Renowned Mexican actor, comedian, and cultural icon, Roberto Gomez Bolaños, commonly known as, “Chespirito”, passed away at the age of 85 on Friday.
Bolaños captivated millions with his iconic characters such as El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulin Colorado. His comedy continues to resonate with Latin Americans because he was always intentional about ensuring that his message was both accessible and simple. During an interview with Mexican newspaper La Jornada, Bolaños stated that he “always tried to be as concise as possible, all to try and reach everyone, but especially the simple people, those who needed to be reached more than anyone else.”
His career spanned decades and he found success both in front and behind the camera. Bolaños wrote and directed hundreds of shows, multiple films and theater productions that attracted audiences from all walks of life. Roughly 111 million viewers still watch “El Chavo del Ocho,” which is a powerful testament of the entertainer’s enduring legacy within the Latino community.
Maria Teresa Kumar, president and CEO of Voto Latino, perfectly captured the actor’s unifying power in a tweet on Friday, stating:
Who United a people and gave us orgullo #Latino? #Chespirito. #EsoEsoEso gracias! @votolatino pic.twitter.com/lUMDfa4MRK
— María Teresa Kumar (@MariaTeresa1) November 29, 2014
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