Germán Genaro Cipriano Teodoro Gómez Valdés y Castillo (19 September 1915 – 29 June 1973), known as Tin-Tan, was a Mexican actor, comedian and singer, specialized in the musical genre of bolero.
He was born in Mexico City, but was raised and began his career in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. He often displayed the pachuco dress and employed pachuco slang in many of his movies, some with his brothers, Ramón Valdés and Manuel "El Loco" Valdés. He made the language of the border Mexican, known in Spanish as fronterizos pachucos, famous in Mexico. A "caló" based in Spanglish, it was a mixture of Spanish and English in speech based on that of Mexicans on the Mexican side of the border, specifically Ciudad Juarez.
Origin of name Tin-Tan began his career by calling himself Topillo (slang for the trickster), which a friend of his stated sounded too vulgar and uncouth for a comedian. He suggested instead the nickname "Tin-Tan" (based on the sound of bells ringing), which Valdés originally disliked but grew to like and use professionally for his whole career.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Career
Valdés's film career came as a complete surprise to everyone. He used to work as a sweeper for the XEJ station in Ciudad Juarez when he decided to try to mimic the radio announcers for fun. Unbeknownst to him, the actual announcer had left the microphone on. His quick wit and funny personality garnered him acclaim and he was quickly promoted to the main radio announcer himself. It was under these circumstances that legendary ventriloquist Paco Miller contacted him to act in films, and his career began.
He usually acted alongside his "carnal" (blood brother), Marcelo Chávez, who also accompanied Tin-Tan with a guitar. He was a prominent figure during his golden years in film, from 1949 onward. His 1948 film, Calabacitas tiernas, a comedy, was chosen as one of the best in Mexican cinema .
Valdés boasted of his record of "having kissed the most actresses" in his career, some of them considered the beauties of their day. His co-stars were Marga López, Rosita Quintana, Silvia Pinal, Amalia Aguilar, Meche Barba, Ana Bertha Lepe, María Antonieta Pons, Yolanda Montes "Tongolele" and many more. He also collaborated closely with actress and comedian Fannie Kauffman "Vitola", during their careers.
He was also one of several people who were originally intended to be on the front cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band but declined the invitation. He requested that Ringo swap him for a Mexican tree known as "El Árbol de la Vida", the Tree of Life, which he did.
He was the voice of Baloo the bear and Thomas O'Malley the cat in the Mexican Spanish dubbing of the Disney films The Jungle Book and The Aristocats; both roles were originally voiced by Phil Harris.
Valdés was the subject of the 2005 documentary, Ni Muy Muy... Ni Tan Tan... Simplemente Tin Tán, by Manuel Márquez and Carlos Valdés, son of the comedian.
Death
Valdés became ill with hepatitis, which degenerated into cancer. He then fell into a hepatic coma and died on 29 June 1973 (at age 57). He's buried at Panteón Jardín in Mexico City.
When he died he did not leave a fortune, just a testament to his wife Rosalía and his children Rosalía and Carlos.
He left behind a legacy of over a hundred films, 11 records, and two short films. The only recognition he received was the Virginia Fábregas Medal, a medal given for 25 years' professional service by the Association of Actors of Mexico.
Legacy On 19 September 2019, the 104th anniversary of his birth, Tin-Tan was honored with a Google Doodle that reached Central America, Iceland, Italy and Sweden.
Selected filmography
El que la traga, la paga (1943) as La Chiva Summer Hotel (1944) The Disobedient Son (1945) as Tin-Tan Song of Mexico (1945) as Tin-Tan (uncredited) The Noiseless Dead (1946) as Tin-Tan / Inocente Santos Music Inside (1947) as Tin-Tan / Diego The Lost Child (1947) as Agustín / Tincito Peón Torre y Rey Music, Poetry and Madness (1948) as Tin-Tan Tender Pumpkins (1949) as Tin-Tan Rough But Respectable (1949) as Tin-Tan No me defiendas, compadre (1949) as Tin-Tan El rey del barrio (1950) as Tin-Tan The Mark of the Skunk (1950) as Tin / El vizconde Martín de Texmelucan También de dolor se canta (1950) as Tin-Tan Sinbad the Seasick (1950) as Simbad El revoltoso (1951) as Tin-Tan Oh Darling! Look What You've Done! (1951) as Tin-Tan Kill Me Because I'm Dying! (1951) as Tin-Tan When Women Rule (1951) as Tin-Tan Las locuras de Tin-Tan (1952) as Tin-Tan Snow White (1952) as Valentín Gaytán Chucho the Mended (1952) as Valentín Gaytán / Aniceto Ugartechea "Cheto" Mi campeón (1952) as Tin-Tan The Beautiful Dreamer (1952) as Trikitran You've Got Me By the Wing (1953) as Tin-Tan The Island of Women (1953) as Tin-Tan / Totí The Vagabond (1953) as La Chiva God Created Them (1953) as Tin-Tan The Unknown Mariachi (1953) as Agustín / Kiko Guanabacoa Reportaje (1953) as Tin-Tan, pachuco composer El vizconde de Montecristo (1954) as Inocencio Dantés / El vizconde de Montecristo El hombre inquieto (1954) as Germán Valdés / Abel Caim Bluebeard (1955) as Ricardo Martínez Look What Happened to Samson (1955) as Tin-Tan / Sansón Barefoot Sultan (1956) as Sultán Casquillo El vividor (1956) as Atliano Valadez El médico de las locas (1956) as Apolonio Borrego Teatro del crimen (1957) as Tin-Tan Las aventuras de Pito Pérez (1957) as Pito Pérez / Jesús Pérez Gaona El campeón ciclista (1957) as Cleto García Puss Without Boots (1957) as Agustín Tancredo "El Gato" / Don Victorio Tancredo Locos peligrosos (1957) as Federico Los tres mosqueteros y medio (1957) as D'Artagnan Escuela para suegras (1958) as Tin-Tan Refifi entre las mujeres (1958) as Refifí Viaje a la luna (1958) as Nicolás Pérez Quiero ser artista (1958) as Tin-Tan Música de siempre (1958) as Tin-Tan A Thousand and One Nights (1958) as Ben Akih / Selim / Yamaní /Nuredín Valdés La odalisca No. 13 (1958) as Quinquín ¡Paso a la juventud..! (1958) as Casimiro Rosado Tres lecciones de amor (1959) as Profesor Germán Valadez / Casanova / Nerón Vagabundo y millonario (1959) as Antonio García / Andrés Aguilar El cofre del pirata (1959) as Germán de las Altas Torres y Pérez Ferias de México (1959) as Tin-Tan El que con niños se acuesta (1959) as Chon / Encarnación Bernal de González y de la Martínez Dos fantasmas y una muchacha (1959) as Germán Pérez Escuela de verano (1959) as Casimiro Buenavista y Manduriano Vivir del cuento (1960) as Crisóforo Pérez "Chóforo" La casa del terror (1960) as Casimiro Variedades de medianoche (1960) as Germán Gómez "El Trompas" Rebel Without a House (1960) as Teodoro Silva La tijera de oro (1960) as Emilio Campos Tin-Tan y las modelos (1960) as Marcos Alonso Chimalpopoca Una estrella y dos estrellados (1960) as Tin-Tan El violetero (1960) as Lorenzo Miguel Arroyo "El Violetero" The Phantom of the Operetta (1960) as Aldo / Baldomiro Valdes El pandillero (1961) as Pepe Álvarez del Monte El duende y yo (1961) as Modesto Fauno Locura de terror (1961) as Pacífico Otero ¡Suicídate, mi amor! (1961) as Raúl González Viva Chihuahua (1961) as Germán Terrazas "El Chihuahua" Pilotos de la muerte (1962) as Octano Pérez y Pérez ¡En peligro de muerte! (1962) as Marshall Nylon El tesoro del rey Salomón (1963) as Tin-Tan Fuerte, audaz y valiente (1963) Tin-Tan el hombre mono (1963) as Tin-Tan Face of the Screaming Werewolf (1965)Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co., Inc. . Page 148 as Man Who Sleeps in Wax Museum and Saves Woman in Apartment Tintansón Crusoe (1965) as Tin-Tan Cruz / Guaraní Los fantasmas burlones (1965) as Cyril Ludovico Churchill Especialista en chamacas (1965) as Don Guille Puerto Rico en carnaval (1965) Loco por ellas (1966) as Ángel Macías / Alberto Macías / Padre de Ángel y Alberto El ángel y yo (1966) as Rito Detectives o ladrones (1967) as Harry Seis Días para Morir (La Rabia) (1967) as José Duelo en El Dorado (1969) as Compadre Barrera Gregorio y su ángel (1970) as Devil El capitán Mantarraya (1970) as Capitán Mantarraya Chanoc en las garras de las fieras (1970) as Tsekub Baloyán El quelite (1970) as Próculo Trampa para una niña (1971) as Merólico En estas camas nadie duerme (1971) as Salame El ogro (1971) as Sabas Caín, Abel y el otro (1971) as Óscar Latorre Chanoc contra el tigre y el vampiro (1972) as Tsekub Baloyán The Incredible Professor Zovek (1972) as Chalo Los cacos (1972) as El Muerto Chanoc contra las tarántulas (1973) as Tsekub Baloyán La Disputa (1974) as Lorenzo Rocadura Acapulco 12-22 (1975) as Pirata, limpiabotas La mafia amarilla (1975) as Germán Noche de muerte (1972) as Germán (final film role)
References
External links
Documentary film contents at TuCinePortal, Perla Schwartz. Así era Tin Tan at SuperMexicanos, Guillermo Aguilera.