Los Payasos de la Tele
Encyclopedia
Los Payasos de la Tele is the name by which a trio of popular Spanish
clown
s are known, initially formed by Gaby (Gabriel Aragón
), Fofó (Alfonso Aragón) and Miliki (Emilio Aragón), and succeeded by Fofito (Alfonso Aragón Jr.), Milikito (Emilio Aragón Jr.) and Rody (Rody Aragón). They were well-known on Spanish language television in Latin America
throughout much of the twentieth century before returning to Spain and attaining further success.
Gaby, Fofó y Miliki began their activities in Spain in 1939 at the Circo Price. In 1946, the three brothers emigrated across the Atlantic, where they remained for more than a quarter of a century. They first set up shop in Cuba
, where they made their first incursions into the world of television in 1949. In the following years, the diffusion of their shows in other countries in Latin America
made them familiar faces in Mexico
, Venezuela
, Puerto Rico
, and the United States
.
In 1970 they arrived in Argentina, and achieved great success through their program El zapato rojo (The Red Shoe), which they then renamed El show de Gaby, Fofó y Miliki. Soon a new member of the family, Fofito (the son of Fofó), made appearances.
Two years later, in 1972, they returned to Spain, contracting with Televisión Española
to front a new program called El Gran Circo de TVE. It was a great success, remaining on air until 1981, and became an enormous cultural phenomenon in Spain in the 1970s. The group was awarded a TP de Oro
, a prestigious Spanish television award, for "most popular personality" in 1974.
After the death of Fofó in 1976, the son of Miliki, Emilio Aragón Jr., joined the group under the name Milikito. He is a mute clown, in the tradition of Harpo Marx
, and communicates with a cow bell
. Much later, after the show ended in 1981, Rody, the youngest son of Fofó, joined the group in the persona of a black
Cuban.
Finally, the program (which in its final form was called El loco mundo de los payasos, or "The Crazy World of the Clowns"), was retired from Spanish television in 1983. After several circus tours during the following two years, under the title El fabuloso mundo del circo (The Fabulous World of the Circus), the group (which by this time Miliki had already left) dissolved definitively.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
s are known, initially formed by Gaby (Gabriel Aragón
Gabriel Aragón
Gabriel Aragón was a Spanish clown and television presenter....
), Fofó (Alfonso Aragón) and Miliki (Emilio Aragón), and succeeded by Fofito (Alfonso Aragón Jr.), Milikito (Emilio Aragón Jr.) and Rody (Rody Aragón). They were well-known on Spanish language television in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
throughout much of the twentieth century before returning to Spain and attaining further success.
History
Heirs of a long family tradition of circus performance, which stretches back to the nineteenth century, they were sons of Emilio Aragón the elder and nephews of José María and Teodoro Aragón - Emig, Pompoff y Teddy. Other members of the family with circus connections included their cousins Nabucodonosorcito and Zampabollos.Gaby, Fofó y Miliki began their activities in Spain in 1939 at the Circo Price. In 1946, the three brothers emigrated across the Atlantic, where they remained for more than a quarter of a century. They first set up shop in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where they made their first incursions into the world of television in 1949. In the following years, the diffusion of their shows in other countries in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
made them familiar faces in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1970 they arrived in Argentina, and achieved great success through their program El zapato rojo (The Red Shoe), which they then renamed El show de Gaby, Fofó y Miliki. Soon a new member of the family, Fofito (the son of Fofó), made appearances.
Two years later, in 1972, they returned to Spain, contracting with Televisión Española
Televisión Española
Televisión Española is the national state-owned public-service television broadcaster in Spain. TVE's activities were previously financed by a combination of advertising revenue and subsidies from the national government, but since it's been supported by subsidies only.TVE belongs to the RTVE...
to front a new program called El Gran Circo de TVE. It was a great success, remaining on air until 1981, and became an enormous cultural phenomenon in Spain in the 1970s. The group was awarded a TP de Oro
TP de Oro
The TP de Oro is a Spanish award given since 1973, to honour, mostly, Spanish, but also foreign television series. The TP de Oro is considered to be the most prestigious Spanish awards for television.-External links:* *...
, a prestigious Spanish television award, for "most popular personality" in 1974.
After the death of Fofó in 1976, the son of Miliki, Emilio Aragón Jr., joined the group under the name Milikito. He is a mute clown, in the tradition of Harpo Marx
Harpo Marx
Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
, and communicates with a cow bell
Cow bell
A cowbell or cow bell is a bell worn by freely roaming livestock, so that they do not run away or wander off without being heard. While bells were used on various types of animals, they are typically referred to as "cowbells" due to their extensive use with cattle.A trychel is a large cow bell...
. Much later, after the show ended in 1981, Rody, the youngest son of Fofó, joined the group in the persona of a black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
Cuban.
Finally, the program (which in its final form was called El loco mundo de los payasos, or "The Crazy World of the Clowns"), was retired from Spanish television in 1983. After several circus tours during the following two years, under the title El fabuloso mundo del circo (The Fabulous World of the Circus), the group (which by this time Miliki had already left) dissolved definitively.
Songs
- Hola, Don Pepito (music and lyrics written by the famous Puerto Rican actor/comedian Ramón Rivero (Diplo))Ramón Rivero (Diplo)Ramón Rivero — known as Diplo — was a comedian, actor, composer and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television and cinema industries...
- La gallina turuleca ( Spanish version of ¨A galinha magricela¨ from the Brazilian songwriter Edgard Poças )
- Susanita
- Mi barba tiene tres pelos
- Un barquito de cáscara de nuez
- El auto feo (original from Pipo Pescador)
- El sombrero de Fofó
- Cómo me pica la nariz
- Qué nos da el cerdito
- Chinita tú
- Una sonrisa y una flor
- En la autocaravana
- Feliz en tu día
- Dale Ramón
- Había una vez un circo
Films
- Los PadrinosLos PadrinosLos Padrinos is a 1973 Argentine film.-External links:*...
- Había una vez un circo