Luis Sánchez Polack(1926-1999)

Humorist and actor, popularly known as Tip. When he was 8 years old he moved to Madrid with his family, and in 1939 he started to attend secondary school, which didn't finish. In 1942 and 1943 he attended the Escuela de Cerámica where he studied cabinetmaking, ceramics and amateur theatre, with the intention of entering the Fine Arts School, and at that time he decided to become an actor. He acted as a trainee in 1944 at the María Guerrero theatre, and made his debut with the play 'De lo pintado a lo vivo'. Later, as a professional, he did all along Andalusia with the María Noé theatre company. In 1945 he entered Radio Madrid, where he made his radio debut in a children's program playing a character named 'Don Poeto Primavero de Quintillas'. He stayed in that radio station for 14 consecutive years, during which he formed with Joaquín Portillo Flores (Joaquín Portillo 'Top') the comic duo 'Tip y Top', which became very popular in Spain. They both together, apart from their radio appearances, worked in theatre and night clubs, wrote a book and made three films: Tres eran tres (1954), _Fierecilla domada, La (1955)_ and Après-midi de taureaux (1956). In 1961 the couple broke off. Tip went on alone and started to work on TV with the program 'Las Zapatiestas'. In the early 60s, he started to work sporadically together with José Luis Coll, and finally they formed the comic duo 'Tip y Coll'. Since 1967 they worked together in many shows. At that time they made a film, La garbanza negra, que en paz descanse... (1972), where the clothing they used (formal, a top hat for Tip and a bowler hat for Coll) became their trademark since that moment on. They worked in night clubs, theatres and radio. In the beginning of 1969 they presented the TV program 'Galas del sábado'. Yet in the early 70s they had more than 15 films made, and presented their daily show at the Top-Less night club during at least 8 years. They also worked in the TV program '625 líneas', directed by José Antonio Plaza, where their sketches were frequently censored. After a poll made in 1979 by the 'Blanco y Negro' magazine, they appeared at the first place in the 'Top humorists of the year' list, followed by Antonio Mingote and Antonio Fraguas 'Forges'. Later, they continued their shows in nightclubs all over Madrid and Barcelona. In the 80s, Tip entered the radio program 'Protagonistas' (directed by Luis del Olmo) on the COPE station, and later the program 'Debate sobre el estado de la nación' on Onda Cero. Together with other participants from this latter program and simultaneously, he started his participation on 3 November 1993 in the weekly TV program 'Este país necesita un repaso' (directed by José Luis Coll) on the Tele 5 channel. In September 1997 he was hired by Onda Cero as a collaborator in the program 'La brújula', directed and presented by Concha García Campoy, where he had a section called 'Cuentos infantiles para personas de cierta edad'. After 15 years staying on the air with the program 'Debate sobre el estado de la nación', in September 1998 Luis del Olmo announced that the program would finish due to a disease suffered by Tip: a throat tumor. Among others, Luis Sánchez Polack has got the Pueblo journal's popularity award, the Ondas award and one of the Year's Protagonists' Awards given by the Onda Rambla de Barcelona station. He's been nominated a Honorary Member in many associations and circles. At the cabinet on 13 May 1994 he was given the Gold Medal for the Merit at Work. He also wrote several books, among which stand out 'Cantares del Mío Tip' (1980), 'Santos varones' (1995) and, together with Coll, 'Tipicoll spanish'. He also partipated in the TV programs La casa de los Martínez (1967) and "El último café". Some films to mention: Mónica Stop (1969), De cuerpo presente (1967), Dame un poco de amooor...! (1968), Urtain, el rey de la selva... o así (1970), El cronicón (1970).