In 1982, Vives began acting in a number of shows and
telenovelas including
Pequeños Gigantes ("
Little Giants" – 1983) and
Tuyo es Mi Corazón ("
Yours Is My Heart" – 1985). He finally found fame in 1986 by playing the title role of
Gallito Ramírez, which told the story of a Colombian Caribbean coast boxer who falls in love with an uptight girl, who was portrayed by his first wife,
Margarita Rosa de Francisco. That same year, he released his first album,
Por Fuera y Por Dentro. The album, primarily made of ballads, failed to gain any success. In 1987, he released his second ballad album,
No Podrás Escapar de Mí. Though the title track reached No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks, the album did not sell well. His next album,
Al Centro de la Ciudad, would become his last album to feature synthesizer-romantic ballads. Some of the songs got some attention being featured in telenovelas, but the album, just as its predecessors, failed to gain success. In 1989, he was offered an acting job in
Puerto Rico, and upon moving, he took a break in his music career. He is remembered for his leading roles in the soaps
La Otra and Aventurera. He married Herlinda Gómez, his second wife (they have since divorced). Vives would spend his time between Colombia, Miami and the city of
Mayagüez, Herlinda's hometown, during his marriage to her. ==Since 1991==