Germán Valdés
Germán Genaro Cipriano Teodoro Gómez Valdés y Castillo, known professionally as Tin-Tan, was a Mexican actor, singer and comedian who 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 Manuel "El Loco" Valdés and Ramón 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, which a friend of his stated sounded too vulgar and uncouth for a comedian. He suggested instead the nickname "Tin-Tan", which Valdés originally disliked but grew to like and use professionally for his whole career.
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", 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, Tongolele and many more. He also collaborated closely with actress and comedian Fannie Kauffman, who was also known as 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. 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
Summer Hotel The Disobedient Son as Germán Rico / Tin TanSong of Mexico as Tin Tan The Noiseless Dead Music Inside as Tin Tán / HortensiaThe Lost Child as Agustín peón Torre y Rey; TincitoMusic, Poetry and Madness as Tin TanTender Pumpkins as Tin tanRough But Respectable as Tin TanNo me defiendas, compadre as Tin TanEl rey del barrio as Tin TanThe Mark of the Skunk as Tin / El vizconde de TexmelucanTambién de dolor se canta as Tin TanSinbad the Seasick as SimbadEl revoltoso as Tin TanOh Darling! Look What You've Done! as Tin TanKill Me Because I'm Dying! as Tin-TanWhen Women Rule Las locuras de Tin-Tan as Tin-TanSnow White as Valentín GaytánChucho the Mended as Tin Tan / Valentín Gaytán:es:Mi campeón as Tin TanThe Beautiful Dreamer as TriquitránYou've Got Me By the Wing as Tin TanThe Island of Women as Tin TanThe Vagabond as La ChivaGod Created Them as Tin TanThe Unknown Mariachi as Agustín / Tin TanReportaje as Pachuco composerEl vizconde de Montecristo as Inocencio DantésEl hombre inquieto as Germán Valdés / Abel CaimBluebeard as RicardoLook What Happened to Samson as Tin Tan / SansónBarefoot Sultan as Sultán CasquilloEl vividor as Atliano ValadezEl médico de las locas as Apolonio BorregoTeatro del crimen as Germán Valdés, cantanteLas aventuras de Pito Pérez as Pito Pérez; Jesús Pérez GaonaEl campeón ciclista as Cleto GarcíaPuss Without Boots as Agustín Tancredo / Don Victorio TancredoLocos peligrosos as FedericoLos tres mosqueteros y medio as FedericoEscuela para suegras as Tin TanRefifi entre las mujeres as RefifíViaje a la luna Quiero ser artista as Tin TanMúsica de siempre A Thousand and One Nights as Ven AquíLa odalisca No. 13 as QuintínPaso a la juventud as CasimiroTres lecciones de amor as Germán ValadezVagabundo y millonario as Antonio García / Andrés AguilarEl cofre del pirata Ferias de México El que con niños se acuesta as Chon / Encarnación BernalDos fantasmas y una muchacha as Germán PérezEscuela de verano as Casimiro Bellavista y MandurianoVivir del cuento as Crisoforo Pérez La casa del terror as CasimiroVariedades de medianoche as Germán GómezRebel Without a House as Teodoro SilvaLa tijera de oro as Pablo Emilio CamposTin-Tan y las modelos as Marcos Alonso ChimalpopocaUna estrella y dos estrellados as Tin TánEl violetero as Lorenzo MiguelThe Phantom of the Operetta as Aldo / Baldomiro ValdesEl pandillero as Pepe Álvarez del MonteEl duende y yo as Modesto FaunoLocura de terror as Pacifico otero¡Suicídate, mi amor! as Raúl GonzálezViva Chihuahua Pilotos de la muerte as Octano Pérez y Pérez¡En peligro de muerte! as Marshall NylonEl tesoro del rey Salomón as Tin TanFuerte, audaz y valiente Tin-Tan el hombre mono as Tin TanFace of the Screaming Werewolf as Man Who Sleeps in Wax Museum and Saves Woman in ApartmentTintansón Crusoe as Tin-Tan Cruz / GuaraníLos fantasmas burlones as Cyril Ludovico ChurchillEspecialista en chamacas as Don GuillePuerto Rico en carnaval Loco por ellas as Ángel Macías / Alberto Macías / Padre de Ángel y AlbertoEl ángel y yo as RitoDetectives o ladrones as HarrySeis días para morir as José - GloberoChanoc Duelo en El Dorado as Compadre BarreraGregorio y su ángel as DevilEl capitán Mantarraya as Capitán MantarrayaChanoc en las garras de las fieras as Tin Tan / Tsekub BaloyánEl quelite as ProculoTrampa para una niña En estas camas nadie duerme El ogro as SabasCaín, Abel y el otro Chanoc contra el tigre y el vampiro as Tsekub BaloyánThe Incredible Professor Zovek as ChaloLos cacos Las tarántulas as Tsekub BaloyánLa Disputa Acapulco 12-22 as PirataLa mafia amarilla as GermánNoche de muerte as Germán