Biography
José Ignacio Retes Guevara was a Mexican playwright, actor, director, and writer for film, theater, and television. He won the Ariel Award twice. In the 1930s, he studied at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where he met notable playwrights and directors like Rodolfo Usigli, Seki Sano, and José Revueltas.
In 1937, he founded the University Theater of San Luis Potosí and the Lantern Magic theater company with members of the Mexican Union of Electricians. Alongside Usigli, he established the Midnight Theater company, named after the limited free time they shared for collaboration; he also worked as an assistant to Sano. He made his directorial debut in 1950 with José Revueltas' "Los cuadrantes de la soledad," which ran for 100 performances and featured scenography by Diego Rivera.
Retes wrote his first play, "El día de Mañana," in 1944. He began his film acting career in the 1950s, working with directors such as Jorge Fons, Felipe Cazals, Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, Sergio Olhovich, and Arturo Ripstein. As a screenwriter, he authored scripts for films including Anguish Nights and Journey to Paradise. He also served as director of theaters for the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), where he facilitated the construction of 38 public theaters. In the 1960s, he collaborated closely with writer Vicente Leñero on several projects, including the theatrical adaptations of Los albañiles and Los Niños de Sánchez.
Since 2006, the Hidalgo-Ignacio Retes Theater in Mexico City has been named in his honor.
His son, Gabriel Retes, also became a notable actor, director, and writer.
