One half of the stoner-hippie comedic duo Cheech and Chong, Richard "Cheech" Marin has become perhaps one of the most well known and respected Chicano achievers in the world of entertainment. As an actor, director, writer, musician, art collector and humanitarian, Cheech is a man who has proven that he has the intellect and wit to make a simple smile appear in any situation.
At the side of his partner Tommy Chong, he enjoyed immense off-color comedic success in the 1970's before moving into a diverse range of roles, having appeared in more than 20 films, including Spy Kids, Tin Cup, and Once Upon A Time In Mexico. His television credits include co-starring with Don Johnson in the popular CBS drama, Nash Bridges, a recurring role on the hit series Lost, and a guest appearance on Grey's Anatomy. His latest films include The Perfect Game (Lions Gate Entertainment); Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Race to Witch Mountain (Walt Disney Pictures); and The Miracle of Dommatina (Hallmark Channel).
Marin has also become a well-known collector of Chicano art, and is thought to own one of the more prevalent private collections. Much of it formed the core of his traveling exhibition Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, which broke attendance records during its groundbreaking 15-city tour during 2001-2007 to major art museums across the United States.
Selections from his collection can also be seen in his Los Angelenos/Chicano Painters of L.A., an exhibition on view at LACMA in Los Angeles, now through November 2, 2008.
A third-generation Mexican American, Cheech has received numerous awards for his work on behalf of Latinos, including the 2000 Creative Achievement Award from the Imagen Foundation and the 1999 ALMA Community Service Award from the National Council of La Raza and Kraft Foods. In 2007, he received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts for his contributions to the creative arts from Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles, and received the inaugural Legacy Award for Arts Advocacy from the Smithsonian Latino Center. He serves on the boards of the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
Making history this year, Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong revitalized a comedic alliance that had since been dead in the water. The duo regrouped at the world famous Troubadour in L.A. and announced their first tour in over 25 years!