Mario Lago

• Name — Mário Lago OMC • Occupation — Composer, actor, radio presenter, poet, lawyer • Years Active — 1934–2002 • Died — 30 May 2002 • Place of death — Rio de Janeiro • Born — 26 November 1911 • Birthplace — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Illustration — Mário Lago, Francisco Cuoco and Oswaldo Loureiro, in 1960, in the set of Georges Feydeau's play A Flea in Her Ear Lago was born in Rio de Janeiro, son of the maestro Antônio Lago and Francisca Maria Vicencia Croccia Lago, and grandson of the Italian anarchist and musician Giuseppe Croccia. He graduated in Law the Universidade do Brasil, in 1933, getting involved in political activism, and joining the Brazilian Communist Party, PCB. After graduation, Lago worked briefly as a lawyer. Because of his political beliefs, Lago was imprisoned seven times – in 1932, 1941, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1964 and 1969. He married Zeli, daughter of the communist militant Henrique Cordeiro, until her death in 1997. The couple had five children: Antônio Henrique, Graça Maria, Mário Lago Filho, Luís Carlos (named after Luís Carlos Prestes) and Vanda. He was a supporter of Fluminense Football Club.

Lago started writing poetry at 15 years old, publishing a poem in the magazine "Fon-Fon". He wrote revue plays and songs from 1933 to 1958, also acting in stage and radio plays, invited by fellow actor Joracy Camargo. With Braguinha, he wrote the screenplay for the 1939 film Banana da Terra, starring Carmen Miranda. The first song he wrote was "Menina, eu sei de uma coisa", in partnership with Custódio Mesquita, recorded in 1935 by Mário Reis. Three years later, Orlando Silva recorded Mario's song "Nada além". His best known works were "Ai! que saudade da Amélia", "Atire a primeira pedra", in partnership with Ataulfo Alves; "É tão gostoso, seu moço", with Chocolate, "Número um", with Benedito Lacerda, the samba "Fracasso" and the carnival song "Aurora", with Roberto Roberti, recorded by Carmen Miranda. In "Ai! que saudade da Amélia", the description of an idealized woman became so popular that "Amélia" became a synonym in Brazil for a submissive, resigned woman dedicated to housework. Lago played in more than 30 films, among them The Priest and the Girl, Entranced Earth, Os Herdeiros and S. Bernardo. He also acted in several telenovelas, most of them on TV Globo, including O Sheik de Agadir, Cavalo de Aço, O Casarão, and Dancing Days. In 1989 Lago joined the Partido dos Trabalhadores, supporting Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's presidential campaigns in 1989 and 1998.

He died on 30 May 2002, aged 90, at his house in Rio de Janeiro South Zone. His funeral was on Teatro João Caetano, where he spent most of his career as an actor. Since his death, the theater of Colégio Pedro II is named as Teatro Mário Lago. He was buried in Cemitério de São João Batista, in Rio de Janeiro. In 2001, in his honor the TV Globo program Domingão do Faustão created the Troféu Mário Lago, awarded to the best telenovela actor or actress.

• Year — Title — Character — TV Channel • 1963 — Nuvem de Fogo • 1966 — O Sheik de Agadir — Otto Von Lucker — Rede Globo • 1967 — A Sombra de Rebecca — Tamura • Presídio de Mulheres — Autor Principal — Rede Tupi • O Homem Proibido — Ali Yabor — Rede Globo • 1968 — Passo dos Ventos — Jean Dubois • 1969 — A Ponte dos Suspiros — Foscari • Rosa Rebelde — Barão de San Juan de La Cruz • 1970 — Verão Vermelho — Bruno Vilela (Nonô) • 1971 — Assim na Terra como no Céu — Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira Ramos • Minha Doce Namorada — César Leão • 1972 — Selva de Pedra — Sebastião Vilhena (Sessé) • 1973 — Cavalo de Aço — Inácio Barros • 1974 — O Espigão — Gabriel Martins • 1975 — Cuca Legal — Aureliano Villaça • Escalada — Belmiro Silva • Pecado Capital — Adalberto Peres (Dr. Peres) • 1976 — O Casarão — Atílio de Sousa • 1977 — Nina — Antônio Torres Galba • 1978 — Dancin' Days — Alberico Santos • 1979 — Os Gigantes — Antônio Lucas • 1980 — Plumas e Paetês — Cristiano Mendes • 1981 — Baila Comigo — Oswaldir Junqueira • Brilhante — Vítor Newman • 1982 — Elas por Elas — Miguel Aranha • 1983 — Guerra dos Sexos — Elizeu Giácomo (Juiz Elizeu) • Louco Amor — Agenor Rocha • 1984 — Padre Cícero — Núncio Apostólico • Partido Alto — Adamastor de Castro • 1985 — Grande Sertão: Veredas — Compadre Quelemem • O Tempo e o Vento — Padre Lara • Tenda dos Milagres — João Reis (Juiz João) • Um Sonho a Mais — Guilhermo Del Blanco (Médico Blanco) • 1986 — Cambalacho — Antero Souza e Silva • Roda de Fogo — Antônio Villar • 1988 — O Pagador de Promessas — Dom Germano • 1989 — O Salvador da Pátria — Joaquim Xavier (Quinzote) • 1990 — Barriga de Aluguel — Dr. Molina • 1991 — Vamp — Jeremias Guimarães • 1992 — Perigosas Peruas — Don Garcia • De Corpo e Alma — Getúlio Veiga (Desembargador Veiga) • Despedida de Solteiro — Otacílio de Deus (Padre Otacílio) • Você Decide — Several characters (12 Episodes) /1992-1999 • 1993 — Agosto — Aniceto • Fera Ferida — Bernardo Prestes (Juiz de Paz) • Retrato de Mulher — Special End of Year Episode • 1994 — Quatro por Quatro — Henrique Pessoa • 1995 — Engraçadinha: Seus Amores e Seus Pecados — Osmar Farto (Reitor Osmar) • Explode Coração — Sebastian Flitz • História de Amor — Professor Medina • 1996 — O Fim do Mundo — Frei Luiz • Quem É Você? — Aníbal Machado • 1998 — Hilda Furacão — Olavo • Pecado Capital — Dr. Amatto • Torre de Babel — João Luiz (Padre João) • 1999 — Força de um Desejo — Dr. Teodoro • 2000 — Brava Gente — Eleutério (Episode: "Enquanto a Noite Não Chega") • 2001 — O Clone — Dr. Molina

• Year — Títle • 1947 — Asas do Brasil • 1947 — O Homem que Chutou a Consciência • 1948 — Terra Violenta • 1948 — Uma Luz na Estrada • 1949 — O Homem que Passa • 1950 — A Sombra da Outra • 1952 — Pecadora Imaculada • 1953 — Balança Mas Não Cai • 1957 — Papai Fanfarrão • 1959 — Mulheres, Cheguei! • 1962 — Assalto ao Trem Pagador • 1962 — Assassinato em Copacabana • 1965 — História de um Crápula • 1966 — Na Onda do Iê-iê-iê • 1966 — O Padre e a Moça • 1966 — Cuidado, Espião Brasileiro em Ação • 1966 — Essa Gatinha é Minha • 1967 — Na Mira do Assassino • 1967 — Terra em Transe • 1968 — A Vida Provisória • 1968 — Desesperato • 1968 — Massacre no Supermercado • 1969 — Incrível, Fantástico, Extraordinário • 1969 — Pedro Diabo Ama Rosa Meia-Noite • 1969 — Tempo de Violência • 1969 — O Bravo Guerreiro • 1970 — Os Herdeiros • 1970 — Badalada dos Infiéis • 1971 — S. Bernardo • 1973 — Café na Cama • 1977 — Lá Menor • 1978 — O Velho Gregório • 1983 — Idolatrada