CAREQUINHA aka George Savalla Gomes

Carequinha's (Little Baldy) real name was George Savall Gomes... and he was not actually bald at all. 

Carequinha - Brazil's most prominent clown making up for a new performance. Even though his name was Baldy, he had a headfull of hair.

 

Rodrigo Pereira wrote at FB on 24 May 2015: O Arrelia e Carequinha nunca trabalharam juntos. Embora ambos tenham vindo do circo, fizeram sucesso mesmo na TV - Arrelia na TV Record, com o 'Circo do Arrelia', em São Paulo, e Carequinha (e seu eterno parceiro, Fred), na TV Rio... 

Edson Mendes on 24 May 2015: O parceiro de estropolias do Arrelia (Waldemar Seyssel) nos programa de TV era o também palhaço Pimentinha (Walter Seyssel), que na vida real era seu sobrinho. No cinema, Arrelia também fez vários filmes, mas nunca como clown. 

Suesse Lotusblume on 25 May 2015 - Li numa reportagem uns anos atrás que Arrelia faleceu no Rio de Janeiro nos anos 90s com 91 anos. É isso mesmo? Ele disse que seu pai o obrigou a fazer faculdade de Direito, pois queria que ele fosse advogado. Ele se formou e deu o diploma para o pai e entrou para a vidas de circo, como palhaço, que era seu sonho.

George Savalla Gomes, clown Carequinha's real face...

Carequinha at Radiolandia #341, November 1960. 

Carequinha & his children.

EL CUBANITO

El Cubanito - the man who covered Sonora Matancera's 'Cao cao mani picao' that hit Number One in Brazil on 11 August 1953, was none other than Alvaro Francisco de Paula, who was born on 24 November 1927, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

El Cubanito fronted the orchestra of Waldyr Calmon for this particular disc that Copacabana Records knew could top the charts but was surprised, nevertheless, when it did. 

Later on, El Cubanito formed his own big band and toured Brazil for years. He even recorded for Nilo Sergio's Musidisc label that released his recordings in stereo for the U.S. and Brazilian markets. At some stage Alvaro Francisco had to give up his post as a civil servant at the Ministry of Economy to dedicate his whole time to his act which was large.

Cao cao cao mani picao, cao cao

cao cao cao mani picao, cao cao 

Lo quiere la gente (cao cao)

ay, lo dice la gente (cao cao)

pero le gusta a la gente (cao cao)

ay, lo baila la gente (cao cao).

Quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao 

arriba é la tabla mani picao, cao cao.

A mi, qué me importa (cao cao)

ay, yo vivo mi vida (cao cao)

a ti, qué te importa (cao cao)

pero tú vives tu vida (cao cao).

Quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao 

arriba é la tabla mani picao, cao cao.

Dame una candelita (allí fumé)

ay, dame una candelitta (allí fumé).

Quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao, quiquiriquí picao 

arriba é la tabla mani picao, cao cao.

Cao cao cao mani picao, cao cao

eh maní picao, cao

arriba é la tabla maní picao, quiquiriquí

cao cao cao maní picao, cao cao 

Ay, pero cao cao cao 

arriba é la tabla mani picao, quiquiriquí 

cao cao cao mani picao, cao cao. 

'Cao, cao mani picao' - guaracha written by Jose Carbó Menéndez; it was originally recorded in Cuba by Sonora Matancera featuring Celia Cruz in her first recording with the band.

'Revista do Radio' tells its readers El Cubanito is a coloured-man and has recorded 'El gopecito' b/w 'El tiempo será testigo' two mambos... 

El Cubanito's real name is Álvaro Francisco de Paula. He is a singer signed to Radio Mundial. Alvaro lives in Cachambim, a Meier suburb. He's married with no children. He really enjoys singing in the shower and Italian food is a must; he loves gnocchi as if he were an Italian. El Cubanito worships Our Lady of Immacule Conception and Saint Sebastian. He supports Madureira Atlético Club. He owns a parrot called Cao-Cao that he brought from Bahia. He likes gangster movies; he's a serious James Cagney fan. On the radio he enjoys recitals by Sylvio Caldas and Angela Maria. He shaves himself at home using razor blades; likes eau-de-colegne and lavender lotion by Atkinson's. El Cubanito prays before going to asleep. 

'Revista do Radio' asked radio people what politician would succeed President Café Filho; most of them answered Ademar de Barros, a popular Sao Paulo governor would. Most of them actually flunked the test. The next President of Brazil would be Juscelino Kubtischek. Marta Janete was the only one who got it right!

In the small photo on the left El Cubanito smiles near a sedate Lucho Gatica in Rio de Janeiro;  El Cubanito was a regular at the popular radio show 'Ciranda pelos bairros' (Merry-go-round in the suburbs) that brought radio singers to the outskirts of town to meet simple people who never wandered too far away from home.  

Exuberance was El Cubanito's middle name. 

VIOLETA FERRAZ at Teatro Carlos Gomes 1951

After years working at Rio de Janeiro’s theatres, comedianne Violeta Ferraz - née Violeta Vidigal, born on 11 February 1902, in Lisbon, Portugal - teamed up with fellow comedian Spina - nee Antonio Spina, born on 31st January 1916 - and actor impresario David Conde and started up a new musical revue company.

Raimundo Magalhães Junior's ‘Bikini de filó’ (Phylum bikini) premiered on 29 October 1951 at the Alvorada, starring Ferraz & Spina plus new-face Mary Gonçalves who had been launched as a show-girl in Cesar Ladeira’s ‘Café concerto no.5’earlier in the year.

Young actor and chansonier Aniston, from the children theatre and comedian Arnaldo Rios who is midget are also in the cast.

'Correio da Manhã' 28 May 1951. Violeta Ferraz's last job as an employee to Eros Volusia's revue company premiered on 31st May 1951, at Teatro Carlos Gomes.  Luiz Eglezias 'O pudim de ouro' cast boasted of such as Mesquitinha, José Vasconcelos, Israeli actress Bertha Aja, crooner Tito Martini & many others.

Violeta Ferraz 7 years later in 1958, playing the main role in 'Minha sogra é da polícia' in which she plays a rock'n'roll mature detective...

Ms Ferraz in one of her many facial contortions. 

RADIO MAUÁ, a trade union radio station in Rio...

'Correio da Manhã' 29 August 1956 - being Number 4 in the Nation's capital was a big deal...

some acts signed by Radio Mauá:

Linda Rodrigues

Cesar Cruz 

Waldyr Machado

'Correio da Manhã' 20 January 1963; song-writer Waldyr Machado was voted the 2nd most popular D.J. in Rio de Janeiro for 1962.

'Carioca' n.959 - 1954.

Rio radio stations telephone numbers. 

RAMALHO NETO - SYLVIO TULIO CARDOSO

Ramalho Neto was a journalist who wrote about music for various newspapers in Rio de Janeiro. He was first spotted by Geraldo Mendonça, Radio Guanabara's artistic-director and signed by the broadcaster to front two shows: 'Guanabara em tempo de jazz' and 'Arranjos modernos'. 

Even though he had a sizeble following he had to leave Radio Guanabara and ended up getting a job as artistic-director-cum-advertising-man at Capitol-Sinter. 

Luiz Ramalho Neto was born in Pindamonhangaba-SP but grew up in Taubaté-SP, where he started working at ZYA-8 when he was still in his teens. He was a specialist in jazz and U.S. pop-music.

Ramalho Neto in 1953; Daniel Taylor was his best friend. Both knew a lot about the American music scene.

Daniel Taylor's column at revista 'Carioca' September 1952.

Ramalho Neto receives an award from the hands of José Duba.

Dolores Duran's address book had Ramalho Neto's phone number.

Ramalho Neto, record promoter for Copacabana Records, put an album together called 'Passatempo Musical' in which he plays the part of a Master of Cerimony introducing a game in which competitors try to identify excerpts of classical music - on side A - and ballet music on side B. There's a booklet which accompanies the album explaining the rules of the game.  'Correio da Manhã' 3 June 1956.

 

Ramalho Neto (right) receives a 'Golden Record' (Disco de Ouro) from Sylvio Tulio Cardoso, as the best record-promoter of 1956.

12 March 1960 - 'Correio da Manhã' shows a photo of Ramalho with Paulo Rocco, another recording producert.  

Sylvio Tulio Cardoso was born on 27 September 1924, in Rio de Janeiro. 

He was invited by Celestino Silveira to write 'Melodias e ritmos para você' (Melodies & rhythm for you) alongside his friend and coleague Ary Vasconcelos. In 1943, Tulio created a page called 'Swing fan' for weekly magazine 'Cena Muda'. 

In 1948, Tulio started writing a column for 'Diário da Noite' called 'Discos Populares'. At the same time worked as a D.J. at Radio Guanabara. Later on, he moved on to Radio Globo and Radio Nacional. In 1950, Tulio started writing for daily 'O Globo'. 

In 1954, Tulio wrote 'Anuario do cinema mudo ilustrado' and 'Anuário de Música Popular' for magazine 'Clube dos Ritmos'. 

Tulio wrote for various publications like 'A Cigarra', 'Revista do LP' and 'Música e Disco'. 

He flew to New York and took part in the organization of the legenday Carnegie Hall Bossa Nova Concert that took place on Wednesday, 21st November 1962. Tulio was included in the group when Ronaldo Boscoli decided not to go. 

Tulio became the Brazilian correspondent of 'Billboard' magazine and the fortnightly 'Down Beat'. 

In 1965, Tulio published his 'Dicionário biográfico de musica popular' (nacional e estrangeira). 

In 1966, Tulio re-created the 'Bossa-Nova Jazz Club' (Clube de Bossa Nova & Jazz) with Ary Vasconcelos, Jorge Guinle and Ricardo Cravo Albin. Tulio joined MIS - Museum of Image & Sound - when it was formed. 

Tulio died suddenly, on 28 April 1967, of heart failure. He was only 43 years old. 

'Jornal do Brasil' 29 April 1967.

Lojas Murray S.A. where fans of US music bought imported records...