The film world has lost one of its most loved comedy character actors. Luis Cuenca died at 11am yesterday morning in a Madrid hospital. The 82 year old actor had been suffering from a lung disease for some time.

Cuenca, whose parents and grandparents belonged to a troupe of itinerant actors who performed all over Spain, was born (as he used to say), "as chance would have it," in Navalmoral de la Mata, in the province of Cáceres.

After a long and distinguished career as a comedy actor, Cuenca was awarded a Goya for best supporting actor on the 25th January 1997 for his performance in "La buena vida" (The good life).

The actor´s last television performance was in the series "Cuéntame" (Tell me), but he is probably best known for his work on the popular "Farmacia de guardia" (Duty chemist) series. Cuenca was a widower and leaves behind two sons.