Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Manuel Capetillo

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Manuel Antonio Capetillo Villaseñor was born on April 15, 1926, in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico. He grew up in a Jalisco family with attachment to the countryside and charro traditions. In his early youth, he worked in various jobs in bull ranches located in Jalisco, thus acquiring his first knowledge about fighting, breeding, handling and nature of the bull.

In 1953 he temporarily left the rings to venture as a singer of ranchera music but in 1957 he returned. In the 1960s he participated as an actor in ranchera films in cinema. Some critics felt that his acting activity harmed his bullfighting career. But in those years it was customary for both sports and bullfighting figures to be tempted by film directors to star in films, which later brought economic benefits from advertisements that were reflected in the box office of bullrings.

He began his film career with the film “Contigo a la distancia” in 1954 and the last was “Las plebes de Sinaloa” in 2000. He participated alongside great stars of Mexican cinema such as Evangelina Elizondo, Elvira Quintana, Regina Torné, Flor Silvestre, Antonio Aguilar, Eulalio González, Javier Solís, Andrés Soler, Dacia González, Liza Castro, Ignacio López Tarso among others.

Years later, he participated as an actor in several soap operas, the last of them ‘In the Name of Love’ in 2008.

Initiator of the Capetillo dynasty of fiesta brava which was continued by his sons Guillermo and Manuel Capetillo de Flores. On the other hand, he is also the father of singer and actor Eduardo Capetillo. He died at the age of 83 on May 5, 2009, while visiting his sister-in-law in Chacala, Nayarit in Las Varas, Nayarit, Mexico.

CAPETILLO, Manuel (Manuel Antonio Capetillo Villaseñor) [4/15/1926, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico – 5/5/2009, Las Varas, Nayarit, Mexico (respiratory failure)] – matador, film, TV actor, singer, married to model Sara de Flórez [1933-    ] (195?-1966) father of matador, actor  Manuel Capetillo Villaseñor, Jr., [1956-    ], father of matador, actor, singer Guillermo Capetillo [1958-    ] with Sara de Flórez, ], married to Maricarmen Vázquez (Maria del Carmen Vazquez Alcaide) [1929-    ] (1966-1985) father of actor Eduardo Capetillo (Eduardo Capetillo Vasquez) [1970-    ], María del Carmen Arruza Vázquez [19??-2013]

The Gypsy Girl and the Charro – 1963 (Manuel Gálvez)