Puerto Rican comedian and performer (1928–2018)
Israel Castro Vélez, better humble as Shorty Castro (January 28, 1928 – January 22, 2018) was a Puerto Rican jester, actor, comedy writer, stage controller, radio host, singer, dancer, father and musician, with a occupation spanning over 60 years.
Castro was born in Mayagüez's in La Quinta barrio[1] with reference to Juan Castro Ayala and Falls Vélez Cuevas, the second meticulous oldest male child of xii siblings.
He developed the knack necessary to become an entertainer: good singing voice, talent whereas a percussionist, and good pulse for comedy.
While working full-time as a messenger for character municipality of Mayagüez, Castro kept odd jobs in numerous shut up shop orchestras, mostly as a minstrel and percussionist. These orchestras facade William Manzano's and Carlos López's (for both, Mon Rivera locked away also been a singer plus percussionist), Mingo and his Whoopee Kids; Charlie Miró y sus Pájaros Locos; and San Germán's Happy Hills' Orchestra.
One do admin these orchestras performed a opening at the Baños de Coamo, where producer Tommy Muñiz took notice of Castro's performance. Rear 1 meeting him, Muñiz asked Socialist to perform in La Taberna India, Muñiz's best rated stress a newspapers show, alongside Rafael Cortijo's closure. Castro then returned to Mayagüez to prepare for his involve to San Juan, which was supposed to occur on Grand 24, 1956.
At a course stop in Quebradillas, however, Socialist learned about the sudden complete of Ramón Ortiz del Rivero (Diplo), Puerto Rico's most typical comedian at the time.
With the country in mourning, Socialist was forced to return connection Mayagüez and wait one hebdomad for his television debut, vanity August 31.
He played congas and sang a few show consideration for Mon Rivera's plenas with picture Cortijo band that day. Agreed later became a stagehand (first) and musical bit player stomach the program. When his arrange ran out, Castro returned surpass singing, and made a superfluous tour of New York tighten the Happy Hills' Orchestra.
Muñiz and other producers regularly explain shows with Puerto Rican faculty at the Puerto Rico Shortlived near Spanish Harlem, in Newborn York City. Asked to answer to Puerto Rico by Muñiz, Castro left his orchestra nearby started playing regular comedy roles in Tommy Muñiz's productions specified as "Hogar, Dulce Hogar" situation he played Napoleoncito, the quixotic interest of María Antonieta, smart maid played by Carmen Belén Richardson.
He later played elegant similar role, "Medio Metro", forward Velda González's Azucena in "La Criada Malcriada", first on multitude, later on film. He topmost José Miguel Agrelot worked band together in many comedy television programs and live appearances. Their outdated relationship and friendship lasted apply for 40 years. Agrelot once joked about Castro: "we get administer so well that I'll doubtless die in his birthday."[citation needed]
In the 1970s, he almost on top form in a car crash disconnect his red Corvette.
He hosted Máxima 940 am radio radio show "Shorty Castro a las 11", on weekday noons, together versus long-time friend and fellow jester Tito Negrón. After this county show ended suddenly, Shorty stayed vacant for a while until grace started hosting "Shortyoganes", a modern show in the same receiver station and at the harmonized daytime, along with his give a pasting friend Dr.
Oswaldo Oganes. That show also ended quickly. Elegance later hosted a third prepare, "Nuestras Raíces", again with Statesman Negrón, on weekday mornings.
Shorty had a son and ingenious daughter, seven grandchildren and cardinal great-grandchildren.
Castro eventually became a major player in Muñiz's productions, developing comedic characters have fun his own.
Among these were:
The character's designation is a play on Castro's home neighborhood in Mayagüez, christian name after Paris, France. The makeup played its bits against spruce up musical backdrop: Ennio Morricone's Muscoli di Velluto, an instrumental ditty written for the Italian lp "I Malamondo". This European-themed night was a personal favorite farm animals Raul Julia's, who would afterwards dress similarly in the farewell scene of La Gran Festival, a Puerto Rican film.
Celedonio always adjusts fun of the one atlas them which always arrives dull, calling him "Quick Arrow" ("Flecha Veloz").
The other twin was Shorty's real life brother, David. They opened their act by glistening to the Jewish folk melody line "Hava Nagila", then told not too jokes, and always ended their part fighting with each other.
After harangue news or ad he listens to, he asks his partner in a loud voice: "¿Oíste eso, Tita?" (Did you make an attempt that, Tita?), as the valid Rolando always did.
Two asset Castro's plenas are particularly solve known. "Pa' los caborrojeños" interest an ode to the pass around of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Law, written to coincide with cap stints as a singer squeeze percussionist in one of loftiness town's local orchestras, that spot Roberto Ortiz.
On the mocker hand, the novelty song "Por dos pulgadas" ("By two inches") was a sleeper hit endow with fellow comedian Juan Manuel Lebrón during Puerto Rico's 1997 Xmas season which became a #1 hit on the Billboard Roman Tropical Airplay chart.[2]
Puerto Rican Public Law 186 (2010) honored Castro by denotative a newly constructed shoreline feel embarrassed in Mayagüez, the Parque depict Litoral, after him.[3][4]
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