Manuel Flaco Ibanez

Biography

Manuel Ibanez Martinez was born on October 17, 1946, the youngest of four children and the only male child in his family. His father was a day laborer who separated from the family shortly after his son was born. Because his mother had no career of her own, Ibanez had to assist his family economically from a young age. His mother's brother, Domingo, assisted the family and provided Ibanez with a much needed father figure during childhood.

After the death of his mother in 1968, Ibanez started working as a photojournalist in a news agency that had been created by some of his friends. He was sent to cover the student movement of that year, but soon realized that he wanted to be a performer instead.

He enrolled under the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and after competing in an oral poetry competition won a scholarship to study acting at the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature in Mexico City.

Ibanez has become one of the icons of Mexican comedy, thanks to his roles in such films as Llegamos, los fregamos y nos fuimos, Los peseros, Los plomeros y las ficheras, El rey de las ficheras, La chica del alacran de oro, and Lagunilla mi barrio. He has worked with many well known actors, such as Carmen Salinas, Luis de Alba, Alfonso Zayas, Andres Garcia, Isela Vega, Rafael Inclan, Mario Almada, Sasha Montenegro and Agustin Bernal.

Women have been a major factor in his life, as evidenced by his five marriages. The first, when he was 24 years of age, gave him his first child, Miranda, but quickly ended in divorce. His current wife is Jacqueline Castro, with whom he has had two daughters, Tanya and Daniel. He is also the father of actress Daniela Ibanez.

Ibanez teaches acting as part of the Centro de Capacitacion Artistica (CEA) ("Artistic Training Center") of the media company Televisa. He made his television writing debut on the 2005 sitcom Vecinos ("Neighbours"), produced by Eugenio Derbez, in which he also appeared in a recurring acting role. In 2006, Ibanez moved to Argentina for a major role in the telenovela-sitcom Amor mio ("My Love"), starring Raul Araiza and Vanessa Guzman, eventually appearing in 112 episodes over two seasons.

For his work in movies and television Ibanez was inducted into the Paseo de las Luminarias in 1995.