José María González Castrillo (May 8, 1927 – April 10, 2003), better known as Chumy Chúmez, was a Spanish cartoon humorist, writer, and filmmaker whose sharp, skeptical wit helped redefine political and cultural satire in Spain from the late Franco era through the democratic transition. A regular in La Codorniz, Triunfo, and the newspaper Madrid (until its 1971 government-ordered closure), he co-founded the landmark humor weekly Hermano Lobo (1972). Chumy also wrote essays and autobiographical works, directed documentaries and features, and remained an influential voice on radio and television.

Quick Facts (Infobox): Chumy Chúmez

Full name	José María González Castrillo
Pen name	Chumy Chúmez
Born	May 8, 1927 San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa), Spain
Died	April 10, 2003 (aged 75) Madrid, Spain
Cause of death	Liver cancer
Burial	Polloe Cemetery, San Sebastián (partial ashes; remainder scattered near Cascais, Portugal)
Nationality	Spanish
Occupations	Cartoonist / humorist, writer, film director, screenwriter
Key outlets	La Codorniz, Triunfo, Madrid, Mundo Hispánico; co-founder of Hermano Lobo
Radio/TV	Protagonistas, Las mañanas de Radio 1; TV: Este país necesita un repaso
Major awards	Paleta Agromán Prize (1977); Premio Mingote (1985); Premio Francisco Cerecedo (1991); Premio Iberoamericano de Humor Gráfico Quevedos (2002)
Family	Married to Cheryl Nan Wong (1969–1978); one son, Marcel Wong-González (b. 1970)

Biography

Born in San Sebastián, Chumy was evacuated during the Spanish Civil War to France and later Alàs (Lleida). Back home, he trained as a mercantile professor, then studied drawing and painting. His passion for visual art took him to Madrid, where he shifted decisively toward graphic humor.

Early Life & Education (1927–1950s)

Born in San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa). During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), he was evacuated to France and later to Alàs (Lleida).
Trained as a profesor mercantil (commerce teacher) and subsequently studied drawing and painting.
Moved to Madrid to pursue painting and, soon after, cartoon humor—beginning with sporadic contributions to newspapers, then regular columns and drawings for the satirical weekly La Codorniz and the cultural magazine Triunfo. He also contributed to Mundo Hispánico.

Jose María González Castrillo, more known as Chumy Chúmez, (May 8, 1927 - April 10, 2003) was a Spanish cartoon humorist, writer, and film director. — Chumy Chúmez, Illustration by Tor, Image: Toons Mag

Press & Satire Career

Late 1940s–1960s: Began with sporadic contributions to newspapers before becoming a regular in La Codorniz and Triunfo. He also wrote on the prestigious third page of the daily Madrid until authorities shuttered it in 1971. Contributed to Mundo Hispánico.
Transition era: In 1972, left La Codorniz and became a founder of Hermano Lobo, a crucial platform for Spain’s late-Franco and post-Franco satirical renewal.
Voice & style: Chumy’s cartoons favored corrosive irony, absurd juxtapositions, and existential punchlines—skeptical of dogma across the political spectrum.

Press, Satire & the Road to Hermano Lobo (1960s–1970s)

Became a regular on the third page of the daily Madrid until the paper was suspended by government order in 1971.
In 1972, left La Codorniz and became one of the founders of the humor weekly Hermano Lobo, a touchstone of Spain’s transition‑era satire.
Throughout the 1960s, directed several documentaries (many focused on Andalusian localities) and collaborated on film and TV scripts (e.g., La tortuga perezosa), while continuing to publish drawings and columns.

Film & Screenwriting

Documentaries (1960s): Directed several non-fiction works—many focused on Andalusian locales.
Feature films:
- Dios bendiga cada rincón de esta casa (1977) — prod. Manuel Summers
- ¿Pero no vas a cambiar nunca, Margarita? (1978) — prod. Manuel Summers
- La lozana andaluza (1983, medium-length) — prod. José Frade
Television & radio: Panelist/commentator on Protagonistas, Las mañanas de Radio 1, and TV’s Este país necesita un repaso. He also penned scripts for screen and TV (e.g., La tortuga perezosa).

Film Direction (1977–1983)

Dios bendiga cada rincón de esta casa (1977) — feature film; produced by Manuel Summers.
¿Pero no vas a cambiar nunca, Margarita? (1978) — feature film; produced by Manuel Summers.
La lozana andaluza (1983) — medium‑length film produced by José Frade.

Radio & Television

Frequent panelist/commentator on radio programs Protagonistas and Las mañanas de Radio 1.
TV appearances included the satirical round‑table Este país necesita un repaso.

Writing & Literary Voice

Alternated between autobiography, aphoristic satire, and humorous essays. A signature work is Yo fui feliz en la guerra (1986), a memoir of the Civil‑War years refracted through ironic distance. Other volumes tackle everyday absurdities, health and hypochondria, social mores, and politics with a skeptical, anti‑solemn tone.

Selected Works

Graphic Humor (Books & Collections)

Dibujos humorísticos (Siglo XXI de España Editores, 1969)
Chumy Chúmez 1970 (Editorial Fundamentos, 1971)
Y así para siempre (Alianza, 1972) — anthology
Todos somos de derechas (Ediciones 99, 1973)
Una biografía (Editorial Fundamentos, 1973)
Con la clara y con la yema (Ediciones Península, 1973)
El libro de cabecera (Ediciones Sedmay, 1975)
Con las tetas cruzadas (1978)
Lo mejor de Chumy Chúmez (Planeta, 1992) — anthology
Pase usted sin llamar (PPC, 1995)
Humorware 97 (América Ibérica, 1997)
Chumy Chúmez (Caja San Fernando, 2000) — anthology & exhibition catalog
Del silencio al grito (EDAF, 2001) — anthology
De su propia cosecha (Asociación de Periodistas Europeos, 2007) — anthology
Españoleando (2008) — anthology/exhibition catalog
Humores que matan (Reino de Cordelia, 2018)

Narrative & Essay (Selection)

El manzano de tres patas (Taurus, 1956)
Mi tío Gustavo que en gloria esté (Taurus, 1958)
Humor de contrabando (with Miguel Salabert, Arión, 1959)
El rabioso dolor y otros bienes de consumo (Fundamentos, 1971)
Yo fui feliz en la guerra (Plaza & Janés, 1986)
Ayer casi me muero (Plaza & Janés, 1988)
Ser humorista (1988)
La enfermedad desde el enfermo (1992)
Por fin un hombre honrado (Grupo Libro 88, 1994)
Dios nos coja confesados (1996)
Hacerse un hombre (Grupo Unido de Proyectos y Operaciones, 1996)
Moderna cartilla de urbanidad (EDAF, 1999)
Cartas de un hipocondríaco a su médico de cabecera (EDAF, 2000)
Vida de maqueto (Algaba, 2003)

Filmography (Director)

Documentaries (1960s): multiple short and mid‑length films, largely on Andalusian towns and themes.
Features:
- Dios bendiga cada rincón de esta casa (1977)
- ¿Pero no vas a cambiar nunca, Margarita? (1978)
Medium‑length:
- La lozana andaluza (1983)

Television & Radio (Selected Participation)

Radio: Protagonistas; Las mañanas de Radio 1 — contributor/panelist
Television: Este país necesita un repaso — round‑table panelist

Impact & Reception

Celebrated as a pillar of Spanish graphic humor, bridging late‑Francoist censorship and democratic transition with relentless irony.
His Hermano Lobo era work helped set the visual and rhetorical idiom for post‑dictatorship satire.
Recognized by peers across media; his accolades span journalism, graphic humor, and lifetime achievement honors.

Themes & Influence

Chumy’s work dismantled certainties with dispassionate, often bleak humor—skeptical, secular, and humanist—while keeping a tight graphic economy: clean line, spare staging, and maximum conceptual bite. He bridged the final years of censorship with the freer press of the Transition, influencing generations of Spanish cartoonists.

Exhibitions, Archives & Legacy

Exhibition: El descreído imaginario (2004, Alcalá de Henares; later toured).
Archive donation: On November 8, 2016, his son Marcel Wong-González donated Chumy’s archive to the Biblioteca Nacional de España—around 4,000 documents, many original cartoons.
International note: In 1970, a Canadian jury named him the world’s best graphic humorist (as reported in Spanish sources).

Awards (Selected)

Paleta Agromán (1977).
Premio Mingote (1985).
Premio de Periodismo Francisco Cerecedo (1991).
Premio Iberoamericano de Humor Gráfico Quevedos (2002).
In 1970, a Canadian jury proclaimed him the best cartoon humorist in the world (press account cited in Spanish sources).

Personal Life & Death

Chumy married Cheryl Nan Wong (U.S. citizen) in 1969; they had one son, Marcel (1970); the marriage ended in 1978. He died of liver cancer on April 10, 2003, in Madrid. Part of his ashes rest in San Sebastián; the rest were scattered near Cascais (Portugal).

FAQs about Chumy Chúmez

What publications made Chumy famous?
La Codorniz, Triunfo, and the daily Madrid (until its 1971 closure). He also co-founded Hermano Lobo in 1972.

What are his best-known books?
Yo fui feliz en la guerra (autobiography), Todos somos de derechas, El manzano de tres patas, Por fin un hombre honrado, and multiple anthologies (Lo mejor de Chumy Chúmez, Del silencio al grito).

Did he work in film and TV?
Yes—he directed documentaries and features (1977, 1978, 1983), wrote scripts, and appeared as a panelist on radio and TV.

Where is his archive held?
At Spain’s Biblioteca Nacional de España (donated in 2016), comprising ~4,000 items, including original cartoons.

How would you describe his humor?
Laconic, caustic, and secular—skeptical of ideologies, with minimalist drawings that deliver maximal irony.

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