Isaac Ruiz, Jr. (Mando from Chico and the Man) Has Died at Age 81

[Adamantium]

https://www.facebook.com/isaac.ruiz.374

This was posted on his Facebook page:

"It is with a heavy heart that we must share that our beloved dad, Isaac Ruiz, Jr. passed away in his home in Los Angeles CA on Monday, February 10, 2025.
We and our Dad were shocked when he was recently diagnosed with terminal acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He chose to spend his final days at home with loved ones, and just six days after his diagnosis, he was gone.
Since his passing, we have been receiving a flood of condolences from family and friends alike. Our father had a far reach with his love and friendship of so many: from his connection to the military as a former marine, to his showbiz days as the lovable Mando on Chico and the Man, to his work with the University of Arizona that earned him the title of Honorary Letterman, he lived a beautifully colorful life. But the color of our world now feels a little dimmer without him in it.
We miss him immensely and we are so proud of the life he lived.
If you are able to, please tune into the SAG awards this Sunday, February 23 on Netflix. We’ve been told that our dad will receive recognition during the IN MEMORIAM segment."


==========


Isaac Ruiz appeared in seven episodes of Chico and the Man over the course of the four seasons. He originally auditioned for the role of Chico. He lost out to Freddie Prinze, but James Komack liked him enough to create a new character for him.

[MaNdOSoNeFaN]

Wow. It's been a long time since I've logged into the message board.

It feels unreal that my dad is gone. My mom had lewy body dementia and passed away in December. Losing both parents in two months has been incredibly difficult.

Please feel free to share a comment on the Facebook post and tune into Netflix on Sunday the 23rd.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by MaNdOSoNeFaN

Wow. It's been a long time since I've logged into the message board.

It feels unreal that my dad is gone. My mom had lewy body dementia and passed away in December. Losing both parents in two months has been incredibly difficult.

Please feel free to share a comment on the Facebook post and tune into Netflix on Sunday the 23rd.

Oh, wow. I'm so sorry for the loss of both parents. That has got to be rough. I can't even imagine. I will definitely tune into Netflix on the 23rd.

I watched Chico and the Man first on TV Land back in 2001 through 2003. It became a favorite of mine and as much as I loved it, I didn't see it again for twenty years. It just didn't air on any channel that I was aware of, nor were there any DVD releases except for that single disc best of release. But I wanted season sets. Finally, in December of 2023, the whole series was released on Tubi. I have since bought the show to view ad-free on Prime Video (as well as an unofficial Blu-ray). It's great to have the show and these characters back in my life. Your dad was a great addition and I wish he appeared in more episodes.

I looked him up on YouTube a few months back to see if there were any interviews with him talking about the show but I only found one brief one. I was hoping something would have been done for the 50th anniversary with the surviving cast (not that there's many), but sadly there was nothing. That date just came and went. At least the show is back out there now for people to view and your dad's work on this '70s sitcom gets to be seen again.

Again, I'm sorry for your loss but thank you for commenting on this thread.

[stellina]

Originally Posted by MaNdOSoNeFaN

Wow. It's been a long time since I've logged into the message board.

It feels unreal that my dad is gone. My mom had lewy body dementia and passed away in December. Losing both parents in two months has been incredibly difficult.

Please feel free to share a comment on the Facebook post and tune into Netflix on Sunday the 23rd.

I don't know if you ever gonna read this post ..

May both your parents rest in peace.
I really liked your father on the show. He seemed to be a nice and sweet guy.
All the best 🌸