Nota: Este contenido tiene una versión original en español
José Antonio Hipólito Espino Mora, better known as ‘Clavillazo’ was an actor and comedian from Puebla with more than 30 years of experience in theater and film.
‘Clavillazo’ was born on August 13, 1910 in Teziutlán, Puebla. He was the second of 11 siblings. His parents were Fidel Espino López and Berta Mora Calderón.
His approach to theater began at the Variedades theater in Teziutlán, where he began to surround himself with actors while helping in the marquees. This work allowed him to have his first supporting roles in presentations.
The beginnings of ‘Clavillazo’
In the early 1940s, Antonio moved to Mexico City and began acting in different marquee and vaudeville theaters, while selling perfumes to survive.
In his early years, Fernando Soler, an actor, screenwriter, filmmaker and theater producer began to give him supporting roles in his plays and ‘Clavillazo’ mentioned him as his artistic teacher, as he taught him manners, how to project his voice and have a good diction.
The nickname ‘Clavillazo’ arises after having had different nicknames, as he was first called ‘Chumiate’, ‘Polidor’ and finally ‘clavitos’, because this character drew nails in his eyes.
Film Career
His first appearance on the big screen was in the film Monte de Piedad, which was directed by Carlos Véjar Cervantes, a filmmaker of the golden age of Mexican cinema and cartoonist for Disney.
Throughout his career he participated as an actor in more than 35 different productions, in most of which he played the leading role.
This is a list of the films in which he participated as Clavillazo, were:
| Bohemios de afición | 1984 |
| Estoy sentenciado a muerte | 1983 |
| En las garras de la ciudad | 1981 |
| Ratero | 1979 |
| Lagrimitas de mi barrio | 1973 |
| La marchanta | 1973 |
| Los fantasmas burlones | 1965 |
| Los fenómenos del futbol | 1964 |
| Las chivas rayadas | 1964 |
| La cara parchada | 1962 |
| Los bárbaros del norte | 1963 |
| Sobre el muerto las coronas | 1961 |
| Besito a papá | 1961 |
| ¡Mis abuelitas… no más! | 1961 |
| El globero | 1961 |
| Conquistador de la luna | 1960 |
| Juan Polainas | 1960 |
| Una señora movida | 1959 |
| El joven del carrito | 1958 |
| El sordo | 1958 |
| Aladino y la lámpara maravillosa | 1958 |
| The Castle of the Monsters | 1958 |
| Golden Legs | 1958 |
| Pobres millonarios | 1957 |
| Nunca me hagan eso | 1957 |
| El organillero | 1957 |
| El chismoso de la ventana | 1956 |
| Vivir a todo dar | 1956 |
| Pura vida | 1956 |
| El fantasma de la casa roja | 1956 |
| Una movida chueca | 1956 |
| Sindicato de telemirones | 1954 |
| Chucho el Roto | 1954 |
| Se solicitan modelos | 1954 |
| Reportaje | 1953 |
| Ahí vienen los gorrones | 1953 |
| El genial detective Peter Pérez | 1952 |
| Monte de Piedad | 1951 |
On November 23, 1993, ‘Clavillazo’ died in Mexico City at the age of 83 as a result of a cardiac arrest.
«¡Pura vida!», «¡Mendigó!», «¡Ahí nomás!», o «¡Nunca me hagan eso!», were some of his most famous phrases.
Translation done by: Karla Giselle Bonales Ramírez
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POB/LFJ
