Growing up I television was my favorite Vice, I always had a desire to be in a television show. I never thought that that desire would have manifested in my life. I was never part of a television family or a sitcom as of yet. But I did have the opportunity to carry roles as a lead character without ever stepping foot in any acting school or any previous training. This was a good thing and a bad thing. Reason being, I thought that it was my ticket to the good life. It came easy, I did not have to look for it. It came to me! I then had the idea that I did not need a formal education. It is so easy to know it all when you are only 14 years old. 

My career started in the early 1980's when a producer  and director form N.B.C channel 5 here in Chicago happened upon me whilst shooting a docu-drama named " Still a stranger" The goal of this  documentary was to introduce the Hispanic community to the rest of the melting pot of cultures.  

I was indirectly living with my grandmother at the time in the Humboldt park neighborhood, prior to that I lived at home with my parents between Logan Square and Bucktown. Maria Mendez was my grandmothers name. She was truly a saint, at the time I was rebellious and had personal issues with my father. Like most of the youth today I did not realize that he wanted the best for me and he only knew the doctrine of tough love. My family comes from the Island of Borinquen. For the rest of the world it is known as Puerto Rico. When you come from the Island there is a deeply instilled way of living and moral standards. My father was born and raised on that Island. He was tough and could not fathom the thought of losing his son to the streets. He always told me things like "If you are going to do something, do it right",  "Your only real friend is a dollar in your pocket".

Yea, this sounds very cliche for many of us and is probably just plain common sense. At the time I had no Idea of how true many of these sayings were and truthfully I did not care. I was old enough to know it all! My impression of people and the world was the only truth I knew and that is all that mattered. I thought that his parental guidance was nothing more than a form of Neuroticism and control!

Because of his love for me and his way of being when I was old enough I left home. Yes, I ran away! Again this is not a very original story. But it is true.  I had no real place to go so I went to my Grandmother for a meal now and then and occasionally a place to stay. I was afraid to be at her home as my father could have arrived at any time. I stayed here and there,  wherever I could until I became a burden on everyone that would take me in for a day or two. I could have remained at my grandmothers house, it all would have been easier. I didn't because I knew that there was a possibility that she was reporting back to my parents. I wanted to keep them guessing, worried and thought I was going to teach them a lesson. I started sleeping in hallways and any place I thought was safe like rooftops and other places that today, looking back, I now know was truly stupid. Ahh, being young.

At the time I had no real Idea what I was going to do with my life. I liked to entertain, yet I had no Idea how to get a break. Any break! I entertained in the streets just to get people to like me. For an invite to eat or even have a drink. I was not much into drinking at the time but it helped pass the night away. I did work at a night club as a comedian. Picture this,I portrayed a drunk in a wrinkled grey suit with a beat up black hat.I was 15 years old with no parental guidance. This was dangerous and I was in the middle of it all.

At the time of the aforementioned events I had recently dropped out of Lane Technical High School and decided to go to Clemente High School. I thought I was some kind of bad ass at Lane Tech. and maybe I was, I doubt it now. Anyway at Roberto Clemente High School I learned the meaning of BAD ASS! During that time on the corner of Rockwell and Augusta in the famed Humboldt park community I was outside of my Grandmothers Game room smoking a cigarette. I really did not enjoy smoking. Everyone else was doing it and well, you know the rest. I am still trying to quit today.

That is when it happened! Silvia Giannini and Jack Ginay from N.B.C approached me and began to ask me questions about the neighborhood then about myself. It was at the end of the interview that I was asked to audition for this Docu-drama the following Friday. To make a long story short there was a room full of professional kid actors with pictures portfolios and experience that I lacked severely. Non the less I got the Job! My first time out on television and I had the task of carrying a character by the name of "Carlos" to a nation wide audience. This was just the begining! Later this year I will write in further detail and in depth as to what and how it all happened. 

More to come...