Chris-Pin Martin

Chris-Pin Martin (born Ysabel Ponciana Chris-Pin Martin Paiz, November 19, 1893 – June 27, 1953) was an American character actor whose specialty lay in portraying comical Mexicans, particularly sidekicks in The Cisco Kid film series.[1] He acted in over 100 films between 1925 and 1953, including over 50 westerns.[2]

Chris-Pin Martin
Chris-Pin Martin in American Empire (1942)
Born
Ysabel Ponciana Chris-Pin Martin Paiz

(1893-11-19)November 19, 1893
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
DiedJune 27, 1953(1953-06-27) (aged 59)
Montebello, California, U.S.
OccupationActor

Biography

Martin was born in Tucson, Arizona, when that was still a territory, the son of Toro "Bull" Martin, a Yaqui indian, and Florencia Paiz, a woman of Mexican descent. of southern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico.[3] He started working in Hollywood in 1911, as an extra for Universal Studios, and also worked as a recruitment agent ("runner") for hiring Latino and Latina extras needed for specific films at Hollywood studios.[4][3]

In 1922, Martin produced a film, Tepee Love, a romance, starring Martin and Dolores Contreras. The film played in Glendale, California, and Burbank, California, in 1922; a second film project never was finished.[5] By 1925, Martin had become a frequent, although unnamed character, in silent movies. His roles were as a bumbling or slow comedic character who spoke in broken English.

Martin's most remembered western film role was in nine of the Cisco Kid films playing the Kid's sidekicks Gordito and in the later films Pancho.[6] He also appeared in the John Ford classic Stagecoach (1939) with John Wayne. He was credited in his films by other names, including Chrispin Martin, Chris King Martin, Chris Martin, Cris-Pin Martin, and Ethier Crispin Martini.ud

Martin was adept in both drama and comedy, in films like the melodramatic The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) as "Poncho" the Mexican who reluctantly becomes a part of a lynch mob and a contrite confessor. In A Millionaire for Christy (1951) Martin plays a brief but memorable role as "Manolo", a Mexican who knows no English.

Death

Less than five months before his 60th birthday, Martin died of a heart attack while addressing a Moose lodge meeting in the Los Angeles suburb of Montebello.[7][8]

Selected filmography

References
  1. Chris-Pin Martin at "Saddle Pals & Sidekicks" section of B-Westerns
  2. Rivera-Viruet, Rafael J.; Resto, Max (2008). Hollywood-- se habla español: a brief glance at Hispanics in Hollywood films yesterday, today and tomorrow. New York: Terramax Entertainment Pub. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-9816650-0-9.
  3. Reyes, Luis I. (2022). Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film. Running Press Adult. ISBN 978-0762478484.
  4. Rowan, Terry (2012). The American Western A Complete Film Guide. Lulu.com. p. 261. ISBN 978-1300418580.
  5. Agrasánchez, Rogelio (2010). Guillermo Calles: a biography of the actor and Mexican cinema pioneer. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7864-4945-3.
  6. Hadleigh, Boze (2007). Mexico's Most Wanted : The Top 10 Book of Chicano Culture, Latin Lovers, and Hispanic Pride. Potomac Books Inc.
  7. Matheson, Sue (2019). The John Ford Encyclopedia. p. 203. ISBN 9781538103821.
  8. His death record can be found here Archived 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine by searching for Chrispin Martin with Paiz as the mother's maiden name.
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