xavier lopez "Chabelo": facts about his life and career

( ) — Xavier López “Chabelo” was one of the best-known personalities on Mexican television and was even a recognized figure in Latin America. He died at the age of 88 on March 25, 2023.

He became widely famous for his Sunday program ‘En familia con Chabelo’, which lasted on the air for almost half a century on the Mexican television channel Televisa.

Next, we leave you some information about Xavier López, according to information from Televisa.

Chabelo people data

Name: Xavier López Rodríguez “Chabelo”.

place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Birthdate: February 17, 1935.

His parents They were from the Mexican state of Guanajuato, but they left for the US before Xavier López was born.

Early years and career

• He studied Medicine and practiced his profession for four years in a private sanatorium.
• Since he was studying Medicine, he was invited to work as a production assistant at Telesistema Mexicano (which was the predecessor of Televisa).
• In Telesistema Mexicano he was a cameraman, floor manager and then actor.
• He studied dramatic art for four years. He had some roles in soap operas when the actors were absent.
• Chabelo’s character began when he told a joke on the television program ‘Carrusel Musical’. According to the website of the driver Joaquín López Dóriga (who also worked for Televisa for many years), the actor who would play Chabelo to tell the joke did not show up and his place was taken by Xavier López. This happened in 1956.
• It was not until on January 6, 1968 that ‘In family with Chabelo’ He would make his debut on Mexican television, with Xavier López in the same character he accidentally got 12 years ago.
• ‘In family with Chabelo’ would last almost 48 years on the air. It was broadcast every Sunday from that January 6, 1968 until December 20, 2015.
• In total, the program had 2,463 broadcasts.
• In 2012, Xavier López received two Guinness records: one for the children’s program with the longest trajectory and another for the longest time representing the same character.
• The character of Xavier López appeared in various productions, including some 30 films, where we can find the bonus (1962), The kings of the steering wheel (1965), Pepito and the wonderful lamp (1972), The well-bred maid (1972), Chabelo and Pepito against the monsters (1973), Chabelo and Pepito detectives (1974), The Chilindrina in trouble (1994), the mongol plot (2018).
• Chabelo also had some record productions. In ‘En familia con Chabelo’ he used to interpret his songs at the end of the program. In streaming platforms you can listen to several of his hits.