Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez
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Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez (December 21, 1926 – February 6, 2006) was an American character actor best known for his appearances in a number of John Wayne movies.
Born Ramiro Gonzalez Gonzalez in Aguilares, Texas to a Mexican American father and a Spanish mother, Gonzalez-Gonzalez grew up in a talent-filled home. His father was a trumpet player, and his mother was a dancer. He left school at the age of 7 to join a family act called "Las Perlitas" that toured southwest Texas. As a result, he was functionally illiterate for all of his life. As a result of his illiteracy, he memorized scripts by having his wife read them to him.
Gonzalez-Gonzalez married at the age of seventeen and served in World War II. After the war he performed stand-up comedy for Spanish-speaking audiences.
In 1953, he appeared on the Groucho Marx quiz show You Bet Your Life where his banter with Marx attracted notice. Marx asked him: "If we got together as an act, what would be called?" After he replied "Gonzalez-Gonzalez and Marx," the host made an aside: "Do you believe that? Two men in the act, and I get third billing!." [1]
John Wayne saw his appearance on the program and cast him as comic relief in a number of movies including Rio Bravo, The High and the Mighty and Hellfighters. He also made guest appearances in shows such as Gunsmoke and Wanted: Dead or Alive, as well as the Jerry Lewis film, Hook, Line & Sinker.
As a result of playing comic relief roles, he was accused of perpetuating negative stereotypes about Hispanic men. However, Edward James Olmos said of Gonzalez-Gonzalez at the time of his death that he "inspired every Latino actor." [2]
He is the grandfather of actor Clifton Collins Jr.
