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Carlos Villagrán Eslava (born January 12, 1944), better known plainly as Carlos Villagrán, is a famous Mexican comedy actor and former journalist.
Villagrán combined both acting and writing at first; he became known for a character named Pirolo.
He went on to write for a local newspaper in Mexico City. As a writer, he became friends with screenwriter and future co-star Ruben Aguirre. Aguirre was hired to play Profesor Jirafales by Chespirito in the upcoming El Chavo del Ocho Televisa television series. Aguirre held a party for family and friends at his house, and Villagrán impressed him after expanding his cheeks out of proportion during one of the party's comic steps. As a matter of a fact, that movement would later become a trademark of the character he'd play in El Chavo....
Aguirre recommended Villagrán to Chespirito, and Villagrán was given the Quico character in the show. He also appeared on Chespiritos other hit show, El Chapulin Colorado. Both of Chespiritos shows became major international hits all over Latin America, in the United States, Spain and other countries. Villagrán acquired great fame with these shows.
Villagrán left the shows in 1978, mostly because he and Chespirito established a legal battle over the rights of the Quico character. At that same time, Ramón Valdés also left the two shows. This marked the beginning of the end for both productions, although they are still seen on many countries around the world with re-runs.
Villagrán went to Venezuela and then on to Peru, where he acted in various shows, but without the same success that Chespiritos productions had in Mexico. He and Valdés reunited, when Teve Rey hired them to make the television show, Ay, que Kiko!. With the same name but different lettering, Chespirito was not able to prevent the name Quico to be used in the new show. The show was having success, however, when Valdés died of lung cancer in 1988, it soon was run off the air.
Like many of his co-stars in the Chespirito shows, Villagrán went on to enjoy a circus career, touring with his El circo de Kiko.
Villagrán later did exactly what his friend Aguirre had done before, moving to Argentina, where Chespirito has no rights over the Quico character, and playing his old character there.
Villagrán has three sons and three daughters.es:Carlos Villagrán