Renowned Colombian actor Hugo Perez passed away Thursday at the age of 90, reported newspaper El Tiempo on Friday.
“It is an enormous loss for the theater industry, cinema, and Colombian television. Hugo Perez always felt comfortable on any stage and certainly his confident figure and teachings will remain as an example in the minds of the new generation of actors,” said Manuel Jose Alvarez, a theater group advisor for the Ministry of Culture.
The late great Perez was the only Colombian actor to be included in the United Nations photography gallery, alongside other great Latin American theater legends like Mario Moreno “Cantiflas” and Maria Felix. He was known for his comedic work in theater, cinema, and television during the 1950’s. He performed in “Yo soy Betty la fea” (Ugly Betty), “Pero sigo siendo el rey,” “La tía Julia y el escribidor”, “El caballero de Rauzan” and was also a guest actor on the Television series “El Fiscal.”
His love of acting began at 10 years old after he attended the first stagings at Teatro Municipal, a theater located a few blocks from his childhood home in downtown Bogota. In his last years of life, he was often seen walking the streets of the Cedritos neighborhood with his daughter Martha. Neighbors and friends will always remember Perez on his walks, smiling below the brim of his sombrero at his admirers.