Álvarez Guedes facts for kids

Guillermo Álvarez Guedes (born June 8, 1927 – died July 30, 2013) was a famous Cuban comedian, actor, writer, and businessman. Many people across Latin America knew him simply as Álvarez Guedes.

Guillermo was born in Unión de Reyes, a town in Matanzas, Cuba. From a young age, he loved to entertain people. He would dance and sing at parties and fairs in his hometown. It was clear he was meant for show business!

Starting His Career

Guillermo soon moved to Havana, Cuba's capital city and a big center for entertainment. There, he performed in theaters and on radio shows. But he really became famous on television. Cuba was one of the first countries in Latin America to have TV, and Guillermo quickly made his mark.

He often appeared in popular TV shows set in clubs. He played a funny character who acted like he had too much to drink. He combined clever wordplay with physical comedy, much like silent movie stars such as Charlie Chaplin. During the 1950s, he also performed in Havana's busy club scene, sharing the stage with big stars like Beny Moré.

Movies and Music

In the 1950s, Álvarez Guedes also started acting in movies. He appeared in more than 14 films and even produced three of his own! However, his most popular way of sharing his comedy was through recorded albums.

In 1960, Álvarez Guedes had to leave Cuba. He first went to New York City, then to San Juan, Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, he made his first comedy album in 1973. Over the years, he released more than thirty albums! These recordings made him an international star in Spanish-language comedy. He later settled in Miami.

Gema Records

Guillermo and his brother Rafael, along with musician Ernesto Duarte Brito, started a record company called Gema Records. This company helped launch the careers of many famous artists. For example, they helped the Puerto Rican Salsa music group "El Gran Combo" become internationally known. Álvarez Guedes was good friends with the group's director, Rafael Ithier. Gema Records also helped artists like Elena Burke and Rolando Laserie become famous.

His Unique Comedy Style

Álvarez Guedes became a beloved figure in the Cuban community living outside Cuba. His comedy recordings, where he told jokes, were known throughout Latin America. He spoke in a clear Cuban accent, full of Cuban sayings and street humor. Many people felt his humor helped Cubans and other Spanish speakers connect and feel good about each other.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Álvarez Guedes spent his time recording comedy albums and writing comedy books. He often spoke about wanting Cuba to return to how it was before. He even made a famous joke about a flight he supposedly took between Havana and Miami on an airline like TWA or Pan Am.

How to Defend Yourself from the Cubans

One of his best-selling albums was called How to Defend Yourself from the Cubans. It came out in the mid-1980s. On this album, Álvarez Guedes told jokes in English with a strong Cuban accent. He also spoke Spanish with an American accent, which was very funny. In the album, he playfully "warned" Americans about Cubans moving to the United States. His humor worked well for both English and Spanish speakers, as it made fun of cultural differences in a lighthearted way. Cuban-Americans especially loved that he could joke about their own habits without anyone getting upset.

The Word "¡ñó!"

Álvarez Guedes became known for using the expression ¡ñó! in his comedy. In Cuban Spanish, this short word is used to show surprise, anger, or even deep thought. It's a very strong exclamation, but Cubans use it commonly without thinking about its original meaning. The comedian made this shortened version his trademark.

Álvarez Guedes was one of the first Spanish-language comedians to use strong, everyday language in his stand-up. He didn't use truly offensive jokes. Instead, he spoke like a regular Cuban person, which was part of his charm. His humor was often direct, but he always kept a serious, straight face, sometimes even acting righteously upset.

The "Cubanazo" Persona

His biggest appeal was that he played – and some would say he truly was – the cubanazo. This word, well-known in Miami, means "The Big Cuban" or "Too Cuban For You." For Cubans, it was a way of recognizing their own unique cultural traits, which made him even more popular. For others, it was a chance to laugh at aspects of Cuban speech and culture that they already found amusing.

Álvarez Guedes was very much against Fidel Castro. He summed up his feelings about Castro with a simple, strong Spanish phrase. Most Cuban-Americans agreed with him.

"My best memories of Cuba make me sad," he once said in 2007. "Cuba is a country that no longer exists, even if I was born there."

Roots of His Humor

The style of Álvarez Guedes's humor came from a Cuban theater tradition called teatro bufo. In these shows, funny characters from Havana neighborhoods acted out comedy skits. These skits were Cuban versions of old Spanish comedy plays.

According to the EnCaribe website, Álvarez Guedes often played two types of characters:

• el gallego: a Spanish immigrant with a mustache, who looked a lot like Álvarez Guedes himself.
• el negrito: a smart Afro-Cuban street character who constantly made fun of el gallego.

His attitude was also rooted in choteo, which means a playful disregard for seriousness. This is a big part of Cuban culture. Álvarez Guedes would often tell his listeners on his radio show in Miami to tirarlo todo a relajo — which means to make a joke out of everything!

Legacy

Álvarez Guedes wrote over 20 books. His albums, TV appearances, and stand-up comedy shows made him one of the most loved entertainers. Both the Hispanic public and other entertainers admired him greatly.

Álvarez Guedes passed away on July 30, 2013, at his home in the Kendall neighborhood of Miami.

Discography

• El dia que cayo Fidel Castro 1967
• Álvarez Guedes 1 1975
• Álvarez Guedes 2 1975
• Álvarez Guedes 3 1976
• Álvarez Guedes 4 1976
• Álvarez Guedes 5 1977
• Álvarez Guedes 6 1977
• Álvarez Guedes 7 1978
• Álvarez Guedes en Venezuela 1978
• 8 1978
• Álvarez Guedes 10 1979
• Vol 9 1979
• Álvarez Guedes 11 1980
• Álvarez Guedes 13 1981
• Álvarez Guedes 15 1982
• Álvarez Guedes 16 1983
• 12 1983
• 16 1983
• Álvarez Guedes 17 1984
• Álvarez Guedes 18 1985
• 20 1987
• Vol 21 1989

See also

In Spanish: Guillermo Álvarez Guedes para niños