In Remembrance: Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez

     Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, the comic character actor who appeared in numerous films including The High And The Mighty (1954) and Rio Bravo (1959), has passed away on February 6, 2006 in Culver City, CA. He was 80.

     Born Ramiro Gonzalez, Gonzalez on May 24, 1925 in Aguilares, Texas, Gonzalez Gonzalez’s parents took him out of school at age 7 to travel with the family as they entertained migrant workers throughout the Southwest. Here, Gonzalez Gonzalez began developing his comic persona, dancing and singing and playing a xylophone crudely improvised from water bottles. During World War II, Gonzalez Gonzalez served as a driver stationed in the United States.

     Gonzalez Gonzalez entered films through a rather unusual route- as a contestant on the 1950s quiz show You Bet Your Life, hosted by comic Groucho Marx. On the show, Marx would often crack jokes at the contestant’s expense. However, when Gonzalez Gonzalez appeared on a 1953 installment, he was able to hold his own with Marx. Watching the show that evening was John Wayne, who was so taken with Gonzalez Gonzalez show-stealing appearance that he signed him to a seven-year contract with his production.

     Gonzalez Gonzalez would appear in five films with Wayne- The High And The Mighty, Rio Bravo, McLintock! (1963), Hellfighers (1968) and Chisum (1970). He also was featured in such films as the noir I Died A Thousand Times (1955), The Love Bug (1968) and There Goes The Bride (1980).

     Gonzalez Gonzalez also contributed voices to the Warner Brothers’ Speedy Gonzalez cartoons Chili Corn Corny, Go Go Amigo (both 1965), Daffy Rents and A Taste Of Catnip (both 1966).

     Gonzalez Gonzalez also made numerous television appearances in such shows as The Texan, Cheyenne, Gun Smoke, Perry Mason, I Spy, Laredo, The Monkees, I Dream Of Jeannie, The Mod Squad, Adam-12 and The Fall Guy.

     Since he left school at an early age to enter show business, Gonzalez Gonzalez never learned to read or write. Instead, his wife Leandra would read his scripts to him, while he memorized his lines. If there were any on-set changes to his dialogue, the new lines would often be feed to him from off camera or he would just improvise the scene.

     His last screen appearance was in the 1993 thriller Ruby Cairo.