ACTOR
Cantinflas
17 archived facts 4 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (17)
- #001
Although Cantinflas died a millionaire many times over and was one of the greatest stars Spanish-language films have ever known, he never forgot where he came from. A large share of his money went to charitable causes, including high-quality, low-income housing for the poor of Mexico City. When he died he was hailed as a national hero, followed by a long period of official mourning.
- #002
Cantinflas is responsible for several words in the modern Spanish dictionary, including the verb "Cantinflear," which roughly means to talk a great deal while saying nothing of importance.
- #003
On October 10, 1980, Cantinflas was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6438 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
- #004
Cantinflas is considered Mexico's greatest comedian for two main reasons: (1) his films were extremely popular in Latin America and Spain, and (2) once he became a star, he never lost his stardom.
- #005
Cantinflas graduated from high school and was sent to an agricultural school at the age of 15. He stayed there nine months before running away to Jalapa on the Pacific coast, where he joined a carpa, or tent show, and began his career as a performer. It was in the tent shows that Cantinflas developed "el peladito," the picaresque wise guy from Mexico City. In a 1957 interview, Cantinflas reflected on the birth of "el peladito" and the start of his career: "With an example of the local slang I picked up from my friends in the neighborhood, I learned, not surprisingly, that I could make them laugh by moving my mouth."
- #006
His physical appearance changed noticeably when a "lift" blepharoplasty was performed on his naturally hooded eyelids. This cosmetic surgery, which gave him a younger look, took place between Raquel's Shoeshiner (1957) and Ama a tu prójimo (1958).
- #007
Cantinflas was related to the actor Pablo Nuñez.
- #008
His favorite film was Su excelencia (1967).
- #009
He appeared in comedy film adaptations of classic works of fiction: Los tres camiteros (1942), Romeo y Julieta (1943), Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and Don Quijote cabalga de nuevo (1973).
- #010
Most of his films were released by Columbia Pictures.
- #011
His father, Pedro Moreno Esquivel, was from San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
- #012
His mother, María de la Soledad Reyes Guízar, was from the town of Cotija de la Paz in Michoacán, Mexico.
- #013
In some of his films he fails to win the leading lady's heart and ends up alone.
- #014
He won the Excélsior Award for Most Popular Male Actor of 1941.
- #015
He won the 1943 Mexican Film Journalists Association Award for Best Film Comedian.
- #016
For most of his career he was under an exclusive contract with the production company Posa Films, which made nearly all of his feature films, from Ni sangre, ni arena (1941) to The Professor (1971).
- #017
In The Professor (1971), Cantinflas portrayed the struggle of a teacher in a small town, alongside Angelines Fernández and Ramón Valdés, who played a couple in the film.
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