Movistar Plus releases documentary on Chiquito de la Calzada and his legal battle over Lucas Grijander

The documentary film 'El otro Chiquito', directed by Juan Zavala and Javier Morales, premieres on Movistar Plus on 1 October 2026. Conceived by screenwriter Diego San José, the production departs from conventional biographical retrospectives to focus specifically on the 1995 legal confrontation between Spanish comedian Gregorio Sánchez, widely known as Chiquito de la Calzada, and the creators of the parody character Lucas Grijander. The filmmakers examine how the commercial appropriation of Sánchez's comedic persona, previously described as a lighthearted television anecdote, caused substantial personal suffering to the performer during the height of his career.

The dispute over television imitation

In 1995, while Sánchez stood at the height of his popularity, Telecinco's late-night programme 'Esta noche cruzamos el Mississippi', presented by Pepe Navarro, introduced an imitation character named Lucas Grijander. Portrayed by comedian Florentino Fernández, who was then in his early twenties, the character adopted Sánchez's signature hunched posture, spasmodic arm gestures, and distinctive verbal cadences before the show introduced another similar character, Crispín Klander. Sánchez and his representatives viewed the sketches as an unlawful exploitation of his artistic creation rather than standard parody, prompting him to file a lawsuit. During the court proceedings, the presiding judge examined witnesses regarding the comedian's invented vocabulary to assess whether the imitation constituted intellectual property infringement or permissible comedic parody.

From flamenco obscurity to national stardom

Before achieving television fame in his sixties, Sánchez spent decades working as a flamenco singer (cantaor), enduring long periods of financial hardship and spending several years performing in Japan. In 1994, his appearances on the Antena 3 comedy programme 'Genio y figura' turned him into a household name across Spain. Driven by a desire to purchase a home for his wife, Pepita, Sánchez captivated audiences with surreal humor and invented catchphrases, including 'fistro', 'pecador de la pradera', 'te das cuen', 'no puedor', and 'por la gloria de mi madre'. His sudden rise occurred during the birth of commercial private television in Spain, where competing stations fought aggressively for daily ratings.

The private television market was inventing itself, the rules of competition were being invented, and everything was unexplored territory.

Legal dismissal and personal aftermath

The judicial proceedings against the show's creators concluded without establishing legal culpability, as the judge dismissed the case. Although Fernández stated in subsequent years that the dispute concluded amicably, the documentary documents conflicting accounts regarding the final resolution. Sánchez fulfilled his goal of providing a house and a Mercedes for his wife, but her death left him completely devastated.

He was depressed and practically died of grief.

The documentary connects the courtroom battle to the shifting cultural and economic realities of 1990s Spain. The period followed the optimism and public spending of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and the Seville Expo, giving way to a severe economic downturn alongside intense political battles between Prime Minister Felipe González and José María Aznar.