Miguel Gila

**Miguel Gila Cuesta** (12 March 1919 in Madrid - 13 July 2001 in Barcelona, Catalonia) was a Spanish comedian, cartoonist, writer, and actor.

## Early life

When Gila was 13 years old he left school because his father died. His first job was in a garage in Madrid. Several years later he went back to school to finish his studies. He got a degree in aircraft mechanics. He worked in the Elizalde of Barcelona Workshops. Later he was milling in Construcciones SA Aircraft (CASA) in Getafe.

## Spanish Civil War

Gila was a member of Unified Socialist Youth (JSU). When the Spanish Civil War began, he joined the republican troops. He came close to being shot by the rebel volunteers. He was able to survive. According his own words: "the fascist troops take me among others to be executed ("_Paseo_": _Walking_ in English), but they were too drunk for shoot us, so they failed". Therefore he left JSU.

## Career

Gila made his debut as vignettist in 1945. He become famous as a monologuist in 1951.  Most of his repertory was about war histories. Gila's most known catchphrase was: "_Está el enemigo?, que se ponga [al teléfono]_" (Are the enemy there?, take him at phone).

> "According to his own autobiography, success came in 1951 when he starred in Madrid as spontaneous theater Fontalba, where he told an impromptu monologue about his experience as a volunteer in a war. From there his career took off."

### Works

- "El Libro de Quejas de Gila". Madrid. Ediciones SEDMAY, S.A. 1975
- "El Libro Rojo de Gila". Madrid 1974
- "De Gila con humor". Madrid. Editorial Fundamentos. 1985
- "Yo, muy bien: ¿y usted?". Madrid. Ediciones Temas de Hoy, S.A. 1994.
- "Y entonces nací yo". Madrid. Ediciones Temas de Hoy, S.A.  1995.
- "Un libro libre". Promoción Popular Cristiana. 1996.
- "Memorias de un exilio". Salamanca. Ediciones Universidad Salamanca. 1998.
- "Encuentros en el más allá". Madrid.  Ediciones Temas de Hoy, S.A. 1999.
- "Siempre Gila: Antología de sus mejores monólogos". Madrid. Aguilar. 2001.
- "Cuentos para dormir mejor". Barcelona. Editorial Planeta. 2001.
- "Tipologilas". Barcelona. Círculo de Lectores. 2002.

### Screenplays

Gila worked on the scripts of "Cinderfella" and "The man traveling slowly". He took part in the animated film, _Tales of love and slaughter_ in 1975. It was directed by Já (Jordi Amoros). Gila wrote the screenplay with Chumy Chúmez, Ivà and Jaume Perich. They all worked on the drawings, or animations for the movie.

### Filmography

- 1954: _Three piggy banks for East_
- 1954: _Adventures of the Barber of Seville_
- 1954: _The devil plays the flute_
- 1954: _The prison_
- 1954: _Thugs'
- 1954: _Angelica_
- 1955: _Good Bye, Sevilla_
- 1956: _My uncle Jacinto_

## Later in life

Gila died in Barcelona from respiratory failure. He had a chronic lung illness.

## Other websites

- Reseña sobre Gila, Encyclopedia Britannica
- _La última llamada de Gila_. La Vanguardia, 13 July 2001
- _Miguel Gila, maestro de humoristas_, Diario ABC, 13 July 2001
- _Fallece el humorista Miguel Gila a los 82 años de edad''. El País, 13 July 2001

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Miguel Gila Cuesta
- **birth date**: 12 March 1919
- **image**: Falla Regne 2013 - 7.jpeg
- **birth place**: Madrid, Spain
- **death date**: 13 July 2001
- **occupation**: Comedian