Israel Castro Vélez, better known as Shorty Castro (January 28, 1928 – January 22, 2018) was a Puerto Rican comedian, actor, comedy writer, stage director, radio host, singer, dancer, composer and musician, with a career spanning over 60 years. During his youth, Castro spent time working with several orquestas in the west coast of Puerto Rico. Early in his life, Castro was a singer in William Manzano's orchestra, performing throughout Puerto Rico in casinos, Fiestas Patronales and other venues. He continued working with other orchestras and in theatre with Gilbert Mamery. He was singing at the Baños de Coamo when he was first seen by Muñiz. Castro asked Muñiz for a chance, but it took a year for him to be cast in Hogar dulce hogar. From there, he was included in Colegio de la Alegría. During the 1960s, comedian Castro would occasionally mimic the look of the current Miss Universe in his cross dressing character of "Ramoneta Cienfuegos de la O", making appearances in the second version of Desafiando a los Genios. With the makeup and wigs being prepared by Carmen Andino and Carmen Ayala of WAPA-TV. He also used the characters of Armando Galán y Figura and Don Bernabé as alternates. Castro would make annual trips to cities like New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, where he performed his comedy acts.
Entertainment career Early career Castro had a blind aunt that lived at Ponce and played the guitar, whom she would join in playing the maracas. While attending school at Mayagüez he created and directed his own music groups. He developed the skills necessary to become an entertainer: good singing voice, talent as a percussionist, and good timing for comedy. As a conga player, Castro considered himself competent enough to have been a full time musician had fate been different. While working full-time as a messenger for the municipality of Mayagüez, Castro held odd jobs in numerous local orchestras, mostly as a singer and percussionist. These orchestras included William Manzano's and Carlos López's (for both, Mon Rivera had also been a singer and percussionist), Mingo and his Whoopee Kids; Charlie Miró y sus Pájaros Locos; and San Germán's Happy Hills' Orchestra.
One of these orchestras performed a gig at the Baños de Coamo, where producer Tommy Muñiz took notice of Castro's performance. After meeting him, Muñiz asked Castro to perform in La Taberna India, Muñiz's best rated television show, alongside Rafael Cortijo's band. Castro then returned to Mayagüez to prepare for his move to San Juan, which was supposed to occur on August 24, 1956, when he took a public bus halfway across the island. At a road stop in Quebradillas, however, Castro learned about the sudden death of Ramón Ortiz del Rivero (Diplo), Puerto Rico's most popular comedian at the time. With the country in mourning, Castro was forced to return to Mayagüez and wait one week for his television debut, on August 31. He played congas and sang a few of Mon Rivera's plenas with the Cortijo band that day. He later became a stagehand (first) and musical bit player within the program. While appearing at Taberna India, Castro began as a singer until the producer identified his comedic potential. Muñiz put him in trial roles to confirm this hunch, before completing the transition full time. When his contracts ran out, Castro returned to singing, and made a second tour of New York with the Happy Hills' Orchestra.
Muñiz and other producers regularly staged shows with Puerto Rican talent at the Puerto Rico Theater near Spanish Harlem, in New York City. Asked to return to Puerto Rico by Muñiz, Castro left his orchestra and started playing regular comedy roles in Tommy Muñiz's productions such as "Hogar, Dulce Hogar" where he played Napoleoncito, the romantic interest of María Antonieta, a maid played by Carmen Belén Richardson. He later played a similar role, "Medio Metro", along Velda González's Azucena in La Criada Malcriada, first on television, later on film. He and José Miguel Agrelot worked together in many comedy television programs and live appearances. Their professional relationship and friendship lasted over 40 years.
During the summer of 1957, Castro joined Jacobo Morales, Vale Cuatro, Marta Romero and Charlie Miró in a musical radio comedy that aired through WKAQ. This group also hosted other activities together, such as dances. On October 7, 1957, the show Telefiesta De La Tarde debuted on television with an act by El Combo de Shorty Castro. In April 1959, the Fiesta Club contracted him to sign in their Secretaries Week event. That month he also performed in a homage for boxer Francisco Colón García organized by the Administración de Parquee y Recreo Públicos at Parque Sixto Escobar. Castro participated in a New Year's party in 1960, becoming the last colleague to see singer Osvaldo Seda alive since he died shortly afterwards. In August, Hotel La Campana contracted El Combo de Shorty Castro to play in a dance along Pedro Altieri y su Banda de Acero, Los Alegres del Ritmo, Davilita, Felipe Rodríguez and Los Antares.
Teaming with Agrelot As they became established, Castro would join other figures such as José Miguel Agrelot, Cristobal Berrios, Googie Santana and Vicentico Morales in a variety of public appearances and shows. Castro and Agrelot would also perform at local businesses, such as Supermercado Alonso. The La Rue Cocktail Lounge also contracted him as its master of ceremonies, promoting him as El Eterno Teenager (lit. "the Eternal Teenager"). Castro also performed as part of the Teatro Lírico organized at WAPA-TV to include a variety of local and international acts.
In 1963, Castro made appearances at New York that were well received. At Puerto Rico, he joined Muñiz in a cooperative act held at Supermercado Hermanas Dávila. In December 1963, he appeared in Telemundo's Christmas special Estampa Navideña along Agrelot, Ulises Brenes, Emma Rosa Vicenti, Jacobo Morales, Víctor Arrillaga and other artists. The Puerto Rico Police contracted him to perform in the presentation of the bureau's new PR official, Pedro L. Moczó, appearing along fellow conedian Cristóbal Berríos. During spring 1964, he was also contracted by the Saigon Night Club at Bayamón. In May 1964, Castro joined over fifty other artists in an event to raise funds for the Asociación Pro Rehabilitación de Adictos (APRA) held at Sixto Escobar Stadium and transmitted by WIAC and Radio Voz. At La Rue he joined Chaguín García and Combo Ponceño. Castro joined the cast of Gran Show del Mediodía, directed by Nino Costa and performing along Tommy Muñiz, José Miguel Agrelot, Emma Rosa Vicenty, Jacobo Morales, Velda González and Camilo Fraticelli, among others. He also joined his Grupo San Juan along José Luis Moneró and Agrelot on recurrent appearances in El Show de Harry Rexach. The cast of the show also appeared in an event where Rexach gave medals to amateur baseball players. On October 23, 1965, Castro and the Combo, Fraticelli and Lily Pagán headlined the Fiestas Patronales at Ciales. Castro and Agrelot also participated in other events, such as inauguration acts.
He continued being a fixture of El Show de Harry Rexach, touring various municipalities like Caguas, Fajardo and Levittown besides its usual base at San Juan. When the Club Caborrojeño held a homage for Muñiz, Castro was among those in attendance. Castro rejoined Agrelot in an event held by the Exchange Club to entertain the patients of the Asilo de Ancianos nursing home. Castro was also part of the cast for the show Johnny El Men. During the summer, Castro and his Combo joined Agrelot, Muñiz, Fraticelli, Celines, Pepe Luis in a show to entertain the Puerto Rico national guard troops during its annual exercises. The cast of El Show de Harry Rexach also held special editions for the delegations of other countries that arrived to compete in the 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games and a separate homage to local figures in charge of organizing the event at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Castro and Sexteto San Juan were contracted by the Marimonte Tourist Inn Hotel and Restaurant at Río Grande to host a dance along Domingo Patterson and his Orquestra.
Castro appeared in a film adaptation of La criada malcriada that released in local cinemas late in 1966, starring along González, Morales, Agrelot, Yoyo Boing and Muñiz. His music group was contracted by the Young & Rubicam company to provide the entertainment in their executives party. Meanwhile, he and the Sexteto continued making appearances in several venues. Castro was given the role of Tito in the military comedy El special de Corona. He was one of several script writers and performers for the sketch show Esto no tiene nombre, which required several hours of writing per episode since it aired over a hundred different jokes per hour. His character of Ángelo became popular with the segment. In December 1967, Castro as Ramonieta Cienfuego joined Agrelot as Profesor Pulula and Morales as Mantenedor for a special edition of Desafiando a los genios held at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium by the Senadores de San Juan of the Professional Baseball League. In early 1968, Paquito Cordero took him along Lucecita Benítez, Julio Ángel, Velda González, Felipe Rodríguez, Yayi & Elisa and Los Rebeldes on a tour of 46 shows throughout the United States. Upon returning, the Happy Boys Club of Mayagüez held an event in his honor that included a parade and concluded with the reward of a plaque at the municipal Town Hall and a show with the other artists that had participated in the tour. He endorsed journalist Jorge Font Saldaña in his bid to become mayor of San Juan. Castro also became affiliated to the Federación de Músicos de Puerto Rico, a labor union representing artists. He also made non-television appearances sponsored by Produciones Tommy Muñiz. In November 1968, Castro attended the premiere of La criada malcriada and Agente Cero at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Peak of popularity In January 1969, he received the Agueybaná de Oro award for "Best Male Comedian" during the Codazos festival. As was the case with most of Produciones Tommy Muñiz's artists, Castro dedicated part of his free time to contribute and participate in charity events. In January 1969, Castro served as master of ceremonies in a Three Kings Day event at the Liga París in Mayagüez.
When Rafi Nieves was honored by the Town and Country night club, Castro was among those invited. Castro reunited with Agrelot and Morales in an event hosted by Esso Standard Oil Co. for Puerto Rican distributors. When Damián Rosa launched his own production house at New York, he was recruited along several other Puerto Rican comedians, many from Muniz's lineup. During this time, Castro became a recurring act Thursdays at El Colubrí Cocktail Louge Night Club. In June 1969, he received a homage at the Festival de Prensa, Radio y Televisión del Área Oeste. Castro next appeared in Guanica's Fiestas Patronales. In July 1969, Castro participated in an event to raise funds for Hogar Crea. Castro, Agrelot, Evelyn Souffront, Herminio Quintana, Morales and Los Hispanos, among others in El Show Corona hosted by Cervecería Corona. He was among several comedians that participated in an activity in support of the Puerto Rico Children's Hospital. Castro was also contracted to serve as the master of ceremonies at the Granada Lounge at Bayamón. In September 1969, the Club Caborrojeño organized a homage to Castro which was attended by several of his peers.