American comedian and actor Cheech Marin is best known as one half of the 1970s comedy act Cheech & Chong, and later, as Inspector Joe Dominguez in Nash Bridges. Born in Los Angeles on July 13, 1946, he met his future comedic partner Tommy Chong in Vancouver, British Columbia, while fleeing from the military draft at the height of the Vietnam War.
The result was the comedy duo Cheech & Chong, which released a number of successful comedy albums and low-budget films, starting with 1978’s Up in Smoke. Their success lated until the mid-1980s, upon the release of their album Get Out of My Room, when Marin decided to leave the act and focus on his solo career. He then appeared in films such as Born in East L.A., which was inspired by a song on their last album; Tin Cup; and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. His roles are usually that of a stereotypical Mexican-American, or an uneducated Chicano.
After other appearances on film and television—guest appearances, for example, in The Tracey Ullman Show, Tales from the Crypt and Married… with Children—he starred alongside Don Johnson in the television police drama Nash Bridges. His played the role of Inspector Joe Rodriguez, best friend to Nash Bridges, who handles the business end of their private detective agency. He stayed throughout the show’s run, from 1996 to 2001.
Marin also worked as a voice actor, notably in Disney films such as Oliver & Company, The Lion King, and Cars. He also released two children’s music albums, the first being My Name is Cheech, the School Bus Driver in 1992; he also wrote a children’s book, which was published in 2007. His most recent appearances include in films such as Underclassmen and Grindhouse, and television shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Lost. He was also a contestant on the reality show Celebrity Duets, where he was the fourth contestant eliminated.