Xavier López

Born: 1935-02-17

Xavier López Rodríguez (17 February, 1935 - 25 March, 2023), better known as Chabelo, was a Mexican-American actor, comedian and television host. He hosted a children's program entitled En familia con Chabelo, which aired for forty-eight years. He studied medicine, which he practiced for four years in a private sanatorium where he was a partner. At the same time and while still studying, he missed classes in order to make frequent visits to the facilities of the building known as Televicentro, inaugurated in 1952, owned by the alliance of Mexican radio stations, Telesistema Mexicano, which would later become Televisa. There he met the producer, Luis de Llano Palmer, who offered him work as a production assistant, a job he accepted and opted to abandon his career in medicine. At the same place, he also worked as a cameraman and floor manager. This experience was what helped him make the decision to become an actor and later he began to study drama for four years. Later, he would begin to have brief appearances in television broadcasts called teleteatros (of which there is not much information), and in which he would participate as a substitute for actors who were late or absent. He got his nickname after telling a joke about a boy named Chabelo and would embody that boy as a character for most of his acting career. He participated in 10 television programs, 34 movies and 4 soap operas, in addition to recording several albums as his character "Chabelo". In 2003 he was awarded a Diosa de Plata for his artistic career. In 2005 he received the Legend Award from the MTV Movie Awards Mexico. In 2006 he received the Gaviota International Award for his artistic career. In June 2010, at the Lunas del Auditorio Awards, he received the special recognition Una Vida en el Escenario (A Life on Stage). During the last broadcast in 2012, he received a tribute for his two thousand three hundred programs of En familia con Chabelo. During that same broadcast, he was awarded two Guinness World Records: the first for the longest career as host of a children's program (forty-four years), and the second for the longest time representing a character, Chabelo (fifty-seven years), "the friend of all children". On March 25, 2023, Chabelo passed away in Mexico City at the age of 88, due to a septic shock caused by an acute abdominal condition. The following day, his body was cremated and his ashes were given to his family.


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Satan offers a weary ghost a chance for redemption through true love.

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as El Coronel
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1963, the Soviet Union intercepts a rumour that China pretends to assassinate the president of...

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as Babyface
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In this movie a couple of comedians try to disappear for a while and end up in an asylum, where...

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La Chilindrina en apuros

as Chabelo
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Escuela para solteras

as Photographer
Released: 1965-03-25

All-star ranchera fest, rom-com style. Four charros, four eligible young ladies.

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Club eutanasia

as Mauro
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Mi fantasma y yo

as uncredited
Released: 1988-10-27

A family of three moves to a haunted house. The couple's 10-year-old son runs into the ghost of...

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Chabelo y Pepito detectives

as Chabelo
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A commanding friend Pepito and Chabelo ask them to help uncover a gang who kidnaps children....

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The Crime of Cacaro Gumaro

as Mecha-Chabelo
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After their fathers death, two brothers dispute the inheritance: the local movie theater known...

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as uncredited
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Macho que ladra no muerde

as uncredited
Released: 1984-01-01

An old man punishes his son for not having children, so he tells him his inheritance will go to...

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El aviso inoportuno

as uncredited
Released: 1969-05-17

The farce starring Polivoces , creative Mexican comedians duo formed by Enrique Cuenca and...

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as Bailarín
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Dos machos que ladran no muerden

as uncredited
Released: 1988-09-08

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Pepito y la lámpara maravillosa

as uncredited
Released: 1972-06-22

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Los reyes del volante

as Chabelo
Released: 1965-11-25

Comedy film starring Viruta and Capulina.

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Los pepenadores de aca

as uncredited
Released: 1985-07-03

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as Javier Gobardilla (as Javier López 'Chabelo')
Released: 1966-12-22

Ranchera comedy -- the hero thinks his girlfriend has another suitor... but the suitor is really...

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Bang bang al hoyo

as uncredited
Released: 1971-09-30

Parody western about a poofy gunslinger and his brothers.

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Nueva Chistelandia

as uncredited
Released: 1958-10-28

Sketch comedy and blackout gags -- format like Laugh-In. Number two in a series.

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La princesa hippie

as uncredited
Released: 1969-05-14

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Released: 2013-11-01

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La tumba de Matías

as uncredited
Released: 1988-05-14

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Conversando con Cristina Pacheco

as Self
First aired: 1997-09-26

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La Carabina de Ambrosio

as uncredited
First aired: 1978-01-01

La Carabina de Ambrosio was a variety television program broadcast between 1978 and 1987...

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