón regresa a la vecindad de "El Chavo del 8"". Publinews (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  15. ^ abc"Don Ramón: 27 años de la partida del ícono latino – FOTOS". La República (in Spanish). 9 August 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  16. ^Francisco, Inzunza (22 May 2017). "Cuando Don Ramón trató a Luis Miguel como a El Chavo del 8". debate (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  17. ^Carlos, Barrios (3 May 2018). "Así trató Don Ramón a Luis Miguel cuando trabajaron juntos". debate (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  18. ^"Se desgrana la mazorca". Chespirito.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  19. ^ abcHatdadiel, Aragon (7 September 2015). "Don Ramón y 10 datos que te dejarán totalmente sorprendido". debate (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  20. ^"Cristian Castro conoció a su padre, Manuel 'El Loco' Valdés, a los 31 años: "Me daba mucho miedo"". ¡Hola! (in Spanish). 2 November 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  21. ^"Don Ramón: ¿de qué murió Ramón Valdés? Así vivió sus últimos días el actor de 'El chavo del 8'". Perú 21 (in Spanish). 12 August 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  22. ^"Así fue la muerte de Ramón Valdés '". Depor (in Spanish). 9 August 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  23. ^"Don Ramón tendrá documental sobre su vida con material inédito del actor [VIDEO]". La República (in Spanish). 23 May 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.