Carlos Riquelme studied law and philosophy, but turned to acting and made his stage debut in the mid-1930s. His first screen appearance followed in 1938. Riquelme's meek looks somewhat typecast him as clerks and doctors in his earlier pictures, but from time to time he was given change-of-pace roles, such as the mad doctor in Le monstre sans visage (1957). Later he would specialize in mildly distracted, fey but generally sympathetic parts. He appeared in a number of international productions such as Au-dessous du volcan (1984) and Milagro (1988), and also did considerable TV dubbing and radio work. He received a Best Actor Ariel nomination for En la tormenta (1982) and a nomination as Best Suppporting Actor for El joven Juárez (1954).