Chespirito: Mexican Comedic Legend Passes Away at 85

This past Friday passed away one of Hispanic television’s most beloved comedic icons, Mexican actor/writer/director Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known to everyone in Latin America and the world as “Chespirito”. With a long and prolific career that started in the 1950s, it was in the 1970s that Televisa gave a more established Gómez Bolaños full creative writing control, which allowed him to give the world some of the most cherished characters in television to date such as El Chavo del Ocho, el Chapulín Colorado, El Doctor Chapatín, el Chómpiras and Chaparrón Bonaparte, amongst others. The show was extremely popular amongst people of all ages and it provided unforgettable memories to audiences all over Latin America (and the world) throughout the decades. The sketches also included other memorable characters, including la Chilindrina, Ñoño, Don Ramón, Kiko and Doña Florinda, amongst others.

Photo Courtesy of “Series Repretel”

Thousands took to the streets of Mexico City on Sunday to pay their respects to their beloved Chespirito, who died of a heart attack at his home in Cancún at age 85. Fans were invited to a massive televised public ceremony to say their final goodbyes and pay homage to the comedian. Present at the final farewell tribute was also Florinda Meza— who played some of the central characters in the show like Doña Florinda, la Popis and La Chimoltrufia— and who was married to the actor for over 40 years. The couple didn’t have any children, but he had six children from his previous marriage to Graciela Fernández.

Gómez Bolaños was better known throughout his long and fruitful career as “Chespirito”, a nickname given to him in the early days of his career as a writer, while being compared to Shakespeare or “Chekspir”, as it would be pronounced in Spanish, and because he was short in stature, he then became “Chespirito”, a name he took and used for the rest of his career. He won the hearts of millions not just in his native Mexico, but also all over Latin America, Spain, the United States and all over the world, with his clean humour and comedic genius. In his long and prolific career he created hundreds of television sketches, a couple of dozen movies and innumerable theatre productions that were immensely popular with all audiences and won the hearts of young and old alike. Chespirito was a very important and pivotal figure in shaping childhood memories for many in Latin America in the four decades of his creations.

Chespirito reruns and all of his popular characters are just as popular today as they have been throughout the decades, still showing in many different countries (including Latin America, the United States and Canada). Some of his most unforgettable lines and expressions, such as “Síganme los buenos”, “Que no panda el cúnico”, “No contaban con mi astucia”, “Fue sin querer queriendo” and “Chanfle” have become an intrinsic part of Spanish lingo, and no matter what country a Spanish-speaking person comes from, they will undoubtedly all know the meaning of El Chavo and El Chapulín expressions.

Gómez Bolaños’ passing has truly impacted and left a great void in the hearts of his millions of fans, but the legacy of his memorable characters and unforgettable creations will be a central part of everyone’s childhood memories and live with us forever. Rest in Peace, Chespirito.

Thalía performing “Gracias” at “America Celebrates Chespirito”
an Homage to Roberto Gómez Bolaños’ 40-Year-Career.
Song Written by Gianmarco.