He was featured in a pivotal role in The Hitch-Hiker (1953), a film noir directed by Ida Lupino.

Perhaps the highest-profile film in which he appeared was The Magnificent Seven (1960), portraying "Miguel", one of the Mexican townspeople trying to defend their farming village from a band of outlaws.

Vacío was a close friend of actor George Reeves, star of the TV series Adventures of Superman.

Vacío played the role of a Mexican police inspector in the 1958 episode "The Brainy Burro".

In Hollywoodland (2006), a film about Reeves' life and death, the character of Vacío was portrayed by Diego Fuentes, Toronto actor/socialite, in a couple of scenes.