Chiquito de la Calzada


Gregorio Esteban Sánchez Fernández, known as Chiquito de la Calzada, was a Spanish flamenco singer and actor, although he was more famous as a stand-up comedian.
Chiquito de la Calzada became very popular in Spanish TV shows during the mid-nineties due to his unique style, strongly based on a surreal approach to jokes and language and constant movement while telling his jokes, putting his hands in his waist as if he was in pain. Some of his characteristic words and expressions such as fistro or jarl as well as his humorous comparisons such as "this is more dangerous than a shooting in an elevator" quickly became memes and are now part of Spanish slang.
His moves and jargon were so influential to other Spanish comedians, that some TV characters such as Crispín Klander, Lucas Grijander and Nuñito de la Calzada were entirely built around his own repertoire. There is a mod for the video game Doom featuring his voice.
On 18 February 2019 he received the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes.

Personal life

His wife, Josefa García Gómez, died in 2012.

Death

On 14 October 2017 he fell down in his home, and he was rescued by the firemen and hospitalized in Málaga, but he recuperated favourably.
On 31 October 2017 he returned to be hospitalized in Hospital Carlos Haya of Málaga, with chest pains and he underwent blood tests. Finally his condition stabilised.
On 10 November 2017, his health worsened, so he was induced into a coma and was moved to the intensive care unit.. He died on 11 November 2017 from complications of cardiac catheterization.

Filmography

Film