Carlos Arruza (February 17, 1920 – May 20, 1966), born Carlos Ruiz Camino, was one of the most prominent
bullfighters
A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...
of the 20th century. He was known as "El Ciclón" ("the cyclone").
Arruza was born in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
to Spanish parents. He began fighting bulls at age 14 in Mexico City, and moved to
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 ...
in 1944. He and
Manolete
Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (4 July 1917 – 29 August 1947), known as Manolete, was a Spanish bullfighter.
Career
Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez was the son of a bullfighter (who also went by the name Manolete) and his wife An ...
were Spain's top matadors of the 1940s.
Arruza retired to a ranch outside Mexico City in 1953, but made a comeback as a
rejoneador
Rejoneador (, pl. ''rejoneadores''; "lancer") is the name given to a bullfighter who fights the bull on horseback. The ''rejoneo'' is a form of bullfighting in Portugal and in Spanish bullfighting.
Popular culture
Mounted bullfighting is feat ...
, fighting bulls from horseback. He appeared in two Mexican films about bullfighting, and had a part in the 1960
John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
film '' The Alamo''. He was the subject of the 1971 documentary '' Arruza'', directed by
Budd Boetticher
Oscar "Budd" Boetticher Jr. ( ; July 29, 1916 – November 29, 2001) was an American film director. He is best remembered for a series of low-budget Westerns he made in the late 1950s starring Randolph Scott.
Early life
Boetticher was born in ...
. Arruza's sons, Manolo and Carlos Jr., also became prominent
torero
A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activity ...
s.
Carlos Arruza died on May 20, 1966 in an automobile accident while on the road from
Toluca
Toluca , officially Toluca de Lerdo , is the States of Mexico, state capital of the State of Mexico as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. With a population of 910,608 as of the 2020 census, Toluca is the fifth most populous city in M ...
,
State of Mexico
The State of Mexico ( es, Estado de México; ), officially just Mexico ( es, México), is one of the 32 federal entities of the United Mexican States. Commonly known as Edomex (from ) to distinguish it from the name of the whole country, it is ...
, to Mexico City.
Calle Carlos Arruza, a small street in downtown Tucson, Arizona, is named after Arruza. According to ''Arizona Daily Star'' historical writer David Leighton, it may be the only street in the U.S. named after a bullfighter.
The composition "Carlos", by jazz composer and bandleader
Gerald Wilson
Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. In addition to being a ...
, is dedicated to Arruza. The piece features virtuoso trumpet playing and has been recorded three times by Wilson's band: in 1966 with Jimmy Owens on trumpet, 1989 with