El Chapulín Colorado

El Chapulín Colorado
Created by	Roberto Gómez Bolaños (1929-2014)
Starring	Roberto Gómez Bolaños Carlos Villagrán (1972–1979) Ramón Valdés (1972–1979) Florinda Meza Rubén Aguirre Angelines Fernández Edgar Vivar María Antonieta de las Nieves Horácio Gómez Bolaños Raul "Chato" Padilla
Opening theme	Freedom March (1973-1975) Finale (1975–1979)
Country of origin	Mexico
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	155
Production
Running time	25 minutes (22 minutes for syndication)
Release
Original network	Canal de las Estrellas
Original release	28 February 1973 – 19 September 1979
Chronology
Followed by	La Chicharra

El Chapulín Colorado (English: The Red Grasshopper or as Captain Hopper in the English version of El Chavo: Animated Series) is a Mexican television comedy series that ran from 1972 to 1981 and parodied superhero shows. It was created by Roberto Gómez Bolaños (Chespirito), who also played the main character. It was first aired by Canal de las Estrellas in 1970 in Mexico, and then was aired across Latin America and Spain until 1981, alongside El Chavo, which shared the same cast of actors. Both shows have endured in re-runs and have won back some of their popularity in several countries such as Colombia, where it has aired in competition with The Simpsons (which has a character based on him), or Peru. The name translates literally in English as "The Crimson Grasshopper" (the word chapulín is of Nahuatl origin, and a current part of Mexican Spanish). It is also known in Brazil as "Chapolin", "Vermelhinho" ("Little Red One") and "Polegar Vermelho" ("Red Thumb") in allusion to the famous fairy tale character Tom Thumb.

Although the series has a regular cast (the same cast as El Chavo del Ocho), all actors but Gómez Bolaños play different characters each episode, and it is therefore described as an anthology series.

The show embodied many aspects of Latin and Mexican culture while making a critique on the unrealistic image of superheroes. In each episode, people recognized Chapulín wherever he appeared (one episode took place on the planet Venus), believing him to be a great superhero. Recognition caused him to boast, only to stumble and fall right away, proving himself to be puny and timid, and disappointing his fans. Despite this, Chapulín tried his best to help, and all his adventures ended well (though sometimes by sheer good luck or outside help.)

Seemingly parodying Superman's "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive" introduction, Chapulín was introduced as follows in the show's opening, reinforcing the idea of a barely powered hero:

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