Ramón Valdés
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Ramón Gomez Valdés de Castillo (September 2, 1923 – August 9, 1988) often credited as Ramón Valdéz, was a Mexican actor. He was born in Mexico City.
When he was two, his family moved to Ciudad Juárez, a northern border town where he and his brothers, Tin Tan, and Loco Valdés, polished their acting skills. The three brothers went on to become three of Latin America's most legendary comedians.
Valdés participated in more than 50 Mexican films, specializing in hyperactive underdog characters. He is most remembered, however, for playing Don Ramón in the hit television show El Chavo del Ocho. Show creator and main star Chespirito was a fan of Valdés, and he thought Valdés would make a perfect fit to play Don Ramón, who had a daughter (Chilindrina, played by Maria Antonieta de las Nieves), a person who had romantic interest in him (Doña Clotilde, played by Angelines Fernández) and a neighbor who slapped him across the face on every show (Doña Florinda, played by Florinda Meza). The Chavo character played by Gómez would sometimes call Valdés' character "Ron Damón", transposing the initial letter of both words, as some children would do; as a result, Valdés' character was known by both monikers.
Valdés also appeared prominently on Chespirito's other hit show, El Chapulín Colorado, usually as Chapulín's antagonist. In some episodes he played Super Sam, an English-speaking, money-armed superhero mocking both Uncle Sam and the relatively wealthy economical situation of Americans when compared to the average Latin American.
Both El Chavo and El Chapulín became major international hits across Latin America, Spain, the United States and other, non Spanish speaking countries, giving their entire cast international fame. Ramón Valdés was no exception, he would be identified as Don Ramón (or as "Ron Damón") at many different countries he visited.
In 1978, he quit Chespirito's productions, but he returned to television a few years later, with fellow Chavo del Ocho and Chapulín Colorado cast member Carlos Villagrán in ¡Ay, qué Kiko!. Ay que Kiko found little success, however, and Ramón Valdés returned to work with Chespirito for a brief time in 1981.
Valdés also owned a circus, participating in circus acts.
On August 9, 1988, Valdés died after a battle with lung cancer.
Ramón Valdés is regarded as one of the greatest Mexican comedians. His character in "Chavo del Ocho" was considered as the funniest in the show, according to fan research. His popularity is still noticeable in Latin America, judging by the existence of Argentinean ska band "Ron Damon", the popularity of a graph parodying the famous Alberto Korda photograph of Che Guevara -but with Don Ramón's likeness- and the existence of t-shirts showing the character and stating: "Ron Damón is punk!"
