Norma Benguel

 

actresses Odete Lara and Norma Benguel at the '100-thousand March' against the Military Dictatorship held in Rio de Janeiro on 26 June 1968. 

Ms Lara looks up somewhere and Ms Benguel looks at the camera.

Benguel in a much earlier ad for Eucalol. 

Belchior as seen by Antonio Bivar

 

Belchior née Antonio Carlos Gomes Belchior Fontenele Fernandes was born on 26 October 1946, in Sobral-CE. He became known in Brazil circa 1975, when Elis Regina included his 'Como nossos pais' in her long-running show and album 'Falso brilhante' whih became an instant hit.

This is an article published at a female rag called 'Caricia'; written by playwright & journalist Antonio Bivar circa 1977. Belchior was at the height of his popularity.

Belchior's 'Alucinação', his 2nd and most important album released by Philips in 1976; it featured 'Apenas um rapaz latino-americano', 'Velha roupa colorida' and 'Como nossos pais'.

Belchior died on 30 April 2017, in Santa Cruz do Sul-RS, 150 km from Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. He was 70 years old. 

Antonio Bivar died on 5 July 2020, in São Paulo; he was 81 years old. 

Jobim meets Lacerda - Manchete, 24 October 1970.

 

'Um cantor por um milhão' - 1963 talent scout - 'Um milhão por uma canção'

In June 1963, when Brazil was still a democracy, there was a competition to find new talents & new songs sponsored by 'Rei da Voz', a popular record-shop in Copacabana, Dutch record label Philips do Brasil and TV Guide Intervalo. 

Murilo Nery and Míriam Persia were the comperes of the TV show. 

The section 'One million for one song' had seasoned acts performing songs written by well-established song-writers like Ted Moreno & Fernando Cesar's 'Penumbra', presented by Lana Bittencourt, João Roberto Kelly's 'Rancho da colombina', performed by Jorge Goulart etc. (see text).

Many young hopefuls took part in the competition... Nelson Ned, who were 90 cm tall had the chance of his life, even though it would take another 6 years from him to break through with 'Tudo passará' (1969). Vocal group The Golden Boys who were siblings and a cousin were related to Trio Esperança who had already reached Number One on the charts with 'Filme triste' (Sad movies) earlier in the year - were luckier. They reached the charts 2 years later with 'Alguém na multidão'.

Clarice Amaral, garota-propaganda & MC

 

Revista do Radio n.375, 17 November 1956.

Clarice Amaral was a pioneer on TV. She worked mainly on TV Record. When I was a boy of 12, I used to go to my neighbours to watch TV. There was a kids' variety show on Channel 7, TV Record every Sunday at 6:00 pm called 'Grande Ginkana Kibon'. My neighbour Augustinha would not miss it for the world and I had the time of my life watching those 60 minutes of kids singing, dancing & prancing. The programme was commanded by an old man called Vicente Leporace... and Clarice Amaral was his supporting lady. That must have been 1961 or 1962... five or six years after this article about Clarice on 'Revista do Radio'.

Clarice José do Amaral was born on 12 October 1935, in Minas Gerais. She moved to São Paulo eventually and starte working on TV on programmes like 'Big Show Peixe', 'Carrossel', 'O Coelhinho da Fortuna' and finally 'Grande Ginkana Kibon' which started on 17 April 1955. By 1969, Vicente Leporace was signed by Radio Bandeirantes and left Ginkana. Clarice worked at TV Excelsior for a few months and was signed by TV Gazeta to command 'Clarice Amaral em Desfile', an afternoon variety show which lasted 11 years. 

From 1981 until 1986, Clarice worked mainly in radio but after being the victim of a traumatic robbery Clarice left São Paulo to live in Cunha-SP. 

Clarice Amaral passed away on 27 June 2020, a Saturday. Her death was announced by Elmo Francfort, authour of the History of TV Gazeta. Clarice was 84 years old.

Clarice Amaral, 3 competing kids, Vicente Leporace and Durval de Souza at 'Grande Ginkana Kibon' circa 1961. 

Daniel Filho, performer

 João Carlos Daniel was born on 30 September 1937, at Gávea, Rio de Janeiro-DF. His parents were Juan Daniel and Mary Alba, actors from Uruguay who migrated to Brazil in the 1930s. 

Daniel Filho - that's how he came to be known - excelled in sports at Colegio Militar and Colegio Anglo-Americano, having won medals in volley and beach-football.

In December 1952, when he was 15 years old, he had a small part in Juan Daniel's theatre company which was touring in Rio Grande do Sul. Next stop was Theatro Odeon in São Paulo where he acted at the revue 'O que é que o bikini tem?' besides Elvira Pagã, Dorinha Duval (his future wife) and Walter D'Ávila, who took him under his wings becoming his mentor. 

'Revista do Radio' n.502.

Genival Melo, Copacabana Discos manager

 

Genival Melo and Antonio Aguilar at Radio Nacional Paulista. 

Antonio Marcos, Genival Melo, Roberto Carlos, Nelson Ned and N.I. at Genival's apartament in Higienópolis, São Paulo. 

'Melodias' about Genival Melo's great apartment in Higienópolis: 'It's easy to see Genival hails from the Northeast of Brazil (maybe by his regional accent). He started as a promotion man at Copacabana Discos having taken under his wings Silvana & Rinaldo Calheiros, Morgana, Luiz Vieira, Agnaldo Rayol and many others. Circa 1964, Genival realized it would be much easier to work with only one act. He concentrated his efforts on Wanderley Cardoso and made him a star. After Wanderley was an established act he abandoned his mentor but Genival didn't stay down for too long. He returned to São Paulo, rented a big flat in Higienópolis and started a new menagerie of his own again. 

Wanderley Cardoso, Genival Mello and members & friends of Os Impossíveis at an after-show-party in Rio Claro-SP circa 1966. They are: Zé Paulo, Osni, Octvio Basso, Robertinho, João Eli, Oscar and Armando Luiz, speaker of Radio Clube de Rio Claro.