José Enrique Benito y Emeterio Ysbert Alvarruiz (3 March 1886 in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

– 28 November 1966 in Madrid), also known as José Isbert and/or Pepe Isbert, was a Spanish

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

Biography

Early life

In 1903 he worked at the Court of Accounts (Tribunal de Cuentas), but decided to give up working as a civil servant and that same year he made his stage debut at the Teatro Apolo in Madrid in the play ''El iluso Cañizares'', changing the spelling of his real name from Y to I. He moved to the Teatro Lara, where he was very successful. He was married to Elvira Soriano and he was father of the actress

María Isbert María Vicenta Ysbert Soriano (21 April 1917 – 25 April 2011) better known as María Isbert was a Spanish actress whose credits included more than 250 Spanish films during her career. Isbert worked with most major Spanish film actors and direc ...

and grandfather of Tony Isbert and Carlos Ysbert (the second Spanish voice of Homer Simpson).

Career

In 1912 he debuted in the short film '' Asesinato y entierro de Don José Canalejas'' (playing Pardiñas, the anarchist who killed José Canalejas). During the silent era he worked in theatre with supporting roles in cinema, but with the advent of sound, he made a big screen comeback in the comedy directed by

Florián Rey Antonio Martínez del Castillo known professionally as Florián Rey was a Spanish director, actor, and screenwriter. He directed '' The Cursed Village'', widely recognized as a seminal work in silent Spanish cinema, and helped launch the career o ...

, '' La pura verdad'' in (1931). In the 1930s he acted in half a dozen films including: '' ¿Cuándo te suicidas?'' (1931) directed by

Manuel Romero (director) Manuel Romeo (September 21, 1891 – October 3, 1954 in Buenos Aires) was an Argentine film director, screenwriter, dramatist and score composer, and one of the influential directors in the cinema of Argentina of the classic era. He direc ...

, ''

La bien pagada LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

'' (1935) by

Eusebio Fernández Ardavín Eusebio Fernández Ardavín (1898–1965) was a Spanish screenwriter and film director. He was the brother of the playwright Luis Fernández Ardavín. His nephew César Fernández Ardavín who also became a film director, began his career working ...

or '' El bailarín y el trabajador'' (1935), directed by

Luis Marquina Luis Marquina ( 25 May 1904 Barcelona- 26 June 1980 Madrid) was a Spanish film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography * ''The Dancer and the Worker'' (1936) * ''Whirlwind (1941 film), Whirlwind'' (1941) * ''Malvaloca (1942 film), Malva ...

and based on a play by

Jacinto Benavente Jacinto Benavente y Martínez (12 August 1866 – 14 July 1954) was one of the foremost Spanish dramatists of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1922 "for the happy manner in which he has continued the illustrious ...

. In the 1940s he gained great popularity in films such as '' Te quiero para mí'' (1944) and ''

El testamento del virrey EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...

'' (1944), both directed by

Ladislao Vajda Ladislao Vajda (born Weisz László; 18 August 1906, Budapest – 25 March 1965, Barcelona) was a Hungarian-Spanish film director who made films in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy and West Germany. Biography He was born in Budapest, ...

; ''

Ella, él y sus millones ''Ella, él y sus millones'' is a 1944 Spanish comedy film written and directed by Juan de Orduña Juan de Orduña y Fernández-Shaw (27 December 1900 – 3 February 1974) was a Spanish film director, screenwriter and actor. Subservient ...

'' (1944) by

Juan de Orduña Juan de Orduña y Fernández-Shaw (27 December 1900 – 3 February 1974) was a Spanish film director, screenwriter and actor. Subservient to the ideological tenets and preferences of Francoism, he was one of the regime's standout directors d ...

; ''

El fantasma y doña Juanita ''The Phantom and Dona Juanita'' (Spanish:''El fantasma y Doña Juanita'') is a 1945 Spanish comedy film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Antonio Casal, Mary Delgado and Juan Espantaleón.de España p.119 The film's sets were designed by Enriq ...

'' (1945) by

Rafael Gil Rafael Gil (22 May 1913 – 10 July 1986) was a Spanish film director and screenwriter. His film ''La guerra de Dios'' (1953) won the Bronze Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1953 and also won best film and best director at the San Sebastián ...

and ''

Pacto de silencio Pacto may refer to: * Pacto de Olivos, series of documents signed by president Carlos Menem of Argentina and Raúl Alfonsín * Pacto de Punto Fijo, accord between Venezuelan political parties * Pacto de Sangre (album), studio album released by n ...

'' (1949), by

Antonio Román Antonio Román (9 November 1911 – 16 June 1989) was a prolific Spanish film director, screenwriter, film producer. Antonio Román was born Ourense, Spain on 9 November 1911. Román began directing films in the later 1930s starting with doc ...

. The films he is most remembered for are from the 1950s and 1960s, in classics directed by

Luis García Berlanga Luis García-Berlanga Martí (12 June 1921 – 13 November 2010) was a Spain , Spanish film director and screenwriter. Acclaimed as a pioneer of modern Spanish cinema, his films are marked by social satire and acerbic critiques of Spanish culture ...

: ''

Welcome Mr. Marshall! ''Welcome Mr. Marshall!'' ( es, link=no, ¡Bienvenido, Mister Marshall!) is a 1953 Spanish comedy film directed by Luis García Berlanga, and considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish cinema. The film highlights the stereotypes held by both ...

'' (1953), ''

Los jueves, milagro Los jueves, milagro ( "On Thursday, miracle") is a 1957 Spanish comedy film directed by Luis García Berlanga. The movie is about people in a small village of Spain who decide to fake a miracle in order to increase tourism but things don't go as ...

'' (1957) and '' El verdugo'' (1963); and the dark comedy masterpiece '' El cochecito'' by

Marco Ferreri Marco Ferreri (11 May 1928 – 9 May 1997) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor, who began his career in the 1950s directing three films in Spain, followed by 24 Italian films before his death in 1997. He is considered one of t ...

, all written by

Rafael Azcona Rafael Azcona Fernández (24 October 1926 – 24 March 2008) was an awarded Spanish screenwriter and novelist who has worked with some of the best Spanish and international filmmakers. Azcona won five Goya Awards during his career, includi ...

. He was the grandfather in the Spanish classic ''

La gran familia ''La gran familia'' is a 1962 Spain, Spanish classic comedy film directed by and starring Alberto Closas and Amparo Soler Leal, as a married couple with 15 children, José Isbert and José Luis López Vázquez. It was so successful that it insp ...

'' (1962), and its sequel '' La gran familia... y uno más'' (1965), these films earning him still greater popularity. Pepe Isbert died in

due to a heart condition when he was 80 years old. He was buried at

Tarazona de la Mancha Tarazona de la Mancha is a municipality in the province of Albacete in the Autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It had a population of 6,647 at the 2011 census. Geography Tarazona de la Mancha is located in the north of Albacete ...

cemetery in the

province of Albacete Albacete ( es, Provincia de Albacete, ) is a province of central Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. As of 2012, Albacete had a population of 402,837 people. Its capital city, also called Albacete, is ...

Selected filmography

* ''Asesinato y entierro de Don José Canalejas'' (1912, Short) - Manuel Pardiñas * ''¡A la orden, mi coronel!'' (1919) * ''La mala ley'' (1924) - Hilario * ''48 pesetas de taxi'' (1930) * ''

The Pure Truth ''The Pure Truth'' ( es, La pura verdad) is a 1931 American comedy film directed by Florián Rey and Manuel Romero and starring José Isbert, Enriqueta Serrano and Manuel Russell. It was made at the Joinville Studios in Paris by Paramount Pictu ...

'' (1931) - Sr. Lamberti * '' When Do You Commit Suicide?'' (1932) - Petavey * ''Broken Lives'' (1935) - Paco * ''La bien pagada'' (1935) - Gabriel * '' The Dancer and the Worker'' (1936) - Don Carmelo Romagosa * '' Heart of Gold'' (1941) - El tío Matías * ''El sobre lacrado'' (1941) - Don Casto * ''Una chica de opereta'' (1944) - Fabián Pérez * '' Orosia'' (1944) - Don Cándido * ''Aventura'' (1944) - Empresario Rodríguez * ''Te quiero para mí'' (1944) - Don Miguel * ''

Life Begins at Midnight ''Life Begins at Midnight'' (Spanish:''La vida empieza a medianoche '') is a 1944 Spanish comedy film written and directed by Juan de Orduña and starring Marta Santaolalla, Armando Calvo and Julia Lajos.Bentley p.94 The movie is based on the no ...

'' (1944) - El abuelo * ''El testamento del virrey'' (1944) - Don Prudencio * ''

'' (1944) - Ramón, duque de Hinojares * ''

The Phantom and Dona Juanita ''The Phantom and Dona Juanita'' (Spanish:''El fantasma y Doña Juanita'') is a 1945 Spanish comedy film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Antonio Casal, Mary Delgado and Juan Espantaleón.de España p.119 The film's sets were designed by Enriqu ...

'' (1945) - Don Pancho * ''Un hombre de negocios'' (1945) - Dimas * ''

The Princess of the Ursines ''The Princess of the Ursines'' (Spanish:''La princesa de los ursinos'') is a 1947 Spanish historical film directed by Luis Lucia and starring Ana Mariscal. It was made by CIFESA, Spain's largest studio at the time. The film is loosely based on r ...

'' (1947) - Maese Pucheros * ''2 cuentos para 2'' (1947) - Gordón * ''Mi enemigo el doctor'' (1948) * ''Confidencia'' (1948) - Don Mauricio * ''

The Party Goes On ''The Party Goes On'' (Spanish:''La fiesta sigue'') is a 1948 Spanish drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of thi ...

'' (1948) - M. Lapin * ''Pacto de silencio'' (1949) - Matías Orellano * '' They Always Return at Dawn'' (1949) - Don Jacobo * ''

In a Corner of Spain ''In a Corner of Spain'' (Spanish: ''En un rincón de España'') is a 1949 Spanish drama film directed by Jerónimo Mihura and starring Carlos Agostí, Juan de Landa and Blanca de Silos. It was the first Spanish film in colour, using the cinefo ...

'' (1949) - Tío Tomás, el pescador * ''Sin uniforme'' (1950) - Levi * '' My Beloved Juan'' (1950) - Pedro * ''El señor Esteve'' (1950) - Artista pintor * '' The Vila Family'' (1950) - Señor Vila * ''Un soltero difícil'' (1950) - Doctor Olmos * ''

Tales of the Alhambra ''Tales of the Alhambra'' (1832) is a collection of essays, verbal sketches and stories by American author Washington Irving (1783–1859) inspired by, and partly written during, his 1828 visit to the palace/fortress complex known as the Alhambr ...

'' (1950) - Don Cosme - el escribano * ''Tres ladrones en la casa'' (1950) - Veremundo * ''

I Want to Marry You ''I Want to Marry You'' (Spanish: ''Me quiero casar contigo'') is a 1951 Spanish comedy film directed by Jerónimo Mihura and starring Virginia Keiley, Fernando Fernán Gómez and José Isbert.de España p.166 Cast * Buenaventura Basseda * Mar ...

'' (1951) - Padre de Rosita * ''

Service at Sea ''Service at Sea'' (Spanish: ''Servicio en la mar'') is a 1951 Spanish war film directed by Luis Suárez de Lezo Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish language, Spanish form of the originally Germanic language, Germanic name or . Other Iberia ...

'' (1951) - Don José * ''Cielo negro'' (1951) * ''

A Cuban in Spain ''A Cuban in Spain'' (Spanish:''Una Cubana en España'') is a 1951 musical comedy film directed by Luis Bayón Herrera. It was a co-production between Argentina, Cuba and Spain. The film's sets were designed by Francisco Prósper and Pierre Sc ...

'' (1951) - Jose Holmes Pérez * ''Séptima página'' (1951) - Vendedor de bolsos * '' Captain Poison'' (1951) - Doctor Sánchez * ''

Spanish Serenade ''Spanish Serenade'' (Spanish: ''Ronda española'') is a 1952 Spanish musical film directed by Ladislao Vajda, and starring José Isbert and Manolo Morán. The film was a success on its release.Bentley p. 87 Plot Many women from the Women's Sec ...

'' (1952) - Capitán del barco * ''

Lola the Coalgirl ''Lola the Coalgirl'' (Spanish: ''Lola, la piconera'') is a 1952 Spanish historical musical film directed by Luis Lucia and starring Juanita Reina, Virgilio Teixeira and Manuel Luna. It was part of a series of patriotic historical films produ ...

'' (1952) - Soldado José Rodríguez * ''Cerca de la ciudad'' (1952) - Ramón * ''

The Song of Sister Maria ''The Song of Sister Maria'' (Spanish:''Sor intrépida'') is a 1952 Spanish drama film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Dominique Blanchar, Francisco Rabal Francisco Rabal Valera (8 March 1926 – 29 August 2001), better known as Paco Rabal, ...

'' (1952) - Labriego * ''Sor intrépida'' (1952) - Don Cosme * '' Last Day'' (1952) - Comisario Pérez * ''

Doña Francisquita ''Doña Francisquita'' is a zarzuela in three acts composed by Amadeo Vives to a Spanish libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández-Shaw and based on Lope de Vega's play ' (''The Ingenious Lover''). With its colourful score and com ...

'' (1952) - Maestro Lambertini * ''

Lovers of Toledo ''Lovers of Toledo'' (french: Les amants de Tolède) is a 1953 historical film directed by Henri Decoin and Fernando Palacios and starring Alida Valli, Pedro Armendáriz and Françoise Arnoul. It was a co-production between France, Italy and Sp ...

'' (1953) - Anticuario * ''

What Madness! ''What Madness!'' (Spanish: ''¡Che, qué loco!'') is a 1953 Spanish comedy film directed by Ramón Torrado and starring Pepe Iglesias, Emma Penella and Silvia Morgan.Taibo p.181 The film's art direction was by Sigfrido Burmann Sigfrido Burma ...

'' (1953) - Don Ramiro * ''

'' (1953) - Don Pablo, el alcalde * ''

Airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

'' (1953) - Manolo * '' Such is Madrid'' (1953) - Dimas * ''

Condemned to Hang ''Condemned to Hang'' or ''Flesh for the Gallows'' (Spanish: ''Carne de horca'', Italian: ''Il terrore dell'Andalusia'') is a 1953 Italian-Spanish historical adventure film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Rossano Brazzi, Fosco Giachetti ...

'' (1953) - Don Félix * ''

Plot on the Stage ''Plot on the Stage'' (Spanish:''Intriga en el escenario'') is a 1953 Spanish crime film directed by Feliciano Catalán.Bentley p.130 Cast * Gabriel Alcover as Policía 2º * Florinda Chico * Helena Cortesina as Olga * Elva de Bethancourt as ...

'' (1953) - Portero * '' All Is Possible in Granada'' (1954) - Joaquín * ''Nuits andalouses'' (1954) - Chauffeur de taxi * '' Aventuras del barbero de Sevilla'' (1954) - Don Faustino * ''Como la tierra'' (1954) - Wences * ''

Eleven Pairs of Boots ''Eleven Pairs of Boots'' (Spanish: ''Once pares de botas'') is a 1954 Spanish comedy sports film directed by Francisco Rovira Beleta and starring José Suárez, Mari Carmen Pardo and Elisa Montés.Bentley p.128 Plot Laura, the daughter of t ...

'' (1954) - Padre Roque * ''Amor sobre ruedas'' (1954) - Representante Carmona * ''

An Andalusian Gentleman ''An Andalusian Gentleman'' (Spanish:''Un caballero andaluz'') is a 1954 Spanish musical film directed by Luis Lucia and starring Jorge Mistral, Carmen Sevilla and Manuel Luna.Mira p.280 The film's sets were designed by the art directors Gi ...

'' (1954) - Joaquín * ''El guardián del paraíso'' (1955) - José * ''

Historias de la radio ''Radio Stories'' (Spanish:''Historias de la radio'') is a 1955 Spanish comedy film composed by three episodes directed by José Luis Sáenz de Heredia. A decade later the director returned to the theme with his ''Television Stories ''Television ...

'' (1955) - Inventor * ''

Congress in Seville ''Congress in Seville'' (Spanish: ''Congreso en Sevilla'') is a 1955 Spanish musical film directed by Antonio Román and starring Carmen Sevilla, Fernando Fernán Gómez and Manolo Morán.de España, Rafael. ''Directory of Spanish and Portuguese Fi ...

'' (1955) - Señor sordo y despistado * ''Nubes de verano'' (1955) - Pablo * ''Un día perdido'' (1955) - Paco * ''La pícara molinera'' (1955) - Campillo, el pregonero * ''Rapto en la ciudad'' (1955) * ''La chica del barrio'' (1956) - Cipri * ''

Afternoon of the Bulls ''Afternoon of the Bulls'' ( es, Tarde de toros) is a 1956 Spanish drama film directed by Ladislao Vajda. It was entered into the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2 ...

'' (1956) - Don Felipe * ''

Uncle Hyacynth ''Uncle Hyacynth'' ( es, Mi tío Jacinto) is a 1956 Spanish drama film directed by Ladislao Vajda. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival, Pablito Calvo won the Golden Bear, Golden Bear (Audience Award) for his interpretation in this film ...

'' (1956) - Sánchez * ''Sucedió en mi aldea'' (1956) - Guardia de las barcas * '' We Thieves Are Honourable'' (1956) - El Tío del Gabán * '' The Rocket from Calabuch'' (1956) - Don Ramón * ''Manolo, guardia urbano'' (1956) - Don Andrés, el sacerdote * ''

Miracle of the White Suit ''Miracle of the White Suit'' (Italian: ''Il grande giorno'', Spanish: ''Un traje blanco'') is a 1956 Italian-Spanish drama film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Miguel Gil, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría ...

'' (1956) - Alcalde * ''Dos novias para un torero'' (1956) * '' Recluta con niño'' (1956) * ''Tremolina'' (1957) - Don Gervasio * ''Un abrigo a cuadros'' (1957) - Don José * '' Faustina'' (1957) - Sacerdote - tio de Guillermo * ''Fulano y Mengano'' (1957) - Eudosio * ''

'' (1957) - Don José * ''Los ángeles del volante'' (1957) - Cristóbal * ''

The Man Who Wagged His Tail ''The Man Who Wagged His Tail'' ( es, Un ángel pasó por Brooklyn, it, Un angelo è sceso a Brooklyn, also known as ''An Angel Over Brooklyn'' and ''An Angel Passed Over Brooklyn'') is a 1957 Spanish-Italian fantasy-comedy film directed by Ladi ...

'' (1957) - Pietrino * ''Villa Alegre'' (1958) - Tío Juan * ''

La vida por delante ''La vida por delante'' is a 1958 Spanish comedy film starring and written and directed by Fernando Fernán Gómez. The film enjoyed enough success to inspire a sequel, ''La vida alrededor'', released in 1959 Events January * January ...

'' (1958) - Testigo accidente * '' Policarpo'' (1959) - Maresciallo Venanzio Frasca * ''Bombas para la paz'' (1959) - Mauricio Dupont * ''

College Boarding House ''College Boarding House'' (Spanish: ''La casa de la Troya'') is a 1959 Spanish comedy film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Ana Esmeralda, Arturo Fernández and Pepe Rubio.Bentley p.142 Cast * Ana Esmeralda as Carmiña Castro * Arturo F ...

'' (1959) - Don Servando * ''

Litri and His Shadow ''Litri and His Shadow'' (Spanish:''El Litri y su sombra'') is a 1960 Spanish drama film directed by Rafael Gil and starring Miguel Báez Espuny "El Litri", Katia Loritz and Ismael Merlo.Bentley p.142 It is set in the world of bullfighting. Cast * ...

'' (1960) - Hermano Alejandro * ''

Carnival Day ''Carnival Day'' (Spanish: ''Días de feria'') is a 1960 Spanish comedy film directed by Rafael J. Salvia.Comas p.297 Cast * Manuel Arbó * Pedro Beltrán as Isidoro * Juan Bienvenida * Pilar Cansino as Rosa * José Luis Coll * Irene D ...

'' (1960) - Don Damián * ''

Nothing Less Than an Archangel ''Nothing Less Than an Archangel'' (Spanish: ''Nada menos que un arkángel'') is a 1960 Spanish comedy film directed by Jaime D'Ors, Antonio del Amo and Esteban Madruga.de España p.9 Cast * Manuel Aroca * Inocencio Barbán * Roberto Camard ...

'' (1960) - Don Fabián * '' El cochecito'' (1960) - Don Anselmo Proharán * ''Vida sin risas'' (1960) * ''

Don Lucio y el hermano Pío ''Don Lucio y el hermano pío'' ("Don Lucio and the pious brother") is a 1960 Spanish comedy film directed by José Antonio Nieves Conde, starring Tony Leblanc and José Isbert. It tells the story of a swindler who becomes aquinted with a monk duri ...

'' (1960) - Hermano Pío * ''

An American in Toledo ''An American in Toledo'' (Spanish: ''Un americano en Toledo'') is a 1960 Spanish comedy film directed by Carlos Arévalo and José Luis Monter and starring Silvia Morgan and Georges Rivière.Rodrigo p.223 Cast In alphabetical order * Ángel Ar ...

'' (1960) - Román * ''Patricia mía'' (1961) * ''Don José, Pepe y Pepito'' (1961) - Marcelo * ''Margarita se llama mi amor'' (1961) - Don Severino, profesor de historia * ''Despedida de soltero'' (1961) - Don Pablo * ''Vamos a contar mentiras'' (1961) - Bombero * ''Los que no fuimos a la guerra'' (1962) - Don Arístides * ''

You and Me Are Three ''You and Me Are Three'' (Spanish: ''Tú y yo somos tres'') is a 1962 Argentine-Spanish comedy film directed by ''Rafael Gil''.de España, Rafael. ''Directory of Spanish and Portuguese Film-Makers and Films''. Greenwood Press, 1994. p. 119. . It i ...

'' (1962) - Presidente * ''Sabían demasiado'' (1962) - Don Sebastián Guzmán, el secuestrado * ''Cupido contrabandista'' (1962) - Recién casado * ''

'' (1962) - El abuelo * ''Perro golfo'' (1963) - Guarda de las obras * ''El sol en el espejo'' (1963) - Don Pablo * ''La pandilla de los once'' (1963) - El Duque * '' El Verdugo'' (1963) - Amadeo, el verdugo * ''Los dinamiteros'' (1964) - Don Benito * ''Cristina'' (1967) - El tío * ''Operación Dalila'' (1967) - Abuelo * ''Lo que cuesta vivir'' (1967) - Don Antonio

References

External links

*
Biography in alohacriticon.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isbert, Jose 1886 births 1966 deaths Male actors from Madrid Spanish male stage actors Spanish male silent film actors Spanish male film actors 20th-century Spanish male actors