During this period, he was a Latin-American star of films, television, radio, and nightclubs. He not only made personal appearances in Mexico, but he traveled abroad to perform in other countries, including Canada and the United States. By November 1956, he was earning $7,000 a week (a far cry from the $2,500 a year he earned in 1940, beating the skins as a drummer in a hotel orchestra). All this good fortune led Russell to exclaim that "Mexico has been wonderful to " and "has made me happier than I ever was in my life."