Chespirito (TV series)

Chespirito
Also known as Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada (1968-1970)
Chespirito y la Mesa Cuadrada (1970-1971)
Created by Roberto Gómez Bolaños
Directed by Sergio Peña and Alberto del Bosque (1968-1973) / Roberto Gómez Bolaños and Roberto Gómez Fernández (1980-1995)
Starring Roberto Gómez Bolaños
María Antonieta de las Nieves
Carlos Villagrán (1970-1973)
Florinda Meza (1970-1973; 1980-1990; 1992-1995)
Ramón Valdés (1968-1973; 1981-1982)
Rubén Aguirre (1968-1972; 1980-1995)
Angelines Fernández (1972-1973; 1980-1993)
Edgar Vivar (1972-1973; 1980-1992; 1993-1995)
Horacio Gómez Bolaños (1980-1995)
Raul Padilla (1982-1994)
Aníbal de Mar (1968-1969)
Anabel Gutierrez (1969-1973; 1987-1995)
Moises Suarez (1993-1995)
Country of origin Mexico
Original language(s) Spanish
No. of seasons 22
No. of episodes 693 approximately; from both periods
Production
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 30 minutes (1968-1973; 1993-1995); 60 minutes (1980-1992; 1994)
Production company(s) TIM (1968-1973); Televisa (1980-1995)
Broadcast
Original channel XHTM-TV
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Original run October 1968 (first period) / February 4, 1980 (second period) – February 26, 1973 (first period) / September 25, 1995 (second period)

Chespirito performed a show called los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada this show started in 1968 and ended in 1970 and Chespirito y la Mesa Cuadrada from 1970-1971, is a sketch comedy show that aired in Mexico in two periods, 1968–1973 and 1980-1995. The program aired various sketches of characters created by Roberto Gómez Bolaños, alongside Bolaños, other famous Mexican actors starred in the sketches. In the two periods, characters like El Chavo del Ocho, El Chapulín Colorado, Los Caquitos, Dr. Chapatín, Los Chifladitos, El Ciudadano Gómez, La Chicharra, Chespirito (character), Los Chiripiojos and the parodies of Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy starred in sketches of 2–15 minutes of duration, the 1980-1995 period also featured special episodes of 40 minutes of duration.

The show's first seasons featured a canned laugh track, but Bolaños made the then-controversial decision to drop it. Most presentations of the show include the announcer's warning that, out of respect for the audience's intelligence, there was no laugh track.

History

First period (1968-1973)

In 1968, Roberto Gómez Bolaños starred in a program (created by himself), named Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada, in the program Sábados de la Fortuna of Televisión Independiente de México's XHTM-TV channel 8. In this program, Chespirito starred in sketches about "letters" send by the audience of the show, alongside him, Ramón Valdés, Rubén Aguirre and María Antonieta de las Nieves also starred in the sketches, not only about the "letters", but the sketches were also starred by the characters created by Bolaños. Los Supergenios was presented by the Dr. Chespirito Chapatín (Bolaños), El Ingeniebrio Ramón Valdés Tirado Alanis (Valdés), El Profesor Rubén Aguire Jirafales (Aguirre) and La Mococha Pechocha, or, La Marioneta (Ma. Antonieta) in a square table were they read the letters and comment about them, sometimes, the letters were answered by sketches, for example, in a sketch, a viewer of the show asked what to do when a crazed put a giant rock in the door of his house, then, a sketch starred by María Antonieta de las Nieves, Rubén Aguirre and Ramón Valdes show the solution to this problem.

In 1970, Carlos Villagrán and Florinda Meza were introduced to the show, starring as secondary characters in the sketches. In the same year, Bolaños created the successful sketches of El Chapulín Colorado and Los Caquitos. In 1971, the sketches of the show were El Chapulín Colorado, Dr. Chapatín, Los Caquitos, Chespirito and Los Chifladitos.

In 1972, Rubén Aguirre left the show to lead the show El Club de Shory in a rival network, El Shory is a nickname of Aguirre. Then, Bolaños immediately created his most successful character, El Chavo del Ocho, to cover the space left by the sketch Los Chifladitos, sketch starred by Bolaños and Aguirre.

In early 1973, the show was almost made of El Chavo and El Chapulín, then, Bolaños decided to end the Chespirito show to star the half-hour weekly series of El Chavo and El Chapulín Colorado, Aguirre returned to the show in the last episodes.

Second period (1980-1995)

After the end of the half-hour series of El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulín Colorado in 1979, as well as the flop of La Chicharra, Bolaños decided to return the successful sketch comedy format of Los Supergenios in 1980 with the second version of the Chespirito show. The show featured the famous characters of Chespirito in a 60-minute show, El Chavo, El Chapulín, Chómpiras (a reboot of Los Caquitos), Los Chifladitos, Vicente Chambón (reboot of La Chicharra), and the late introduction of Don Calavera in 1994, alongside the remake of El Ciudadano Gómez, the parodies of Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy were also introduced in 1980.

Ramón Valdés returned to the show in 1981, playing only Don Ramón in El Chavo and Super Sam and the villains in El Chapulín, Valdés also acted in other sketches with secondary characters (with exception of Vicente Chambón and Laurel and Hardy), Valdés left the show in early 1982 under unknown reasons (some rumors say that was because of his illness. In 1981, Benny Ibarra starred in some sketches as secondary character.

In 1982, Benny Ibarra returns playing a secondary character in the sketch "Los Piratas" of El Chapulín and "Sr. Hurtado" in El Chavo. Raul "Chato" Padilla returns to the show after to substitute Valdés. The character "Jaimito, el cartero", of El Chavo, becomes "Señor Jaimito" and starts living in the vecindad, his character gets all the characteristics of Don Ramón, this change was heavily criticized by the fans.

In 1984, Roberto Gómez Fernández, Bolaños' son, becomes another member of the cast.

In 1986, Roberto Gómez Fernández and his uncle, Horacio Gómez Bolaños became directors of the show. Horacio now starred only as Godínez in El Chavo, as well as secondary characters in other sketches.

In 1987, various invited actors played secondary characters in sketches of the show, also, El Chavo and El Chapulín become less important to the show, the same happen to the other characters, with Bolaños giving attention to the sketch Chómpiras, the sketch virtually become a half-hour series inside the show.

On August 9, 1988, Ramón Valdés died of stomach cancer, after a long agony in the hospital. Bolaños was the only friend of Valdés who didn't attend the funeral, Carlos Villagrán, Edgar Vivar, Rubén Aguirre and Angelines Fernández were some of his friends of El Chavo that appeared in the funeral. María Antonieta de las Nieves become very worried of not knowing of his condition in his last moments of life.

In 1991, Florinda Meza left the show to star the telenovela Milagro y magia, after the end of the telenovela, she returned to the cast of the show.

In 1992, Bolaños end with the sketches of El Chavo, since he was too old to play the role of an 8-year old boy. Also, Edgar Vivar left the show temporarily because of his obesity.

In 1993, the sketch of El Chapulín Colorado ends, also, Angelines Fernández leaves the show due to her throat cancer.

In 1994, the sketch El Ciudadano Gómez, parody of the Citizen Kane returns to the show, Raul "Chato" Padilla left the show, passing away in February 3 of that year. In the next month, in March 25, Angelines Fernández also dies of throat cancer, Angelines was an acknowledged tobacco smoker.

In 1995, Televisa transfers the show to the weekends. Because of this change, Bolaños decided to end the 15-year old Chespirito show.

After the show

Roberto Gómez Bolaños and Florinda Meza continued for some years the theater play 11 y 12 (also created and produced by Bolaños), which become very successful in Mexico and the Latin America

In 1997, the show is dubbed in Portuguese, especially to Brazil, renamed Clube do Chaves.

On November 21, 1999, Horacio Gómez Bolaños (younger brother of Roberto) dies of a heart attack.

On November 19, 2004, Roberto marries with Florinda Meza after a long time of dating.

In 2007, the channel Clásico TV reruns "Chespirito" from 1980 to 1995, the series finale was broadcast in July 2012, in October 2012 the channel rename with Distrito Comedia. The series was transmitted in the weekends (2007 - 2011) and Monday to Friday (2011–present).

In 2008, the channel Clásico TV returns with Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada, the first period of the Chespirito show, which was transmitted in the Wednesdays, the series finale was broadcast in 2009.

Aperture

No. Date
1 1980-1981
2 1981-1982
3 1982-1992
4 1993-1994
5 1994-1995
6 1995-

Sketches

Cast

The cast of the show in both periods.

First period (1968–1973)
  • Roberto Gómez Bolaños - Dr. Chespirito Chapatín, El Chavo, Chaparrón Bonaparte, Chómpiras, El Chapulín Colorado, Ciudadano Gómez, Chespirito
  • Ramón Valdés - El Ingeniebrio Don Ramón Valdés Tirado Alanis, Don Ramón, Peterete
  • María Antonieta de las Nieves - La Mococha Pechocha (La Marioneta), La Chilindrina, Dr. Chapatín's nurse, various enemies of El Chapulín
  • Rubén Aguirre (1968–1972) - Profesor Rubén Aguirre Jirafales, Lucas Tañeda, various enemies of El Chapulín
  • Aníbal de Mar (1968–1969) - El Tremendo Juez de la Tremenda Corte
  • Anabel Gutierrez (1969–1973) - Secondary characters
  • Florinda Meza (1970–1973) - Doña Florinda, secondary characters of other sketches
  • Carlos Villagrán (1970–1973) - Quico, Sargento Refugio, secondary characters of other sketches
  • Edgar Vivar (1972–1973) - Señor Barriga, El Botija
  • Angelines Fernández (1972–1973) - Doña Cleotilde
  • José Antonio Mena (1972–1973) - Secondary characters
Second period (1980–1995)
  • Roberto Gómez Bolaños - El Chavo, Chómpiras, Chespirito, Dr. Chapatín, Vicente Chambón, Chaparrón Bonaparte, El Chapulín Colorado, Stan Laurel, Chaplin, Don Calavera
  • María Antonieta de las Nieves - La Chilindrina, Marujita, Genoveva, various enemies of El Chapulín, secondary characters
  • Rubén Aguirre - Profesor Jirafales, Sargento Refugio (1982–1984; 1986–1995), Lucas Tañeda, Don Lino Tapia, Doctor, various enemies of El Chapulín
  • Florinda Meza (1980–1990; 1992–1995) - Doña Florinda, Popis, La Chimoltrufia, Cándida, Dr. Chapatín's nurse, Neighbor, various enemies of El Chapulín
  • Edgar Vivar (1980–1992; 1992–1995) - Señor Barriga, Ñoño, El Botija, Oliver Hardy, Doña Ramona, various enemies of El Chapulín
  • Raul Padilla (1982–1994) - Señor Jaimito, Police Officer (1982–1994), Licenciado Morales, various secondary characters
  • Horacio Gómez Bolaños - Godínez, Don Horacio, Sargento Refugio (1980–1982), El Licenciado (1980–1981), various secondary characters
  • Angelines Fernández (1980–1994) - Doña Cleotilde, Úrsula, Doña Nachita, various secondary characters
  • Ramón Valdés (1981–1982) - Don Ramón, Super Sam, El Tripaseca, El Rascabuches, El Licenciado (1981–1982), Police Officer (1981–1982)
  • Benny Ibarra (1981–1982) - Señor Hurtado
  • Roberto Gómez Fernández (1982–1986) - Sargento Refugio (1984–1985), various secondary characters
  • Ramiro Orci (1982–1993) - Secondary characters
  • Anabel Gutierrez (1987–1993) - Doña Espotaverderona
  • Carlos Pouliot (1987–1993) - Don Lucho
  • Moisés Suárez (1993–1995) - Don Cecilio Buenavista
  • Paulina Gómez (1993–1995) - Secondary characters
  • Ricardo de Pascual (1993–1995) - Secondary characters
  • Arnoldo Picazzo (1993-1995) - Secondary characters

See also

External links

Unofficial web-sites