Incidentally, one of the comedians who appeared in the vaudeville shows at the Nacional, billed himself as “ Ramirin.” Later, when he had an opportunity to appear on Groucho Marx’s television show, Marx was impressed by his comic antics and demeanor and suggested he should take a shot at Hollywood. John Wayne befriended him and re-christened him as Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He appeared in several Wayne films and others and lived out a successful life in California.
The Nacional theater was indeed on the corner of W. Commerce and Santa Rosa streets. Over the years the street numbering has been altered a few times so the discrepancy lies there. Also, the Zaragoza theater was just a half block east of the Nacional. Over on Houston Street, between North Flores and Camaron, was the Joy Theater which also had vaudeville acts. Across the street was the Obrero Theater, which we kids used to affectionately call, the “O'Brien.”
Incidentally, one of the comedians who appeared in the vaudeville shows at the Nacional, billed himself as “ Ramirin.” Later, when he had an opportunity to appear on Groucho Marx’s television show, Marx was impressed by his comic antics and demeanor and suggested he should take a shot at Hollywood. John Wayne befriended him and re-christened him as Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He appeared in several Wayne films and others and lived out a successful life in California.
The Nacional theater was indeed on the corner of W. Commerce and Santa Rosa streets. Over the years the street numbering has been altered a few times so the discrepancy lies there. Also, the Zaragoza theater was just a half block east of the Nacional. Over on Houston Street, between North Flores and Camaron, was the Joy Theater which also had vaudeville acts. Across the street was the Obrero Theater, which we kids used to affectionately call, the “O'Brien.”