Cepillín, the beloved Mexican clown and actor whose real name was Ricardo González Gutiérrez, has died at 75.
His son, Ricardo González Jr., broke the news of his father’s death earlier today.
Cepillín’s death came after Ricardo announced to fans on Sunday that his father was admitted to intensive care due to pneumonia, heart failure, and spinal cancer.
He was initially admitted to the hospital after a fall on the stairs at his house. He underwent spinal surgery due to pain in his back after the accident. It was during the surgery that doctors discovered that he had spinal cancer.
Cepillín’s health worsened after the surgery and he developed complications due to heart failure and pneumonia. He died after a second surgery for heart complications and pneumonia, according to LATINUS.
“I never imagined that would happen to me when I went down the stairs… because of my age or whatever you want.. [that] I was going to fall. I grabbed the handrail… and I felt the pull on my spine,” Cepillín said at the time he was admitted to the hospital after losing balance on the stairs.
Cepillin had a history of heart attacks. He was hospitalized in May 2005 after experiencing chest pain.
Fans have been paying tribute on social media
Fans have flooded Twitter with condolence messages and tributes to the beloved singer and actor.
Cepillín’s death comes after Monsters and Critics reported last month that Saved by the Bell actor, Dustin Diamond, passed away at 44 after battling cancer.
Siegfried Fischbacher, one-half of the famed Las Vegas-based Siegfried & Roy magic act, also passed away in January at 81.
Who was Cepillín?
Cepillin (Ricardo González Gutiérrez) was born on February 7, 1946, in Monterrey, Mexico.
Cepillín trained and worked as a dentist before he gained fame in his native Mexico as a TV host, actor, singer, and clown who entertained young children.
His act was reportedly inspired by the circumstances of his work as a dentist. He would paint his face and try to entertain nervous young children who came to his office for dental procedures.
He left his dental practice to become a comedian after he secured his own TV show on a local channel in Monterrey.
He was best known for songs such as La Feria de Cepillín, Tomas, and En el bosque de la China, according to ABC7.com.
He was also an actor known for films such as Milagro en el circo, Las guerreras del amor, and Me caigo de risa, according to IMDb.
Cepillín is survived by two sons, Ricardo González Jr. and Roberto Gonzalez Guajardo.