Arturo "Benito" Castro Hernández (5 June 1946 – 11 September 2023) was a Mexican musician, actor, comedian, and a member of Los Hermanos Castro (The Castro Brothers).

Early life

Castro was born into a family of musicians and entertainers. His late father, Arturo Castro aka "El Bigoton" Castro, was a famous Mexican comedian and actor who appeared in numerous movies during the Gold Age of Mexican Cinema and as a headliner in Night Clubs and Theater. His mother, Rosa Hernandez de Castro, was a homemaker. He has two sisters. His first cousin is Gualberto Castro who was one of the original members of Los Hermanos Castro. His third cousin is Daniela Castro, a popular Mexican TV actress.

Los Hermanos Castro

As a teenager, Benito joined his cousin's musical group, Los Hermanos Castro. The original group started in Mexico City during the late 1950s with three brothers, Arturo, Javier, and Jorge Castro. A few years later, their first cousin, Gualberto Castro entered the group. The group enjoyed a great deal of success throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. Benito joined the group while they were performing under a long-term contract in Las Vegas. This made it possible for one of the Castros to take time off, when needed. Benito sang harmony and played guitar, but he also gave the group a new "zing" with his on-stage antics and comedy. His personality gave the group a new dimension. According to Benito, he "fell in love with a dancer in a show in Las Vegas," they married, and he became a "father at a young age."^{[1][failed verification]}

When Los Hermanos Castro returned to Mexico, Castro continued to play gigs with Los Hermanos Castro, but also formed a musical duo with Kiko Campos. "Benito and Kiko" played in nightclubs throughout Mexico, recorded albums, and still performed together in nightclubs and concerts^[2] when Benito was not performing with Los Hermanos Castro.

Television

Benito created the personality "Kin Kin from Acapulco" for the Mexican television show La Carabina de Ambrosio from 1979 to 1983. His comedy skits portraying a sun-tanned, raggedy cut-off jean, flip-flop-wearing beach bum in Acapulco were a take-off of Bob Denver's role on "Gilligan's Island." His ability to imitate and mimic others like Bob Denver, politicians, and singers opened the door for Benito to participate in another Mexican television show called "La Ensalada de Locos" (Crazy People Salad). Here, he outrageously imitated people in the public eye and poked fun at their peculiarities so much that the show was removed from television. Benito had a working relationship with the radio and television personality Paco Stanley and "how terrible it was for him to learn of the death of his friend."^{[1][failed verification]}

Later in the 1980s, Castro wrote the theme for the television series Anabel, and continued to appear in other television series. He first teamed with Maria Elena Saldana on Paco Stanley's Andale! in 1993, creating the character "El Papiringo." His comedy skits portraying him as the father of Saldana's "La Güereja" character led to two television series, La Güereja y algo más and La Güereja de mi vida, which ended in 2001.

Despite the death of Stanley and the departures of Saldana and Anabel Ferreira (Ferreira returned to Televisa in 2008), Castro continued to appear in other Televisa-produced series.

Death

Benito Castro died from injuries sustained from falling down the stairs of his home on 11 September 2023, at the age of 77.^[3]

Credits in film, and television