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Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the
stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
Cantinflas (), was a Mexican
comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...
, actor, and
filmmaker Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, castin ...
. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is celebrated throughout
Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
and in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
as a
popular icon A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively object ...
. His humor, loaded with Mexican linguistic features of intonation, vocabulary, and syntax, is beloved in all the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America and in Spain and has given rise to a range of expressions including ''cantinflear'', ''cantinflada'', ''cantinflesco'', and ''cantinflero''. Though some of his films were translated into English and French, the wordplay was so particular to Mexican Spanish that it was difficult to translate. He often portrayed impoverished farmers or a
peasant A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...
of ''
pelado In Mexican society, ''pelado'' is "a term invented to describe a certain class of urban 'bum' in Mexico in the 1920s." Historical background Mexico has a long tradition of urban poverty, beginning with the ''léperos'', a term referring to shiftle ...
'' origin. The character allowed Cantinflas to establish a long, successful film career that included a foray into Hollywood.
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
once commented that he was the best comedian alive, and Moreno has been referred to as the "Charlie Chaplin of Mexico".Cantinflas biography by Allmovie
Retrieved 24 January 2006.
To audiences in most of the world, he is best remembered as co-starring with
David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in ''Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
in the
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
-winning film ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'', for which Moreno won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. As a pioneer of the
cinema of Mexico Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...
, Moreno helped usher in its
golden era ''The Golden Era'' was a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper. The publication featured the writing of f.e.g. Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Charles Warren Stoddard (writing at first as "Pip Pepperpod"), Fitz Hugh Ludlow, Adah Isaacs Menken, Ada Clare, ...
. In addition to being a business leader, he also became involved in Mexico's tangled and often dangerous labor politics. His reputation as a spokesperson for the downtrodden gave his actions authenticity and became important in the early struggle against '' charrismo'', the
one-party A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government ...
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
's practice of co-opting and controlling unions. Moreover, his character Cantinflas, whose identity became enmeshed with his own, was examined by media critics, philosophers, and linguists, who saw him variously as a danger to Mexican society, a bourgeois puppet, a verbal innovator, and a
picaresque The picaresque novel (Spanish: ''picaresca'', from ''pícaro'', for " rogue" or "rascal") is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of a roguish, but "appealing hero", usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in a corrup ...
underdog.


Early and personal life

Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes was born in
Santa María la Redonda Santa María la Redonda is a traditional neighborhood located in the Cuauhtémoc municipality of Mexico City now part of colonia Guerrero close to Tepito and La Lagunilla. Even though it is not a formal colonia, Santa María la Redonda is a recogniz ...
neighbourhood A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural are ...
of
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
, and grew up in the tough neighbourhood of
Tepito Tepito is a barrio located in Colonia Morelos in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City bordered by Avenida del Trabajo, Paseo de la Reforma, Eje 1 and Eje 2. Most of the neighborhood is taken up by the colorful tianguis, a traditional open-air ...
. He was one of eight children born to Pedro Moreno Esquivel, an impoverished mail carrier, and María de la Soledad Reyes Guízar (from
Cotija, Michoacán Cotija is a municipality located in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 504.05 km2 (0.91% of the surface of the state), and is bordered to the north by Jiquilpan and Villamar, to the east by Tocumbo, and to so ...
). The others were Pedro, José ("Pepe"), Eduardo, Esperanza, Catalina, Enrique, and Roberto.Yaho
Cantinflas biography
Retrieved 9 February 2006.
He made it through difficult situations with the quick wit and street smarts that he would later apply in his films. His comic personality led him to a circus tent show, and from there to legitimate theatre and film. He married Valentina Ivanova Zubareff, of
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n ethnicity, on 27 October 1936 and remained with her until her death in January 1966. A son was born to Moreno in 1961 by another woman;
Ilan Stavans Ilan Stavans (born Ilan Stavchansky on April 7, 1961) is a Mexican-American author and academic. He writes and speaks on American, Hispanic, and Jewish cultures. He is the author of ''Quixote'' (2015) and a contributor to the ''Norton Anthology ...
. ''The riddle of Cantinflas: Essays on Hispanic popular culture'', 1st ed. . Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico. 1998, p. 37.
the child was adopted by Valentina Ivanova and was named Mario Arturo Moreno Ivanova, causing some references to erroneously refer to him as "Cantinflas' adopted son".Biography from ''Vanity Magazine''
Retrieved 29 January 2006.
Moreno Ivanova died on 15 May 2017, of a presumed heart attack. Moreno served as president of one of the Mexican actors'
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
s known as ''Asociación Nacional de Actores'' (ANDA, "National Association of Actors") and as first secretary general of the independent filmworkers' union '' Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Producción Cinematográfica'' (STPC). Following his retirement, he devoted his life to helping others through
charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...
and humanitarian organizations, especially those dedicated to helping children. His contributions to the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and
orphanage An orphanage is a Residential education, residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the Childcare, care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parent ...
s made him a
folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; a ...
in Mexico. He was a
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, initiated at Chilam Balam Lodge. In 1961, Cantinflas appeared with
Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
at
shopping center A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof. The first known collec ...
s and
supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earli ...
s in
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, to support the successful Democratic
nominee A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * t ...
to the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
for
Texas's 20th congressional district Texas's 20th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes the western half of San Antonio and Bexar County in Texas. The district is heavily Latino/Hispanic (predominantly of Mexican descent), as is the surroun ...
, Henry B. Gonzalez, who defeated his
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
challenger, John W. Goode. Gonzalez was the first Hispanic elected to the
Texas State Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per cons ...
and as a U.S. congressman from Texas.


Origin of name

As a young man, Cantinflas performed a variety of acts in travelling tents, and it was here that he acquired the nickname "Cantinflas". According to one obituary, "Cantinflas" is a meaningless name invented to prevent his parents from knowing he was in the entertainment business, which they considered a shameful occupation. Cantinflas confirmed as much in 1992, in his last television interview. Of course, the relationship between Moreno's little-used first given name ''Fortino'' and the character in
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's ''Hamlet''
Fortinbras Fortinbras is either of two minor fictional characters from William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Hamlet''. The more notable is a Norwegian crown prince with a few brief scenes in the play, who delivers the final lines that represent a hopeful future ...
offers a striking parallel with the stage name of much younger contemporary Chespirito ("Little Shakespeare" in a garbled Mexican pronunciation).


Entertainment career

Before starting his professional life in entertainment, he explored a number of possible careers, such as
medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
and professional
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
, before joining the entertainment world as a
dancer Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoi ...
. By 1930 he was involved in Mexico City's ''
carpa In Mexico and the Southwestern United States, the ''carpa'' ( Spanish: "tent", from the Quechua ''karpa'') theater flourished during the 1920s and 1930s. Like its American counterpart vaudeville, performance materials were varied, including comedic ...
'' (travelling tent) circuit, performing in succession with the Ofelia, Sotelo of
Azcapotzalco Azcapotzalco ( nci, Āzcapōtzalco , , from ''wikt:azcapotzalli, āzcapōtzalli'' “anthill” + ''wikt:-co, -co'' “place”; literally, “In the place of the anthills”) is a Boroughs of Mexico City, borough (''demarcación territorial'') i ...
, and finally the Valentina ''carpa'', where he met his future wife. At first he tried to imitate
Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...
by smearing his face with black paint, but later separated himself to form his own identity as an impoverished slum dweller with baggy pants, a rope for a belt, and a distinctive mustache.Cantinflas article by the ''Los Angeles Times''
Retrieved 24 January 2006
In the tents, he danced, performed acrobatics, and performed roles related to several different professions.


Film career

In the mid-1930s, Cantinflas met publicist and producer Santiago Reachi and subsequently partnered with him to form their own film production venture. Reachi produced, directed, and distributed, while Cantinflas acted. Cantinflas made his film debut in 1936 with ''No te engañes corazón'' (''
Don't Fool Yourself Dear ''Don't Fool Yourself Dear'' (Spanish: ''No te engañes corazón'') is a 1937 Mexican comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Contreras Torres and starring Carlos Orellana. It is the first full-feature film of Mexican comedian Cantinflas after becomin ...
'') before meeting Reachi, but the film received little attention. Reachi established Posa Films in 1939 with two partners: Cantinflas and Fernandez. Before this, Reachi produced short films that allowed him to develop the Cantinflas character, but it was in 1940 that he finally became a movie star, after shooting ''
Ahí está el detalle ''You're Missing the Point'' (Spanish: ''Ahí está el detalle'') is a 1940 Mexican comedy film starring Cantinflas. It was produced by Jesús Grovas and directed by Juan Bustillo Oro, and also features Joaquín Pardavé, Sara García, Sofía Á ...
'' ("There's the rub", literally "There lies the detail"), with Sofía Álvarez,
Joaquín Pardavé Joaquín Pardavé Arce (30 September 1900 – 20 July 1955) was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940 ...
,
Sara García Sara García Hidalgo (8 September 1895 – 21 November 1980) was a Mexican actress who made her biggest mark during the "Golden Age of Mexican cinema". During the 1940s and 1950s, she often played the part of a no-nonsense but lovable grandm ...
, and
Dolores Camarillo Dolores Camarillo (March 31, 1910 – February 8, 1988) was a Mexican character actress of film, television, and theater. She also was a makeup artist for films, and was frequently billed as "Fraustita". Personal life The daughter of actors ...
. The phrase that gave that movie its name became a "Cantinflas" (or
catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
) for the remainder of his career. The film was a breakthrough in Latin America and was later recognized by ''
Somos Somos may refer to: Geography * Somoș River (Belinul Mic), in Covasna County, Romania * Somoș River (Malnaș), in Covasna County, Romania * Somoș River (Olt), in Covasna County, Romania People * Michael Somos, mathematician ** Somos seque ...
'' magazine as the 10th greatest film produced largely in Mexico. In 1941, Moreno first played the role of a police officer on film in ''
El gendarme desconocido ''The Unknown Policeman'' (Spanish: ''El gendarme desconocido'') is a 1941 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Mapy Cortés, Daniel "Chino" Herrera and Gloria Marín.Standish & Bell p.133 The film's sets were ...
'' ("The Unknown Police Officer" a play on words on " The Unknown Soldier). By this time, he had sufficiently distinguished the ''peladito'' character from the 1920s-era ''pelado'', and his character flowed comfortably from the disenfranchised, marginalized, underclassman to the empowered public servant. The rhetoric of ''cantinflismo'' facilitated this fluidity. He would reprise the role of Agent 777 and be honored by police forces throughout Latin America for his positive portrayal of law enforcement. ''Ni sangre, ni arena'' ("Neither Blood, nor Sand" a play on words on the bullfighter/gladiator phrase '' Blood and Sand''), the 1941 bullfighting film, broke box-office records for Mexican-made films throughout Spanish-speaking countries. In 1942, Moreno teamed up with Reachi,
Miguel M. Delgado Miguel Melitón Delgado Pardavé (17 May 1905 – 2 January 1994) was a Mexican film director and screenwriter best known for directing thirty-three of Cantinflas' films, under contract of Posa Films. He directed 139 films between 1941 and 19 ...
, and Jaime Salvador to produce a series of parodies, including El Circo, an interpretation of Chaplin's '' The Circus''. The 1940s and 1950s were Cantinflas' heyday. In 1941, Reachi, the Producer rejected Mexican Studios companies and instead paid
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
to produce the films in its Studios in Hollywood. By this time, Cantinflas' popularity was such that he was able to lend his prestige to the cause of Mexican labor, representing the National Association of Actors in talks with
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Manuel Ávila Camacho Manuel Ávila Camacho (; 24 April 1897 – 13 October 1955) was a Mexican politician and military leader who served as the President of Mexico from 1940 to 1946. Despite participating in the Mexican Revolution and achieving a high rank, he cam ...
. The talks did not go well, however, and, in the resulting scandal, Moreno took his act back to the theatre.


Theater

On 30 August 1953, Cantinflas began performing his theatrical work ''Yo Colón'' ("I, Columbus") in the ''
Teatro de los Insurgentes Teatro de los Insurgentes ( en, Theater of the Insurgents) is a theater located on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes. It was built by José María Dávila in 1953 as part of President Miguel Alemán's program of urban renewal. Dávila c ...
'', the same theatre that had earlier been embroiled in a controversy over a
Diego Rivera Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez, known as Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957), was a prominent Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the ...
mural incorporating Cantinflas and the
Virgin of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe ( es, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe ( es, Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus associated with a series of five Marian apparitions, which are believed t ...
. Critics, including the PAN and
archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
Luis María Martínez, called the mural
blasphemous Blasphemy is a speech crime and religious crime usually defined as an utterance that shows contempt, disrespects or insults a deity, an object considered sacred or something considered inviolable. Some religions regard blasphemy as a religio ...
, and it was eventually painted without the image of the Virgin. ''Yo Colón'' placed Cantinflas in the character of
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
, who, while continually "discovering America", made comedic historical and contemporary observations from fresh perspectives. For the first few months, he persuaded the King and Queen of Spain to fund his voyage so that he could let his wife "drive" so she could make a wrong turn and discover Mexico instead, allowing him to also discover
Jorge Negrete Jorge Alberto Negrete Moreno (; 30 November 1911 – 5 December 1953) was a Mexican singer and actor. Life and career Negrete was born in the city of Guanajuato and had two brothers and three sisters; his father was a Mexican Army Colonel who ...
so that the Queen – an ardent fan – could meet him. When Negrete died just before Christmas of 1953, he changed it first to
Pedro Infante Pedro Infante Cruz (; 18 November 1917 – 15 April 1957) was a Mexican ranchera music singer and actor, whose career spanned the golden age of Mexican cinema. His popularity spread across Latin America. Infante was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa ...
until his death four years later, and then finally to
Javier Solis Javier may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Javier, in video game '' Advance Wars: Dual Strike'' * Javier Rios, a character in the Monsters, Inc. franchise. * ''Javier'' (album), a 2003 album by the American singer Javier Colon, known ...
until his death in 1966.


Hollywood and beyond

In 1956, ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
'', Cantinflas' American debut, earned him a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for Best Actor in a musical or comedy.Film awards for Cantinflas
Retrieved 29 January 2006.
Variety magazine said in 1956 that his Chaplinesque quality made a big contribution to the success of the film.''Variety magazine'' review of film
Retrieved 29 January 2006
The film ultimately made an unadjusted $42 million at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
Box office figures from Box Office Mojo
Retrieved 31 January 2006
(over $678 million in 2018 dollars). While
David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in ''Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
was billed as the lead in English-speaking nations, Cantinflas was billed as the lead elsewhere. As a result of the film, Cantinflas became the world's highest-paid actor. Moreno's second Hollywood feature, ''
Pepe Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish name José (Josep). It is also a surname. * People Mononyms * Pepe (footballer, born 1935), real name José Macia, Brazilian footballer *Pepe (footballer, born 1983), real name Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira ...
'', attempted to replicate the success of his first. The film had cameo appearances by
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
,
Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
,
Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", "Louise", " Mimi", and "Thank Hea ...
,
Shirley Jones Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American actress and singer. In her six decades in show business, she has starred as wholesome characters in a number of musical films, such as ''Oklahoma!'' (1955), ''Carousel'' (1956), and ''The M ...
,
Ricardo Montalban Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese cognate of the name Richard. It derived from Proto-Germanic ''*rīks'' 'king, ruler' + ''*harduz'' 'hard, brave'. It may be a given name, or a surname. People Given name *Ricardo de Araújo Pereira, Portugu ...
,
James Coburn James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American film and television actor who was featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career.AllmoviBi ...
,
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...
,
César Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lover (stereotype), Latin lovers ...
, and other stars. His humor, deeply rooted in the Spanish language, did not translate well for the American audience and the movie was a notorious
box office disappointment A box-office bomb, or box-office disaster, is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the production, marketing, and distribution costs combined exceed the revenue after ...
. He still earned a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nomination for his part. Later in a 1992 American interview, Moreno cited the language barrier as the biggest impediment to his making it big in the United States.Article on theatre re-enactment of Cantinflas' humor
Retrieved 30 January 2006
After returning to Mexico, Cantinflas starred in the comic drama ''
El bolero de Raquel ''El bolero de Raquel'' (aka ''Raquel's Shoeshiner'') is a 1957 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas, Manola Saavedra, Flor Silvestre, and child actor Paquito Fernández. The film's art direction was by Gunt ...
'' (1957), the first Cantinflas film to be distributed to the United States by
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
. The film was followed by more Cantinflas-Reachi-Columbia productions: ''
El analfabeto ''The Illiterate One'' (Spanish: ''El analfabeto'') is a 1961 Mexican comedy film, directed by Miguel M. Delgado, starring Cantinflas, Lilia Prado, and Sara García. It is the second Cantinflas film presented by Columbia Pictures. Plot An inh ...
'' (1961), ''
El padrecito ''El padrecito'' ( "The Little Priest") is a 1964 Mexican comedy film directed by Miguel M. Delgado, starring Cantinflas, Ángel Garasa and Rosa María Vázquez. Plot When an elderly priest, Father Damián receives word that he will be replaced ...
'' (1963), and ''
Su excelencia ''Su Excelencia'' (aka ''Your Excellency'') is a 1967 Mexican political satire film directed by Miguel M. Delgado and starring Cantinflas and Sonia Infante. The film is set in a parody universe where "Red" and "Green" countries are the political eq ...
'' (1967). After ''Su excelencia'', Cantinflas began to appear in a series of very low-budget comedies directed by
Miguel M. Delgado Miguel Melitón Delgado Pardavé (17 May 1905 – 2 January 1994) was a Mexican film director and screenwriter best known for directing thirty-three of Cantinflas' films, under contract of Posa Films. He directed 139 films between 1941 and 19 ...
, which were produced by his own company "Cantinflas Films". These films lasted until ''El Barrendero'', in 1982. Like
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
, Cantinflas was a social satirist. He played ''el pelado'', an impoverished Everyman, with hopes to succeed. With mutual admiration, Cantinflas was influenced by Chaplin's earlier films and ideology. ''El Circo'' (the circus) was a "shadow" of Chaplin's silent film, '' The Circus'' and ''Si yo fuera diputado'' ("If I Were a Congressman") had many similarities with the 1940 film, ''
The Great Dictator ''The Great Dictator'' is a 1940 American anti-war political satire black comedy film written, directed, produced, scored by, and starring British comedian Charlie Chaplin, following the tradition of many of his other films. Having been the onl ...
''. Cantinflas' films, to this day, still generate revenue for Columbia Pictures. In 2000, Columbia reported in an estimated US$4 million in foreign distribution from the films.


Death

A life long smoker, Cantinflas died of lung cancer on 20 April 1993 in Mexico City. Thousands appeared on a rainy day for his funeral. The ceremony was a national event, lasting three days. He was honored by many heads of state and the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
, which held a moment of silence for him. His ashes lay at the crypt of the Moreno Reyes family, in the ''Panteón Español'' ("Spanish Cemetery") in
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
. A 20-year legal battle followed between Mario Moreno Ivanova, Cantinflas' son and heir to his estate, and the actor's blood nephew Eduardo Moreno Laparade over the control of 34 films made by Cantinflas. The nephew claimed his uncle gave him a written notice, Moreno Ivanova argued that he was the direct heir of Cantinflas and that the rights belonged to him. In 2014, Eduardo Moreno Laparade won the rights at the Mexican Supreme Court to 39 films and the name. At the same time, there was another legal battle between
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
and Moreno Ivanova over control of these films. Columbia claimed that it had bought the rights to the 34 films four decades earlier, although the court noted several discrepancies in the papers. Moreno Ivanova wanted the rights to the films to remain his, and more generally Mexico's, as a national treasure. On 2 June 2001 the eight-year battle was resolved with Columbia retaining ownership over the 34 disputed films.


Cultural impact

Among the things that endeared him to his public was his comic use of language in his films; his characters (all of which were really variations of the main "Cantinflas" persona but cast in different social roles and circumstances) would strike up a normal conversation and then complicate it to the point where no one understood what they were talking about. The Cantinflas character was particularly adept at obfuscating the conversation when he owed somebody money, was courting an attractive young woman, or was trying to talk his way out of trouble with authorities, whom he managed to humiliate without their even being able to tell. This manner of talking became known as ''Cantinflear'', and it became common parlance for Spanish speakers to say "''¡estás cantinfleando!''" (loosely translated as you're pulling a "Cantinflas!" or you're "Cantinflassing!") whenever someone became hard to understand in conversation. The
Real Academia Española The Royal Spanish Academy ( es, Real Academia Española, generally abbreviated as RAE) is Spain's official royal institution with a mission to ensure the stability of the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, and is affiliated with ...
officially included the verb, ''cantinflear'', ''cantinflas'' and ''cantinflada''Cantinflear at the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy
Retrieved 21 January 2006
in its dictionary in 1992. In the visual arts, Mexican artists such as
Rufino Tamayo Rufino del Carmen Arellanes Tamayo (August 25, 1899 – June 24, 1991) was a Mexican painter of Zapotec heritage, born in Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico.Sullivan, 170-171Ades, 357 Tamayo was active in the mid-20th century in Mexico and New York, ...
and
Diego Rivera Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez, known as Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957), was a prominent Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the ...
painted Cantinflas as a symbol of the Mexican everyman. Cantinflas' style and the content of his films have led scholars to conclude that he influenced the many ''teatros'' that spread the message of the
Chicano Movement The Chicano Movement, also referred to as El Movimiento, was a social and political movement in the United States inspired by prior acts of resistance among people of Mexican descent, especially of Pachucos in the 1940s and 1950s, and the Black ...
during the 1960s-1970s in the United States, the most important of which was
El Teatro Campesino El Teatro Campesino (Spanish for "The Farmworker's Theater") is a Chicano theatre company in California. Performing in both English and Spanish, El Teatro Campesino was founded in 1965 as the cultural arm of the United Farm Workers and the Chicano M ...
. The ''teatro'' movement was an important part of the cultural renaissance that was the social counterpart of the political movement for the
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...
of Mexican Americans. Cantinflas' use of social themes and style is seen as a precursor to
Chicano Chicano or Chicana is a chosen identity for many Mexican Americans in the United States. The label ''Chicano'' is sometimes used interchangeably with ''Mexican American'', although the terms have different meanings. While Mexican-American ident ...
theater.D'Souza, Karen. ''Mercury News'
"Remembering Cantinflas"
/ref> A cartoon series, the '' Cantinflas Show'', was made in 1972 starring an animated Cantinflas. The show was targeted for children and was intended to be educational.Yahoo entry on the ''Cantinflas Show''
Retrieved 24 January 2006
The first animated version animated by Santiago Moro and his brother
Jose Luis Moro Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galilean ...
for Televisa in the early 1970s (Cantinflas Show) which educated children by meeting such notable people such as Chopin,
Louis Pasteur Louis Pasteur (, ; 27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist renowned for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization, the latter of which was named afte ...
,
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...
and
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
as well learning how important water and oil is and educational parodies of some of his famous movies like ''Su Excelencia'' a_Carta_with_incidental_music_from_Aaron_Copland's_El_Salón_México.html" ;"title="Aaron_Copland.html" ;"title="a Carta with incidental music from Aaron Copland">a Carta with incidental music from Aaron Copland's El Salón México">Aaron_Copland.html" ;"title="a Carta with incidental music from Aaron Copland">a Carta with incidental music from Aaron Copland's El Salón México] In the second version his character was known as "''Little Amigo''" and concentrated on a wide range of subjects intended to educate children, from the origin of soccer to the reasons behind the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South and North Poles and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific O ...
. The second animated series animated in 1979 and dubbed in English in 1982 was a joint venture between
Televisa Grupo Televisa is a Mexican multimedia mass media company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April 2021, Televisa and Univision Communications announce ...
and
Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
and Mario Moreno voiced "Little Amigo"/Cantinflas in the Spanish version and
Don Messick Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons. His best-remembered vocal creations include Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in ...
voiced "Little Amigo" and John Stephenson as the narrator in the English version. Both The Cantinflas Show and Amigos and Friends aired in the mid 1990s on
Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...
and Televisa re aired The Cantinflas Show in the mid 1990s. Although Cantinflas never achieved the same success in the United States as in Mexico, he was honored with a motion pictures star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
at 6438
Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
. He earned two Golden Globe nominations (winning one) for best actor and the
Mexican Academy of Film Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous peopl ...
Lifetime Achievement Award.Biography from Barnes & Noble
Retrieved 25 January 2006.
His handprints have been imbedded onto the Paseo de las Luminarias for his work in motion pictures. The Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" Award is handed out annually for entertainers who "represent the Latino community with the same humor and distinction as the legendary Mario Moreno "Cantinflas" and who, like Cantinflas, utilizes his power to help those most in need". On August 12, 2018, the
Google Doodle A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures. The first Google Doodle honored the 1998 edition of the long-running an ...
paid homage to Cantinflas on his 107th birth anniversary.


Characterisations

Moreno's life is the subject of the
biographical film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...
''
Cantinflas Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 – 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas (), was a Mexican comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He is considered to have been the most widely-accomplished Mexican comedian and is cel ...
'' (2014, directed by Sebastian del Amo). It stars
Óscar Jaenada Óscar Jaenada Gajo (born 4 May 1975) is a Spanish actor. Career Jaenada began acting at the age of thirteen, performing in Shakespeare plays. The memory of his grandmother taking him to the Rívoli Cinema made him want to become an actor, ...
, who portrays a young Mario Moreno attempting to gain respect and make a living as an actor, and award-winning actor
Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Out ...
as
Mike Todd Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of ''Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Actr ...
, an American film-producer struggling to film his masterpiece. The film is centered in Moreno's personal life, and in the development of Todd's Golden Globe Award-winning 1956 film ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...
''.


Critical response

Cantinflas is sometimes seen as a Mexican
Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...
character, one who uses his skill with words to puncture the pretensions of the wealthy and powerful, the police and the government, with the difference that he strongly supported democracy. Historian and author of ''Cantinflas and the Chaos of Mexican Modernity'', writes, "Cantinflas symbolized the underdog who triumphed through trickery over more powerful opponents" and presents Cantinflas as a self-image of a transitional Mexico. Gregorio Luke, executive director of the
Museum of Latin American Art The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) was founded by Dr. Robert Gumbiner in 1996 in Long Beach, California, United States and serves the greater Los Angeles area. MOLAA is the only museum in the United States dedicated to modern and contempora ...
said, "To understand Cantinflas is to understand what happened in Mexico during the last century".Cantinflas and the Chaos of Mexican Modernity
Retrieved 1 February 2006
Monsiváis interprets Moreno's portrayals in terms of the importance of the spoken word in the context of Mexico's "reigning illiteracy" (70% in 1930). Particularly in the film ''
El analfabeto ''The Illiterate One'' (Spanish: ''El analfabeto'') is a 1961 Mexican comedy film, directed by Miguel M. Delgado, starring Cantinflas, Lilia Prado, and Sara García. It is the second Cantinflas film presented by Columbia Pictures. Plot An inh ...
'', (''The Illiterate''), "Cantinflas is the illiterate who takes control of the language by whatever means he can".Monsiváis, p. 52 The journalist
Salvador Novo Salvador Novo López (30 July 1904 – 13 January 1974) was a Mexican writer, poet, playwright, translator, television presenter, entrepreneur, and the official chronicler of Mexico City. As a noted intellectual, he influenced popular percept ...
interprets the role of Moreno's character entirely in terms of ''Cantinflismo'': "''En condensarlos: en entregar a la saludable carcajada del pueblo la esencia demagógica de su vacuo confusionismo, estriba el mérito y se asegura la gloria de este hijo cazurro de la ciudad ladina y burlona de México, que es 'Cantinflas". ("In condensing them he leaders of the world and of Mexico in returning to the healthy laughter of the people the demagogic essence of their empty confusion, merit is sustained and glory is ensured for the self-contained son of the Spanish-speaking mocker of Mexico, who Cantinflas portrays.")Novo, p. 47 In his biography of the comic, scholar of Mexican culture Jeffrey M. Pilcher views Cantinflas as a metaphor for "the chaos of Mexican modernity", a modernity that was just out of reach for the majority of Mexicans: "His nonsense language eloquently expressed the contradictions of modernity as 'the palpitating moment of everything that wants to be that which it cannot be'."Pilcher, p. xxii Likewise, "Social hierarchies, speech patterns, ethnic identities, and masculine forms of behavior all crumbled before his chaotic humor, to be reformulated in revolutionary new ways."Pilcher, p. xviii


Filmography


Awards and nominations


See also

*
Mononymous person A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. In some cases, a mononym selected by an individual may have originally been from a polynym, a word which refers to one o ...
* Chespirito


References


Sources

*Garcia Riera, Emilio, 1970. ''Historia documental 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 and Filmmakers'', pp. 49–79. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources, Inc. *Morales, Miguel Ángel, 1996. ''Cantinflas: Amo de las carpas''. México: Editorial Clío, Libros y Videos, S. A. de C. V. *Novo, Salvador, 1967. ''Nueva grandeza mexicana''. México: Ediciones Era. *Pilcher, Jeffrey M., 2001. ''Cantinflas and the chaos of Mexican modernity''. Wilmington, Delaware: Scholarly Resources. *Smith, Ronald L. (Ed.), (1992). ''Who's Who in Comedy'' pp. 88–89. New York: Facts on File. * Stavans, Ilan, 1998. ''The Riddle of Cantinflas: Essays on Hispanic popular culture''. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.


External links

*
Cantinflas
at the
cinema of Mexico Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...
site of the
ITESM Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) ( en, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), also known as Tecnológico de Monterrey or just Tec, is a secular and coeducational private university based in ...

Cantinflas
Fan site
Cantinflas Movie
Official Facebook Page of the 2014 Biopic Movie Cantinflas
Cantinflas Movie
Official Page of the 2014 Biopic Movie Cantinflas
Cantinflas 107th Birthday
at Google Doodles {{Authority control 1911 births 1993 deaths Male actors from Mexico City Comedians from Mexico City Ariel Award winners Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Deaths from cancer in Mexico Deaths from lung cancer Golden Age of Mexican cinema Golden Ariel Award winners Mexican male comedians Mexican Freemasons Mexican male film actors Mexican male voice actors People from Cuernavaca People from Morelos Mexican Roman Catholics 20th-century comedians Comedy franchises