Jorge Russek


Jorge Antonio Russek Martínez was a Mexican actor, whose career in film and television spanned over 40 years. A native of Guaymas, Sonora, he became one of the most prominent actors in Mexican cinema and appeared in more than 300 films in his career.
Russek appeared in Western films throughout the 1960s and 1970s, both in Mexican and American cinema, and won Ariel Awards for Best Actor in 1976 and Best Supporting Actor in 1989. He became known for playing norteños, or villainous characters such as gangsters, while simultaneously being recognized for his humility and pleasant personality off of set. Later in his career, Russek starred in several telenovelas and was a three-time winner of the TVyNovelas Award for Best Leading Actor.

Biography

Russek was born on 5 January 1932 in Guaymas, Sonora, to Marcos Russek Ramírez and Luisa Lily Martínez Bustamante and had three older brothers. His mother's side of the family hailed from Durango, where his great-grandfather served as a local government official during the presidency of Benito Juárez. He studied at a military academy in North Hollywood, California.
Russek entered the film industry as an extra in 1950. He also acted on stage early in his career, but quit because he felt asphyxiated in the dressing rooms. In 1954, Russek appeared in the Mexican-American film Sitting Bull. His first notable role was in the film La vida de Agustín Lara. Russek acted in films of many different genres, but became known for his roles in Western films in the late 1960s and early 1970s, both in Mexican and American cinema. He appeared in American television series such as I Spy and The High Chaparral, but he also landed roles in films such as The Wild Bunch, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Soldier Blue, Big Jake, The Wrath of God, and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, all while remaining active in Mexico.
Russek won the Diosa de Plata for Best Actor in 1973 for his role in the film '. At the 18th Ariel Awards held in 1976, he won Best Actor for his role in '. Russek also won the Ariel Award for Best Supporting Actor at the 31st Ariel Awards in 1989 for his role in Los camaroneros.
Russek earned his first main role in a telenovela in 1986 when he played the role of a Michoacán landowner named Don Fernando Vallarta in La gloria y el infierno, which aired on Televisa. His next main role on television was in the 1990 telenovela, Días sin luna, where he played the role of Rogelio Santamaría. For his performance, he won the TVyNovelas Award for Best Leading Actor at the 9th TVyNovelas Awards. Russek joined the cast of La fuerza del amor as Gustavo soon afterwards. He won his second TVyNovelas Award for Best Leading Actor for his performance as Samuel Aldapa in the 1996 hit telenovela, Cañaveral de Pasiones.
His final role was in Huracán, where he played the main antagonist, Néstor Villarreal, a wealthy businessman whose practices polluted the ocean. For his performance, he received the Award for Best Leading Actor at the 16th TVyNovelas Awards in May 1998.

Personal life and legacy

Russek was a professional photographer whose pictures were shown at various exhibitions. He often brought his Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex camera to sets he worked on. Russek was known for his pictures of natural landscapes in Durango. He also served as an advisor to the Durango Directorate of Tourism and Cinematography from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1992 to 1998. In his final years, he worked on an autobiography, which was tentatively titled Una vida de película.
Russek died of a heart attack aged 66 on 30 July 1998 at a hospital in Mexico City. He was visited by friends such as Ernesto Alonso, Silvia Pinal, Norma Herrera, Raúl Araiza, and José Ángel Espinoza. Per his wishes, Russek was cremated and his ashes were spread in Durango, where he filmed many of his movies. For years to follow, cultural events were held every August in his honor in Durango. Additionally, a telesecundaria in Durango was named after Russek.
In 2007, a collection of almost 2,000 pictures taken by Russek was entered into the archives of the.
In a 2013 interview, Mario Almada stated that Russek was one of the actors he most admired.

Filmography

Film

Sitting Bull La odalisca No. 13 Villa!! – Rurale LieutenantLa vida de Agustín Lara – Rodolfo, coronelLa última lucha – Amante de Delia Dos locos en escena The Dalton That Got Away ¡Mis abuelitas... nomás! Amor a balazo limpio – Marco ReyesEspiritismo – Eduardo AguirreLa máscara roja – RamiroLos amigos Maravilla Los pistoleros – Martín García¡En peligro de muerte! – SmithEl monstruo de los volcanes – ValdésCuando los hijos se pierden – AsaltanteLos amigos Maravilla en el mundo de la aventura Las vengadoras enmascaradas Entre bala y bala La garra del leopardo – RenéAgente XU 777 – EspíaNos dicen las intocables El revólver sangriento – Secuaz de El ToroThe Black Ghost El rostro de la muerte – Esbirro del rostroEl padrecito – MatíasEl texano – GustavoNos lleva la tristeza El último cartucho – CascabelEl pueblo fantasma – El rápidoEl padre Diablo – Hermano de LucindaShe-Wolves of the Ring – BroncoLa loba – ComisarioAquella Rosita Alvírez – Hipólito CeijaEl tigre de Guanajuato: Leyenda de venganza ¡Ay Jalisco, no te rajes! – Silva NolascoLa maldición del oro – El TexanoLos sheriffs de la frontera El hijo de Gabino Barrera El jinete justiciero en retando a la muerte – HipólitoEl fugitivo – LucasAlma grande – Bill RenderLa frontera sin ley – Julián CanalesLos cuatro Juanes – CapitánLos malditos El comandante Furia El hijo del diablo – José Mancilla Sólo para tí – Sebastián RamírezVuelve el Texano El mexicano Rage – Himself 2ndLa mano de Dios – Don Carlos FuentesJinetes de la llanura – José MenchacaPedro Páramo – El TilcuateLa vuelta del Mexicano Alma Grande en el desierto El asesino se embarca – VillagránHour of the Gun – Deputy Latigo ' – Don AgustínLa ley del gavilán – ComisarioCaballo prieto azabache – El CoyoteGuns for San Sebastian – PedroLucio Vázquez – Coronel GuajardoValentín de la Sierra – Coronel AldapePax? Lauro Puñales – Coronel VillegasEl hombre de negro – Jim WilliamsThe Wild Bunch – Major Zamorra
  • ' – Allen LuceroButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Bolivian Army Officer Soldier Blue – Running FoxSu precio... unos dólares – El IndioAlguien nos quiere matar – CristóbalBig Jake – Saloon Bully in Escondero Siete muertes para el texano Dead Aim – District Commissioner' – Sargento Jim
  • ' – LicenciadoThe Wrath of God – CordonaLa noche de los mil gatos – HusbandManuel Saldivar, el texano – Roy VegaIndio – VargasLos indomables Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid – SilvaCarne de horca – El mudoAdios, amor... ¡Quiero vivir mi vida! – Doctor LugoLos doce malditos – HawkBring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia – CuetoSanto y Blue Demon contra el doctor Frankenstein – Dr. Irving FrankesteinEl pistolero del diablo El valle de los miserables – PancracioEl pequeño Robin Hood – ComisarioSangre derramada – Coronel PáezMéxico, México, ra, ra, ra La gran aventura del Zorro – CapitánSanto contra las lobas El buscabullas – Ronald McCreeThe Return of a Man Called Horse – BlacksmithJuan Armenta, el repatriado – Mr. ClaytonEl hombre del puente – El PresidenteLongitud de guerra – Gob. y Cor. Lauro Carrillo' – Gerardo GuajardoHot Snake – SheriffThe Mound Builders Dinastía de la muerte – Daniel del Fierro Sr. / Luis del FierroLos temibles El diabólico – Arnold WeatherbeeCarroña – Don Lupe ZanabriaConvoy – Tiny AlvarezEl niño y el tiburón – Don RamónTempestad Tigre Bloody Marlene – Viejo McCutchenPasión por el peligro Eagle's Wing – GonzaloAmor a la mexicana En la cuerda del hambre Caboblanco – MinisterIlegales y mojados – Sr. DonoghanEl rey de los tahures – PedroMírame con ojos pornográficos – Jorge CoroEmilio Varela vs Camelia la Texana El robo imposible – Don TeófiloJuan el enterrador Zorro, The Gay Blade – Don FernandoLa Chèvre – Fernando Missing – EspinozaThe Honorary Consul – Señor EscobarEl vengador del 30-06 – El chueco RobespierreEncuentro con la muerte La hija del general Lázaro Cárdenas Pleasures – RithermanMiracles – The JudgeEl río de oro – ArmandoOceans of Fire – CoxMotín en la cárcel
  • ' ' – RastreadorLos plomeros y las ficheras Domingo corrales El solitario indomable – Don CarlosLos camaroneros
  • ' – AbueloLicence to Kill – Pit BossRosa de dos aromas El jinete de la divina providencia ' – CapoLa zona del silencio Funerales del terror – ComandanteEscuadrón salvaje – ComandanteNacidos para morir
  • ' – Fat ManPure Luck – Inspector SeguraPecado original Highway Patrolman – Sr. MateosRetén Gertrudis – Sr. BocanegraLa tumba del Atlántico – Anthony ArndoldPolicía de homicidios – Comandante de SotoRamiro Sierra Asesinos de la frontera Reto a la ley Odio, amor y muerte En medio de la nada La última batalla – El ViejoHalcones de la muerte – Espias mortales – RomoContrabando de esmeraldas Memoria del cine mexicano – HimselfUna maestra con ángel Ámbar – CorbettLa Chilindrina en apuros – Padre CasimiroEl alimento del miedo Muerte a la mafia El chacal del puerto Pensamientos – Comandante

Awards and accolades