Manuel Valdés Explained

Manuel Valdés
Birth Name:Fernando Manuel Alonso Gómez de Valdés y Castillo
Birth Date:1931 1, df=y[1]
Birth Place:Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Death Place:Mexico City
Othername:El Loco
Notable Works:La Carabina de Ambrosio
Children:12, including Cristian Castro and Marcos Valdés
Family:Valdés family

Fernando Manuel Alonso Gómez de Valdés y Castillo, also known as "El Loco" Valdés,[2] (21 January 1931 – 28 August 2020)[3] was a Mexican actor and comedian. A member of the Valdés family, he was the brother of Ramón Valdés, who portrayed Don Ramón on the sitcom El Chavo del Ocho, and Germán Valdés (a.k.a. "Tin Tan"). He was also the father of singers Cristian Castro and Marcos Valdés.

Personal life

Manuel Valdés was born on 21 January 1931 in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. His parents were Rafael Gómez-Valdés Angellini and Guadalupe Castillo. Valdés had eight siblings: Rafael, Germán, Guadalupe, Pedro, Armando, Ramón, Cristóbal, and Antonio.

Near the end of his life he clarified that his last name was actually double-barrelled (being Gómez-Valdés) but that he and his family decided to take off the Gómez part in order to not confuse the audience into thinking Valdés was their mother's maiden name (per Spanish naming customs.)

The Valdés-Castillo family moved to Nuevo Laredo when Manuel was seven years old because the elder Valdés worked for the Mexican customs agency and had to move frequently. Germán Valdés was already successful as Tin-Tan. He wanted to buy the family a house, but his father turned him down and they moved to Mexico City.

At the age of 13, Manuel had his first film experience, working as an extra in El hijo desobediente and receiving a payment of 12 pesos. He took up dancing and at the age of 19 and became a dancer with Televicentro. His first experience as a comedian was on Variedades de medio día alongside Héctor Lechuga. "El Loco" Valdés is considered the first true television comedian.

Valdés had twelve children, including Norma, Arcelia, Manuel, Jorge, Fernando, Alejandro, Norma, Oscar, Marcos, and Cristian. Cristian is the son of actress Verónica Castro.[4]

Filmography

Films

Television

Death

Valdés died on 28 August 2020 from complications of cancer.[5] [6] He was wearing a jersey of Club América when he was cremated the following day.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Manuel 'El Loco' Valdés fallece a los 89 años de edad . El Siglo . El Siglo de Torreón . August 20, 2020 . es-ES . August 28, 2020.
  2. Web site: Manuel 'El Loco' Valdés, un icono del cine y la comedia en México. es. 23 December 2020. Milenio. 28 August 2020. Mexico City.
  3. News: Mexican actor Manuel "El Loco" Valdés passes away . 31 August 2020 . . 28 August 2020.
  4. Web site: ¿Cómo nació el romance entre Manuel 'El Loco' Valdés y Verónica Castro? . El Siglo . El Siglo de Torreón . 30 August 2020 . es-ES . 28 August 2020.
  5. Web site: Muere 'El Loco' Valdés a los 89 años, tras lucha contra el cáncer. www.milenio.com. Aug 28, 2020.
  6. News: Mexican comic Manuel 'El Loco' Valdés dies at 89 . 31 August 2020 . NBC News . 29 August 2020.
  7. Web site: "Loco" Valdés es incinerado; llevaba playera del América en su funeral . www.msn.com . UNO TV . August 30, 2020.