José Isbert

José Isbert(real name:José Ysbert Alvarruiz), also known asPepe Isbert(3 March 1886 inMadrid– 28 November 1966 in Madrid), was a Spanishactor. In 1912 he debuted in the short filmAsesinato y entierro de Don José Canalejas(playingPardiñas, the anarchist who killedJosé Canalejas). During the silent era he worked in theatre with supporting roles in cinema, but with the advent of sound, he made a big screen comeback in the comedy directed byFlorián Rey,La pura verdadin (1931). In the 1930s he acted in half a dozen films including:¿Cuándo te suicidas?(1931) directed byManuel Romero,La bien pagada(1935) byEusebio Fernández ArdavínorEl bailarín y el trabajador(1935), directed byLuis Marquinaand based on a play byJacinto Benavente. In the 1940s he gained great popularity in films such asTe quiero para mí(1944) andEl testamento del virrey(1944), both directed byLadislao Vajda;Ella, él y sus millones(1944) byJuan de Orduña;El fantasma y doña Juanita(1945) byRafael GilandPacto de silencio(1949), byAntonio Román. The films he is most remembered for are from the 1950s and 1960s, in classics directed byLuis García Berlanga:Welcome Mr. Marshall!(1953),Los jueves, milagro(1957) andEl verdugo(1963); and the dark comedy masterpieceEl cochecitobyMarco Ferreri, all written byRafael Azcona. He was the grandfather in the Spanish classicLa gran familia(1962), and its sequelLa gran familia... y uno más(1965), these films earning him still greater popularity. Pepe Isbert died inMadriddue to a heart condition when he was 80 years old. He was buried atTarazona de la Manchacemetery in the province ofAlbacete.