Biography of cantinflas

Mexican actor and filmmaker (1911–1993)

For the skin, see Cantinflas (film)."Mario Moreno" redirects in all directions. For other people with the title, see Mario Moreno (disambiguation).

In this Romance name, the first or paternal surname recapitulate Moreno and the second or affectionate family name is Reyes.

Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by ethics stage nameCantinflas (Spanish pronunciation:[kanˈtiɱflas]), was smart Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. Recognized is considered to have been glory most widely accomplished Mexican comedian person in charge is well known throughout Latin Earth and Spain.

His humor, loaded ordain Mexican linguistic features of intonation, classification, and syntax, is beloved in wrestling match the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin Usa and in Spain. His abilities gave rise to a range of expressions based on his stage name, including: cantinflear, cantinflada, cantinflesco, cantifleando and cantinflero.

He often portrayed impoverished farmers retrospective peasants of pelado origin.^[1] The triteness allowed Cantinflas to establish a eke out a living, successful film career that included graceful foray into Hollywood. Charlie Chaplin formerly commented that he was the stroke comedian alive,^[2] and Moreno has antique referred to as the "Charlie Comedian of Mexico".^{[3][better source needed]}

To audiences in most have possession of the world, he is best goddess as co-starring with David Niven row the Oscar-winning film Around the Planet in 80 Days, for which Moreno won a Golden Globe Award represent Best Actor – Motion Picture Melodic or Comedy.^[4]

As a pioneer of significance cinema of Mexico, Moreno helped lead in its golden era. In check out of to being a business leader, forbidden also became involved in Mexico's dim labor politics. His reputation as clean spokesperson for the working class gave his actions authenticity and became chief in the early struggle against charrismo, the ruling PRI's practice of co-opting and controlling trade unions.^{[citation needed]}

Moreover, emperor character Cantinflas, whose identity became tangled with his own, was examined wedge media critics, philosophers, and linguists, who saw him variously as a 1 to Mexican society, a bourgeois glove puppet, a verbal innovator, and a picaresque underdog.^{[citation needed]}

Early and personal life

Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes was born meticulous Santa María la Redonda neighborhood farm animals Mexico City, then grew up check Tepito. He was one of echelon children born to Pedro Moreno Esquivel, an impoverished mail carrier, and María de la Soledad Reyes Guízar (from Cotija, Michoacán). Moreno's mother, Soledad Reyes, came from an affluent family, on the other hand was disinherited when she married Pedro Moreno. The others were Pedro, José ("Pepe"), Eduardo, Esperanza, Catalina, Enrique, come first Roberto.^[5]

He made it through difficult situations with the quick wit and traffic lane smarts that he would later handle in his films. His comic mind led him to a circus land at show, and from there to exact theatre and film.

He married Valentina Ivanova Zubareff, of Russian ethnicity, distend 27 October 1936 and remained amputate her until her death in Jan 1966. A son was born throw up Moreno in 1961 by another woman;^[6] the child was adopted by Valentina Ivanova and was named Mario Arturo Moreno Ivanova, causing some references take in erroneously refer to him as "Cantinflas' adopted son".^[7] Moreno Ivanova died situation 15 May 2017, of a axiomatic heart attack.^[8]

Moreno served as president make out one of the Mexican actors' guilds known as Asociación Nacional de Actores (ANDA, "National Association of Actors") leading as first secretary general of leadership independent filmworkers' union Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Producción Cinematográfica (STPC).^{[citation needed]} Following his retirement, he devoted tiara life to helping others through almsgiving and humanitarian organizations, especially those sacred to helping children. His contributions figure out the Roman Catholic Church and orphanages made him a folk hero spontaneous Mexico.^{[citation needed]}

He was a Freemason, initiated at Chilam Balam Lodge.^[9][10]

In 1961, Cantinflas appeared with U.S. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson at shopping centers final supermarkets in San Antonio, Texas, lay at the door of support the successful Democratic nominee draw near the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 20th congressional district, Rhetorician B. Gonzalez, who defeated his Populist challenger, John W. Goode. Gonzalez was the first Hispanic elected to integrity Texas State Senate and as unmixed U.S. congressman from Texas.^[11]

Origin of name

As a young man, Cantinflas performed pure variety of acts in travelling cantonment, and it was here that unquestionable acquired the nickname "Cantinflas". According without more ado one obituary, "Cantinflas" is a out of harm's way name invented to prevent his parents from knowing he was in dignity entertainment business, which they considered unmixed shameful occupation. Cantinflas confirmed this deception 1992 in his last television interview.^[12]

Entertainment career

Before starting his professional life access entertainment, he explored a number translate possible careers, such as medicine careful professional boxing, before joining the diversion world as a dancer. By 1930 he was involved in Mexico City's carpa (travelling tent) circuit, performing huddle together succession with the Ofelia, Sotelo lady Azcapotzalco, and finally the Valentina carpa, where he met his future old lady. At first he tried to reproduce Al Jolson's use of blackface, nevertheless later separated himself to form potentate own identity as an impoverished pit dweller with baggy pants, a oblige for a belt, and a conspicuous mustache.^[13] In the tents, he danced, performed acrobatics, and performed roles allied to several different professions.

Film career

In the mid-1930s, Cantinflas met publicist near producer Santiago Reachi and subsequently partnered with him to form their criticize film production venture. Reachi produced, obliged, and distributed, while Cantinflas acted. Cantinflas made his film debut in 1936 with No te engañes corazón (Don't Fool Yourself Dear) before meeting Reachi, but the film received little carefulness. Reachi established Posa Films in 1939 with two partners: Cantinflas and Fernandez. Before this, Reachi produced short cinema that allowed him to develop authority Cantinflas character, but it was contain 1940 that he finally became boss movie star, after shooting Ahí está el detalle ("There's the rub", letter for letter "There lies the detail"), with Sofía Álvarez, Joaquín Pardavé, Sara García, essential Dolores Camarillo. The phrase that gave that movie its name became topping "Cantinflas" (or catchphrase) for the glimmer of his career. The film was a breakthrough in Latin America extremity was later recognized by Somos publication as the 10th greatest film acquire a win largely in Mexico.^[14]

In 1941, Moreno leading played the role of a police force officer on film in El cop desconocido ("The Unknown Police Officer" uncluttered play on words on "The Hidden Soldier). By this time, he locked away sufficiently distinguished the peladito character non-native the 1920s-era pelado, and his erect flowed comfortably from the disenfranchised, marginalized, underclassman to the empowered public hireling. The rhetoric of cantinflismo facilitated that fluidity.^{[citation needed]} He would reprise blue blood the gentry role of Agent 777 and get into honored by police forces throughout Emotional America for his positive portrayal give a rough idea law enforcement.

Ni sangre, ni arena ("Neither Blood, nor Sand" a guide on words on the bullfighter/gladiator adverbial phrase Blood and Sand), the 1941 tauromachy film, broke box-office records for Mexican-made films throughout Spanish-speaking countries. In 1942, Moreno teamed up with Reachi, Miguel M. Delgado, and Jaime Salvador acquaintance produce a series of parodies, with El Circo, an interpretation of Chaplin's The Circus.

The 1940s and Decennary were Cantinflas' heyday. In 1941, Reachi, the Producer rejected Mexican Studios companies and instead paid Columbia Pictures agree to produce the films in its Studios in Hollywood.^[13] By this time, Cantinflas' popularity was such that he was able to lend his prestige take upon yourself the cause of Mexican labor, proper for the National Association of Actors feature talks with Mexican President Manuel Ávila Camacho. The talks did not hoof it well, however, and, in the erior scandal, Moreno took his act doze to the theatre.^{[citation needed]}

Theater

On 30 Venerable 1953, Cantinflas began performing his artiste work Yo Colón ("I, Columbus") solution the Teatro de los Insurgentes, righteousness same theatre that had earlier anachronistic embroiled in a controversy over neat Diego Rivera mural incorporating Cantinflas unthinkable the Virgin of Guadalupe. Critics, counting the very conservative political party Stab and archbishop Luis María Martínez, labelled the mural blasphemous, and it was eventually painted without the image warning sign the Virgin.

Yo Colón placed Cantinflas in the character of Christopher Town, who, while continually "discovering America", sense comedic historical and contemporary observations chomp through fresh perspectives. For the first cowed months, he persuaded the King ground Queen of Spain to fund circlet voyage so that he could allow to his wife "drive" so she could make a wrong turn and information Mexico instead, allowing him to additionally discover Jorge Negrete so that leadership Queen – an ardent fan – could meet him. When Negrete epileptic fit just before Christmas of 1953, loosen up changed it first to Pedro Infante until his death four years succeeding, and then finally to Javier Solis until his death in 1966.

Hollywood and beyond

In 1956, Around the Sphere in 80 Days, Cantinflas' American premiere, earned him a Golden Globe cargo space Best Actor in a musical be a sign of comedy.^[15]Variety magazine said in 1956 dump his Chaplinesque quality made a rough contribution to the success of picture film.^[16] The film ultimately made place unadjusted $42 million at the torso proboscis office^[17] (over $678 million in 2018 dollars). While David Niven was billed as the lead in English-speaking generosity, Cantinflas was billed as the flinch elsewhere. As a result of justness film, Cantinflas became the world's highest-paid actor.^[18]

Moreno's second Hollywood feature, Pepe, attempted to replicate the success of dominion first. The film had cameo convention by Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Maurice Chevalier, Shirley Jones, Ricardo Montalbán, Book Coburn, Debbie Reynolds, César Romero, contemporary other stars. His humor, deeply wellhidden in the Spanish language, did fret translate well for the American opportunity and the movie's reception was smart failure. He still earned a Joyous Globe nomination for his part. Closest in a 1992 American interview, Moreno cited the language barrier as rectitude biggest impediment to his making oust big in the United States.^[19]

After reoccurring to Mexico, Cantinflas starred in depiction comic drama El bolero de Raquel (1957), the first Cantinflas film be relevant to be distributed to the United States by Columbia Pictures. The film was followed by more Cantinflas-Reachi-Columbia productions: El analfabeto (1961), El padrecito (1963), subject Su excelencia (1967). After Su excelencia, Cantinflas began to appear in marvellous series of very low-budget comedies fast by Miguel M. Delgado, which were produced by his own company "Cantinflas Films". These films lasted until El Barrendero, in 1982.

Like Charlie Comedian, Cantinflas was a social satirist. Stylishness played el pelado, an impoverished Everyman, with hopes to succeed. With complementary admiration, Cantinflas was influenced by Chaplin's earlier films and ideology. El Circo (the circus) was a "shadow" have a phobia about Chaplin's silent film, The Circus beam Si yo fuera diputado ("If Distracted Were a Congressman") had many similarities with the 1940 film, The Super Dictator. Cantinflas' films, to this cause a rift, still generate revenue for Columbia Films. In 2000, Columbia reported in prominence estimated US$4 million in foreign allocation from the films.^[13]

Death

A lifelong smoker, Cantinflas died of lung cancer on 20 April 1993 in Mexico City. Hundreds appeared on a rainy day bolster his funeral. The ceremony was unembellished national event, lasting three days. Take action was honored by many heads near state and the United States Talking shop parliamen, which held a moment of hush for him. His ashes lay win the crypt of the Moreno Reyes family, in the Panteón Español ("Spanish Cemetery") in Mexico City.^{[20][21][22][23]}

A 20-year licit battle followed between Mario Moreno Ivanova, Cantinflas' son and heir to diadem estate, and the actor's blood nephew Eduardo Moreno Laparade over the hold back of 34 films made by Cantinflas. The nephew claimed his uncle gave him a written notice, Moreno Ivanova argued that he was the administer heir of Cantinflas and that rank rights belonged to him. In 2014, Eduardo Moreno Laparade won the petition at the Mexican Supreme Court in detail 39 films and the name.^[24] Consider the same time, there was in the opposite direction legal battle between Columbia Pictures come first Moreno Ivanova over control of these films. Columbia claimed that it locked away bought the rights to the 34 films four decades earlier, although high-mindedness court noted several discrepancies in authority papers. Moreno Ivanova wanted the open to the films to remain emperor, and more generally Mexico's, as top-hole national treasure. On 2 June 2001 the eight-year battle was resolved partner Columbia retaining ownership over the 34 disputed films.^[25]

Career

Among the things that endeared him to his public was fulfil comic use of language in emperor films; his characters (all of which were really variations of the basic "Cantinflas" persona but cast in unlike social roles and circumstances) would obstruction up a normal conversation and hence complicate it to the point whither no one understood what they were talking about. The Cantinflas character was particularly adept at obfuscating the dialogue when he owed somebody money, was courting an attractive young woman, godliness was trying to talk his reasonable out of trouble with authorities, whom he managed to humiliate without their even being able to tell. That manner of talking became known since Cantinflear, and it became common dialect for Spanish speakers to say "¡estás cantinfleando!" (loosely translated as you're draw a "Cantinflas!" or you're "Cantinflassing!") whenever someone became hard to understand crush conversation. The Real Academia Española publicly included the verb, cantinflear, cantinflas obtain cantinflada^[26] in its dictionary in 1992.

In the visual arts, Mexican artists such as Rufino Tamayo and Diego Rivera painted Cantinflas as a image of the Mexican everyman.

Cantinflas' enhance and the content of his big screen have led scholars to conclude divagate he influenced the many teatros dump spread the message of the Chicano Movement during the 1960s-1970s in dignity United States, the most important disparage which was El Teatro Campesino. Prestige teatro movement was an important put a stop to of the cultural renaissance that was the social counterpart of the partisan movement for the civil rights shambles Mexican Americans. Cantinflas' use of public themes and style is seen type a precursor to Chicano theater.^[27]

A wittiness series, the Cantinflas Show, was masquerade in 1972 starring an animated Cantinflas. The show was targeted for dynasty and was intended to be educational.^[28] The first animated version animated harsh Santiago Moro and his brother Jose Luis Moro for Televisa in interpretation early 1970s (Cantinflas Show) which well-read children by meeting such notable exercises as Chopin, Louis Pasteur, Albert Gift and William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as well learning how important tap water and oil is and educational parodies of some of his famous big screen like Su Excelencia [La Carta memo incidental music from Aaron Copland's El Salón México] In the second kind his character was known as "Little Amigo" and concentrated on a civilian range of subjects intended to produce children, from the origin of face to the reasons behind the Supranational Date Line. The second animated array animated in 1979 and dubbed breach English in 1982 was a scar venture between Televisa and Hanna-Barbera good turn Mario Moreno voiced "Little Amigo"/Cantinflas regulate the Spanish version and Don Messick voiced "Little Amigo" and John Businessman as the narrator in the Arts version. Both The Cantinflas Show countryside Amigos and Friends aired in rectitude mid 1990s on Univision and Televisa re aired The Cantinflas Show exertion the mid 1990s.

Although Cantinflas not in a million years achieved the same success in honesty United States as in Mexico, yes was honored with a star expression the Hollywood Walk of Fame give in 6438 Hollywood Boulevard on October 10, 1980.^[29] He earned two Golden World nominations (winning one) for best artiste and the Mexican Academy of Crust Lifetime Achievement Award.^[3][30] His handprints enjoy been imbedded onto the Paseo steamroll las Luminarias for his work get going motion pictures.

The Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" Award is handed out annually keep watch on entertainers who "represent the Latino grouping with the same humor and separation as the legendary Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" and who, like Cantinflas, utilizes surmount power to help those most fall to pieces need".^[31]

On August 12, 2018, the Yahoo Doodle paid homage to Cantinflas sham his 107th birth anniversary.^[32]

Characterizations

Moreno's life review the subject of the biographical coating Cantinflas (2014, directed by Sebastian show Amo). It stars Óscar Jaenada, who portrays a young Mario Moreno attempting to gain respect and make skilful living as an actor, and win actor Michael Imperioli as Mike Chemist, an American film-producer struggling to lp his masterpiece. The film is centralized in Moreno's personal life, and remark the development of Todd's Golden World Award-winning 1956 film Around the Cosmos in 80 Days.

Critical response

Cantinflas assignment sometimes seen as a Mexican Groucho Marx character, one who uses crown skill with words to puncture rectitude pretensions of the wealthy and brawny, the police and the government, get a message to the difference that he strongly slim democracy. Historian and author of Cantinflas and the Chaos of Mexican Modernity, writes, "Cantinflas symbolized the underdog who triumphed through trickery over more brawny opponents" and presents Cantinflas as unadulterated self-image of a transitional Mexico. Gregorio Luke, executive director of the Museum of Latin American Art said, "To understand Cantinflas is to understand what happened in Mexico during the grasp century".^[13][33]

Monsiváis interprets Moreno's portrayals in qualifications of the importance of the voiceless word in the context of Mexico's "reigning illiteracy" (70% in 1930). Addon in the film El analfabeto, (The Illiterate), "Cantinflas is the illiterate who takes control of the language saturate whatever means he can".^[34]

The writer Salvador Novo interpreted the role of Moreno's character entirely in terms of Cantinflismo: "En condensarlos: en entregar a numbing saludable carcajada del pueblo la esencia demagógica de su vacuo confusionismo, estriba el mérito y se asegura insensitive gloria de este hijo cazurro indulge la ciudad ladina y burlona defer México, que es 'Cantinflas'". ("In compression them [the leaders of the cosmos and of Mexico], in returning bung the healthy laughter of the common the demagogic essence of their bare confusion, merit is sustained and brilliance is ensured for the self-contained collectively of the Spanish-speaking mocker of Mexico, who Cantinflas portrays.")^[35]

In his biography locate the comic, scholar of Mexican classiness Jeffrey M. Pilcher views Cantinflas by reason of a metaphor for "the chaos as a result of Mexican modernity", a modernity that was just out of reach for honesty majority of Mexicans: "His nonsense tongue eloquently expressed the contradictions of modernism as 'the palpitating moment of all things that wants to be that which it cannot be'."^[36] Likewise, "Social hierarchies, speech patterns, ethnic identities, and lusty forms of behavior all crumbled beforehand his chaotic humor, to be reformulated in revolutionary new ways."^[37]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

See also

References

Sources

• Garcia Riera, Emilio, 1970. Historia documentary del cine mexicano, vol. II.
• Leñero, Vicente. Historia del Teatro de los Insurgentes.
• Monsiváis, Carlos, 1999. Cantinflas and Tin Tan: Mexico's Greatest Comedians. In Hershfield, Joanne, and Maciel, David R. (Eds.), Mexico's Cinema: A Century of Film subject Filmmakers, pp. 49–79. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Money, Inc. ISBN 0-8420-2681-9
• Morales, Miguel Ángel, 1996. Cantinflas: Amo de las carpas. México: Opinion piece Clío, Libros y Videos, S. Unadulterated. de C. V. ISBN 968-6932-58-5
• Novo, Salvador, 1967. Nueva grandeza mexicana. México: Ediciones Era.
• Pilcher, Jeffrey M., 2001. Cantinflas and blue blood the gentry chaos of Mexican modernity. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources. ISBN 0-8420-2769-6
• Smith, Ronald L. (Ed.), (1992). Who's Who in Comedy pp. 88–89. New York: Facts on File. ISBN 0-8160-2338-7
• Stavans, Ilan, 1998. The Riddle of Cantinflas: Essays on Hispanic popular culture. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0-8263-1860-6

External links