Friday, November 28, 2014

Roberto Gómez Bolaños, Better Known As Chespirito, Dead At 85

Roberto Gómez Bolaños -- better known among his fans as “Chespirito” -- died on Friday in Cancún, the Mexican news media reports. He was 85.



Mexican broadcaster Televisa, for whom Gómez Bolaños worked, first reported the news. The cause of death had yet to be disclosed at the time of writing.



A writer, actor and producer for television, film and theater, Gómez Bolaños was perhaps best known as the star of “El Chavo del Ocho” and “El Chapulín Colorado” -- television shows broadcasted across Latin America. Aimed at children yet enjoyed by adults, the shows earned a status across the region’s pop culture something akin to “The Simpsons” in the United States.



The cultural comparison, however, doesn’t capture how overwhelmingly popular Gómez Bolaños’ creation became. More than 111 million viewers continue to tune into “El Chavo del Ocho,” which first aired in 1971, on a daily basis. That figure that tops the number of viewers who watched the Super Bowl in 2013 -- let alone the 33.6 million viewers “The Simpsons” reeled in at its peak in 1990.

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