Eva María Muñoz Ruíz (November 26, 1936 – August 23, 2016), known professionally as Evita Muñoz "Chachita", was a Mexican actress and comedian. Her professional career began in 1941, when she was only four years old, and she continued performing through, and contributing to, the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Muñoz was still four years old when she played the character Chachita in her second film, '' ¡Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!'' (Ay! Jalisco, don't back down) (1941), and went on to play Chachita in eight more films and numerous television roles over the subsequent decades, and would be credited as Eva Muñoz "Chachita" in other appearances. For more than 75 years, "Chachita" was recognized as a successful artist in cinema, television, theater, radio, nightclub and circus shows.

Career

At a little under four years old, Muñoz shot her first motion picture, starting a career of starring roles as a child talent; beginning with a minor role in '' El secreto del sacerdote'' in 1941. After playing the character Chachita in her second movie, ''¡Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!'' (1941), she received the nickname "Chachita". Around 1944, her popularity in starring in her movies led to her starting a radio career in the radio show ''La legión de madrugadores'' on the XEQ radio station. In 1947, she signed a contract with

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

in New York to star in the radio serial: ''Aventuras de una niña'', which was broadcast in all Central and South America, and produced by Carlos Montalbán. During the mid-1950s, she played all the female roles in Panzón Panseco's radio sketches, along with Pedro Vargas, and Juan García Esquivel's orchestra (1957): "Ahora es la hora". In the late 1950s, she starred in the show ''El Risámetro''. To promote her movie ''La Hija del Payaso'' (1946), in which she performed along with trained elephants and dogs, Muñoz learned to play the

marimba The marimba ( ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the mari ...

and the

xylophone The xylophone (; ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets. Each bar is an idiophone tuned to a pitch of a musical scale, whether pentatonic or heptatonic in the case of many African ...

. She made personal appearances with the Atayde Circus when she was only eight years old. During her teenage years, she costarred with

Pedro Infante Pedro Infante Cruz (; 18 November 1917 – 15 April 1957) was a Mexican ranchera singer and actor whose career spanned the golden age of Mexican cinema. Infante was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, and raised in nearby Guamúchil. He died on 15 Apri ...

in the trilogy: '' Nosotros los pobres'' (1948), '' Ustedes los ricos'' (1948) and '' Pepe el Toro'' (1952). She was invited by

Pérez Prado Dámaso Pérez Prado (December 11, 1916 – September 14, 1989) was a Cuban bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger who popularized the mambo in the 1950s.''On Becoming Cuban: Identity, Nationality, and Culture'' Louis A. Pérez Jr. - 2012 ...

as a

mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...

dancer for a tour all over the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

and

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

where she became a sensation. During that tour they also performed in

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

shows during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

for the Hispanic-American soldiers. In the 1970s Muñoz played the role of "Sister Carmela", a novice nun in the Mexican versión of the

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

'' Mundo de Juguete''. In 1975, she starred in the variety show ''Un hombre y una mujer'' with Fernando Allende. She appeared as a guest star on episodes of various American television shows, including ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

'' and '' I Spy'', as well as live performances in the

Million Dollar Theatre The Million Dollar Theatre at 307 S. Broadway (Los Angeles), Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles is one of the first movie palaces built in the United States. It opened in 1917 with the premiere of William S. Hart's ''The Silent Man (film), The S ...

in Los Angeles, California. During the 1980s, she played the role of the witch Hermelinda Linda in several films. On television, she co-starred with Jorge Ortiz de Pinedo in the sitcom ''Dos mujeres en mi casa''. In 1986, she co-starred in the sitcom ''Nosotros los Gómez''. In the 1990s, Muñoz continued working in a series of soap operas for

Televisa Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., simply known as Televisa, is a Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April ...

, as well as making films such as ''De lengua me como un plato''. She played a nun from northern Mexico in ''Cambiando el destino'' with the band Magneto. In the 2000s, Muñoz starred in several episodes of ''Mujer: Casos de la vida real'' and lent her voice to CGI animated characters.

2010s

In 2008, Muñoz played a role in Televisa's soap opera '' Cuidado con el ángel'' that was broadcast all around the globe and appeared in the 2011 season of ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational television, educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation, and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Worksh ...

'' – Mexico. In 2016, Muñoz celebrated 75 years of an uninterrupted artistic career. For her countless contributions to the Television, Theater and Motion Picture industries, Muñoz' handprints have been embedded onto the Paseo de las Luminarias in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

Personal life

Muñoz married Hugo Macías when she was 22, and they had three children. Muñoz died in

, Mexico on August 23, 2016, due to complications from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

. She was 79.Evita Muñoz Death: Mexican Actress 'Chachita' Dead At 79 After Complications With Pneumonia
/ref>

Filmography

Cinema

*'' El secreto del sacerdote'' (1941) – Martita *'' ¡Ay, Jalisco, no te rajes!'' (1941) – Chachita *'' Beautiful Michoacán'' (1943) – Chachita *''Morenita clara'' (1943) – Chachita *''La pequeña madrecita'' (1944) *''La hija del payaso'' (1946) *''¡Qué verde era mi padre!'' (1947) – Chachita *''Yo vendo unos ojos negros'' (1947) – Carmencita Sandoval * '' Chachita from Triana'' (1947) – Chachita *'' Nosotros los pobres'' (1948) – Chachita *'' Ustedes los ricos'' (1948) – Chachita *''Guardián, el perro salvador'' (1948) – Chachita *'' The Two Orphans'' (1950) – Elvira Pérez *''El Cristo de mi cabecera'' (1951) – Marcela *''Los hijos de la calle'' (1951) – Elvira Pérez *''Los pobres siempre van al Cielo'' (1951) – Lupita *''La hija de la otra'' (1951) – Lupita *''Una calle entre tú y yo'' (1952) – Marta *'' Pepe el Toro'' (1952) – Chachita *''Padre Nuestro'' (1953) – Elisa Molina *''La locura del Rock ´n Roll'' (1957) *''Así era Pancho Villa'' (1957) – Remedios *''El hombre que me gusta'' (1958) – Serafica, criada *''Bajo el cielo de México'' (1958) – Flora *''Mis padres se divorcian'' (1959) – Maruja, amiga de Fernando *''Mi niño, mi caballo y yo'' (1959) *''En cada feria un amor'' (1961) – Rosaura *''Dos tontos y un loco'' (1961) – Cuquis *''El dengue del amor'' (1965) *''Gigantes planetarios'' (1965) – Frijol *''Cuando el diablo sopla'' (1966) *''La muerte es puntual'' (1967) – Creolina *''Faltas a la moral'' (1970) – Doña Cata, la pulques *''La hermana Trinquete'' (1970) – Turista gorda *''Cayó de la gloria el diablo'' (1972) – Nachita *''Peluquero de señoras'' (1973) – Socorro, gorda *''El padrino... es mi compadre'' (1974) *''La palomilla al rescate'' (1976) – Rosa *''La casa prohibida'' (1981) *'' El barrendero'' (1981) – Pachita *'' El que no Corre Vuela'' (1982) – Doña Chona 'La Gorda' *''Vividores de mujeres'' (1982) – Julia Ester *''Los fayuqueros de Tepito'' (1982) *''Las musiqueras'' (1983) – Chachita Rubiales *''En el camino andamos'' (1983) *'' Romancing the Stone'' (1984) – Hefty Woman *''Hermelinda Linda'' (1984) – Hermelinda Linda *''Los humillados'' (1984) *''El sinaloense'' (1985) *''Máscara contra bikini'' (1986) *''Agente 0013: Hermelinda Linda 2'' (1986) – Hermelinda Linda *''Dos machos que ládran no muerden'' (1988) *''Día de madres'' (1988) – Rosita *''De lengua, me como un plato'' (1990) *''Cambiando el destino'' (1992) – Hermana Margarita *'' Serafín: La película'' (2001) – Cocó (voice) *''

Meet the Robinsons ''Meet the Robinsons'' is a 2007 American animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the 1990 children's book ''A Day with Wilbur Robinson'' by William Jo ...

'' (2007) – (voice)

Television

* Columbo - A matter of honor (1975)

Soap operas

*'' Gutierritos'' (1958) – Ana *'' Corona de lágrimas'' (1964) *''El amor tiene cara de mujer'' (1971) *'' Mundo de Juguete'' (1974–1977) – Hermana Carmela / Tía Vladimira *'' Ángeles sin paraíso'' (1992) – Asunción 'Mamá Chonita' *''Bendita mentira'' (1996) – Goya *'' Gotita de amor'' (1998) – Lolita *'' Serafín'' (1999) – Coco (voice) *'' Nunca te olvidaré'' (1999) – Benita *'' Alma rebelde'' (1999) – Bernarda *''

Siempre te amaré ''Siempre te amaré'' (English: ''I Will Always Love You'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Juan Osorio for Televisa that premiered on Canal de Las Estrellas on January 24, 2000 and ended on July 28, 2000. It was adapted from the 1975 telenov ...

'' (2000) – Estellita *'' Contra viento y marea'' (2005) – Doña Cruz Cárdenas *'' Cuidado con el ángel'' (2008–2009) – Candelaria *''

Como dice el dicho ''Como dice el dicho'' (translation: As the saying goes) is a Mexican anthology drama series produced by Genoveva Martínez for Televisa. The series premiered on 1 February 2011, on Las Estrellas. The series covers a variety of stories in whi ...

'' (2011) – Clara *''

Qué bonito amor ''Qué bonito amor'' (''International Title'':''Beautiful Love'', ''Literally'':What a Beautiful Love) is a Mexican telenovela produced by Salvador Mejía Alexandre for Televisa that aired on Canal de las Estrellas from 22 October 2012, to 2 J ...

'' (2012–2013) – Doña Prudencia

Situation comedies

* Nosotros los Gómez * Dos Mujeres en mi Casa

Video theatre

* 'The Imaginary Invalid' (or The Hypochondriac) "

Le Malade imaginaire ''The Imaginary Invalid'', ''The Hypochondriac'', or ''The Would-Be Invalid'' ( French title ''Le Malade imaginaire'', ) is a three- act ''comédie-ballet'' by the French playwright Molière with dance sequences and musical interludes ( H.495, H ...

" by Moliere

Theatre

*(1957) ''Fin de semana'' (''

Hay Fever Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of rhinitis, inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. It is classified as a Allergy, type I hypersensitivity re ...

''), by

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

*(1957) ''La casa de la primavera'', de Fernand Millaud – ''Yolanda Lambert'' *(1958) ''Mujercitas'' (''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes, in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details th ...

''), by

Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott (; November 29, 1832March 6, 1888) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel ''Little Women'' (1868) and its sequels ''Good Wives'' (1869), ''Little Men'' (1871), and ''Jo's Boys'' ...

– ''Jo March'' *(1959) ''Las cosas simples'', by Héctor Mendoza *(1962) ''Despedida de soltera'', by Alfonso Anaya B. *(1964) ''El segundo aire de mama y papa'', by Alfonso Paso *(1966) ''Le pondremos talco al niño'', by Jean de Létraz *(1967) ''Baby shower. Una fiesta embarazosa'' – ''Eugenia'' *(1972) ''Doce mil pesos por mi mujer'' – ''Carmen'' *(1974) ''Dos naufragos tras el pescado'' (''La pequeña choza''), by André Roussin *(1976) ''Travesuras de medianoche'', by Anthony Marriot – ''Mónica Johnson'' *(1977) ''Se armó la gorda'' ('' Melocotón en almíbar''), by

Miguel Mihura Miguel Mihura Santos (21 July 1905, in Madrid – 27 October 1977) was a Spanish playwright. He is best known for his comedy '' Tres sombreros de copa'' (1952), a work of absurd humor that predates similar works by Beckett or Ionesco and ...

*(1978) ''Fiebre de fin de semana'' (''Hay Fever''), by Noël Coward *(1979) ''Espíritu travieso'' ('' Blithe Spirit''), by Noël Coward *(1980) ''Vidas privadas'' (''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...

''), by Noël Coward *(1981) ''El médico a palos'' (''Le médecin malgré lui''), by Jean Baptiste Poquelin "

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...

" *(1982) ''Cueros y pieles'', by

Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, ''Run for Your Wife (play), Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West E ...

*(1983) ''Los amores criminales de las vampiras Morales'', by Hugo Argüelles – ''Rosa Fulvia'' *(1984) ''Las modelos de Chachita'' *(1986) ''Vengan corriendo que les tengo un muerto'', by Varelita *(1996) ''Fiebre de fin de semana'' (''Hay Fever''), by Noël Coward *(2001) ''Máscara contra cabellera'', by Victor Hugo Rascón Banda

Notes

References

External links

Mini Official site
*

Page by

ITESM Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM; ), also known as Technological Institute of Monterrey () or just Tec, is aresearch university based in Monterrey, Mexico, which has grown to include 35 campuses located across 25 cit ...

Muñoz' YouTube channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Munoz, Evita 1936 births 2016 deaths People from Orizaba Actresses from Veracruz Mexican film actresses Mexican stage actresses Mexican telenovela actresses Mexican women comedians