Jorge Russek

Jorge Antonio Russek Martínez (5 January 1932 – 30 July 1998) was a Mexican actor, whose career in film and television spanned over 40 years. A native of Guaymas, he became one of the most prominent actors in Mexican cinema and appeared in more than 300 films in his career. Russek appeared in Western films throughout the 1960s and 1970s, both in Mexican and American cinema, and won Ariel Awards for Best Actor in 1976 and Best Supporting Actor in 1989. He became known for playing norteños, or villainous characters such as gangsters, while simultaneously being recognized for his humility and pleasant personality off of set. Later in his career, Russek starred in several telenovelas and was a three-time winner of the TVyNovelas Award for Best Leading Actor. Biography Russek was born on 5 January 1932 in Guaymas, Sonora, to Marcos Russek Ramírez and Luisa Lily Martínez Bustamante and had three older brothers. His mother's side of the family hailed from Durango, where his great-grandfather served as a local government official during the presidency of Benito Juárez. He studied at a military academy in North Hollywood, California. Russek entered the film industry as an extra in 1950. He also acted on stage early in his career, but quit because he felt asphyxiated in the dressing rooms. In 1954, Russek appeared in the Mexican-American film Sitting Bull. His first notable role was in the film La vida de Agustín Lara. Russek acted in films of many different genres, but became known for his roles in Western films in the late 1960s and early 1970s, both in Mexican and American cinema. He appeared in American television series such as I Spy and The High Chaparral, but he also landed roles in films such as The Wild Bunch (1969), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Soldier Blue (1970), Big Jake (1971), The Wrath of God (1972), and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), all while remaining active in Mexico.