Luis Raúl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luis Raúl
Luis Raúl in his final stand-up comedy on September 14, 2013 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum
Birth name	Luis Raúl Martínez Rodríguez
Born	(1962-03-06)March 6, 1962 Ponce, Puerto Rico
Died	February 2, 2014(2014-02-02) (aged 51) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Medium	Television, stand-up, film
Education	Dr. Pila High School
Alma mater	• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (BA)  • Ofelia D'Acosta's School of Dramatic Arts
Years active	1983–2014
Genres	Observational comedy Character comedy
Subject(s)	Current events Modern life in Puerto Rico Pop culture Self-deprecation
Parent(s)	Raúl Martínez Nilda Rodríguez
Notable works and roles	¿Que Es Lo Que Pasa Aquí? Ahh! En Casa de Luis Raúl Anda Pa'l Cará Que OJOnes

Luis Raúl Martínez Rodríguez (born March 6, 1962 – died February 2, 2014), known as Luis Raúl, was a famous actor, comedian, and TV host from Puerto Rico. He was very well-known for his stand-up comedy shows and the many funny characters he created.

Luis Raúl also hosted popular TV shows. These included Anda Pa'l Cará, a talk and variety show on TeleOnce (later Univision Puerto Rico) from 2001 to 2003. He also hosted the game show Pa' Que Te Lo Goces on Telemundo Puerto Rico in 2006. Luis Raúl passed away on February 2, 2014, due to kidney failure, which led to heart and breathing problems.

Early Life and School Years

Luis Raúl was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His parents were Raúl Martínez and Nilda Rodríguez. From a young age, Luis Raúl loved acting.

He often took part in school plays and shows. After finishing at Dr. Pila High School, he first studied chemical engineering. He went to the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

After two years, he changed schools and went to Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. There, he studied business administration but also took many classes in theatre. In 1980, he graduated from Ofelia D'Acosta's School of Dramatic Arts.

Luis Raúl's Career Journey

Starting Out: 1981–1997

In 1981, Luis Raúl moved to San Juan. He worked several jobs to support himself. He even sold popcorn and hot dogs at movie theaters.

At the same time, he kept studying acting. He performed in weekly shows. His first play was Los Títeres de Cachiporra in 1983. In 1985, he got his first main role in Un Mismo Corazón (One Heart). This play talked about AIDS, a topic that was not often discussed back then.

He also started appearing in local TV shows called telenovelas. In 1987, he joined actor Edwin Pabellón to create a radio show called Algo Mejor. He also appeared on the show En Serio con Silverio.

Later, Silverio Pérez asked him to join a new show. It was called ¿Que Es Lo Que Pasa Aquí? Ahh!. This show made fun of politics and social issues. This show helped Luis Raúl become a well-known comedian.

In 1992, Luis Raúl left the show. He wanted to move to Los Angeles to find more success. In Los Angeles, he appeared in commercials and shows for Spanish-speaking audiences. He also performed in stand-up comedy and improv shows.

However, he often traveled back to Puerto Rico. He continued to perform his stand-up comedy shows there, which were very popular. In 1997, he also had his own show called Pa' la Cama con Luis Raúl. Luisito Vigoreaux produced this show.

Back to TV and Stage: 2000–2012

By 2000, Luis Raúl was officially back in Puerto Rico. He started a new show called En Casa de Luis Raúl on Televicentro. In 2001, Univision hired him. He took over from his friend Silverio Pérez as host of the popular late-night show Anda Pa'l Cará. He hosted the show with Gricel Mamery until 2003. In 2002, he adopted two children, Angel and Janet.

In 2008, Luis Raúl began a farewell tour. It was called "Chiquito Pero Juguetón" (Small but Playful). He planned to retire after this tour. The tour was a huge success in Puerto Rico. One of the shows was even filmed and released as a movie called "Chiquito Pero Juguetón: Da Muvi".

After a short break, he returned in 2009 with another tour. It was titled "La Cosa Está Peúla 3D". In 2010, he started a new tour called "Con Los Huevos a Peseta". He had another stand-up comedy tour in 2011 called "Que Clase 'E Lengua".

On March 5, 2012, he had a special TV program. It was called "El Camino" on Telemundo. He hosted it with Maritza Baigés. His second-to-last stand-up comedy show was "A Cuero Pela'o". It ran from late 2012 to early 2013.

Last Show and Film: 2013–2014

Luis Raúl's very last stand-up comedy show was "Que OJOnes". It was a one-night-only performance. It took place at Puerto Rico's famous José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. Luis Raúl was the first comedian to perform at this big venue.

The show happened on September 14, 2013. It was also the first show from the venue to be broadcast live online. This performance was the last show he did before he passed away.

One of Luis Raúl's final wishes was to turn the "Que OJOnes" show into a film. On March 23, 2014, plans for the film were confirmed. It was being prepared for release. On May 5, 2014, the film was announced for release in theaters on June 5, 2014, in Puerto Rico. It was also shown in some U.S. theaters later. This film became Luis Raúl's final movie.

His Passing

On January 13, 2014, Luis Raúl was taken to the hospital. He had a serious lung infection called pneumonia. Two weeks later, his health got worse. He needed a machine to help him breathe.

He already had health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure. These made his condition even more serious. His left lung was badly damaged. Sadly, his kidney failure led to heart and breathing problems. He passed away early on February 2, 2014.

Many of his friends and colleagues shared their sadness after the news. As per his wishes, Luis Raúl's family had his body cremated. This was done instead of holding a public viewing. Before he became ill, Luis Raúl had filmed scenes for a film from the Dominican Republic. His role in that movie had to be recast after his death.

Famous Characters

Besides his stand-up comedy, Luis Raúl was famous for six characters. He often played them on TV and sometimes in his shows:

• Piquito: A sweet, innocent kid who spoke with a slight lisp. He sold barbecue chicken for a living. Even when he tried selling other things, he always returned to his happy job of selling chicken.
• Tito Párpados: A celebrity reporter from Argentina. He had a very fancy hairstyle and a showy personality.
• El Bebé: A loving baby during the day. But at night, he would become a mischievous little rascal!
• Malín: Luis Raúl's cousin from New York (a nuyorican). She always claimed to perform "Off-off-off-off-Broadway... almost in Queens", making fun of how far away her shows were.
• Doña Mary Jane: An older woman who was a bit of a free spirit.
• Junito Puppy Love: A charming flirt who spent his time calling his many girlfriends. He would express his love using funny wordplay.

Stand-up Shows

Film and TV Appearances

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of game show hosts