Mário Lago OMC ( November 26, 1911 – May 30, 2002) was a Brazilian lawyer, poet, radio broadcaster, composer, actor and singer.
In the 1940s and 1950s he was known for composing popular samba songs, such as "Ai! que saudade da Amélia" and "Atire a primeira pedra", both in partnership with Ataulfo Alves.
Biography
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.
Artistic career Lago started writing poetry at 15 years old, publishing a poem in the magazine "". He wrote revue plays and songs from 1933 to 1958, also acting in stage and radio plays, invited by fellow actor . 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 , 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.
Death 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.
Filmography
Television YearTitleCharacterTV Channel1963Nuvem de Fogo1966O Sheik de AgadirOtto Von LuckerRede Globo1967A Sombra de RebeccaTamuraPresídio de MulheresAutor PrincipalRede TupiO Homem ProibidoAli YaborRede Globo1968Passo dos VentosJean Dubois1969A Ponte dos SuspirosFoscariRosa RebeldeBarão de San Juan de La Cruz1970Verão VermelhoBruno Vilela (Nonô)1971Assim na Terra como no CéuCarlos Eduardo de Oliveira RamosMinha Doce NamoradaCésar Leão1972Selva de PedraSebastião Vilhena (Sessé)1973Cavalo de AçoInácio Barros1974O EspigãoGabriel Martins1975Cuca LegalAureliano VillaçaEscaladaBelmiro SilvaPecado CapitalAdalberto Peres (Dr. Peres)1976O CasarãoAtílio de Sousa1977NinaAntônio Torres Galba1978Dancin' DaysAlberico Santos1979Os GigantesAntônio Lucas1980Plumas e PaetêsCristiano Mendes1981Baila ComigoOswaldir JunqueiraBrilhanteVítor Newman1982Elas por ElasMiguel Aranha1983Guerra dos SexosElizeu Giácomo (Juiz Elizeu)Louco AmorAgenor Rocha1984Padre CíceroNúncio ApostólicoPartido AltoAdamastor de Castro1985Grande Sertão: VeredasCompadre QuelememO Tempo e o VentoPadre LaraTenda dos MilagresJoão Reis (Juiz João)Um Sonho a MaisGuilhermo Del Blanco (Médico Blanco)1986CambalachoAntero Souza e SilvaRoda de FogoAntônio Villar1988O Pagador de PromessasDom Germano1989O Salvador da PátriaJoaquim Xavier (Quinzote)1990Barriga de AluguelDr. Molina1991VampJeremias Guimarães1992Perigosas PeruasDon GarciaDe Corpo e AlmaGetúlio Veiga (Desembargador Veiga)Despedida de SolteiroOtacílio de Deus (Padre Otacílio)Você DecideSeveral characters (12 Episodes) /1992-19991993AgostoAnicetoFera FeridaBernardo Prestes (Juiz de Paz)Retrato de MulherSpecial End of Year Episode1994Quatro por QuatroHenrique Pessoa1995Engraçadinha: Seus Amores e Seus PecadosOsmar Farto (Reitor Osmar)Explode CoraçãoSebastian FlitzHistória de AmorProfessor Medina1996O Fim do MundoFrei LuizQuem É Você?Aníbal Machado1998Hilda FuracãoOlavoPecado CapitalDr. AmattoTorre de BabelJoão Luiz (Padre João)1999Força de um DesejoDr. Teodoro2000Brava GenteEleutério (Episode: "Enquanto a Noite Não Chega")2001O CloneDr. Molina
Cinema YearTítle1947Asas do Brasil1947O Homem que Chutou a Consciência1948Terra Violenta1948Uma Luz na Estrada1949O Homem que Passa1950A Sombra da Outra1952Pecadora Imaculada1953Balança Mas Não Cai1957Papai Fanfarrão1959Mulheres, Cheguei!1962Assalto ao Trem Pagador1962Assassinato em Copacabana1965História de um Crápula1966Na Onda do Iê-iê-iê1966O Padre e a Moça1966Cuidado, Espião Brasileiro em Ação1966Essa Gatinha é Minha1967Na Mira do Assassino1967Terra em Transe1968A Vida Provisória1968Desesperato1968Massacre no Supermercado1969Incrível, Fantástico, Extraordinário1969Pedro Diabo Ama Rosa Meia-Noite1969Tempo de Violência1969O Bravo Guerreiro1970Os Herdeiros1970Badalada dos Infiéis1971S. Bernardo1973Café na Cama1977Lá Menor1978O Velho Gregório1983Idolatrada
References
External links Mário Lago's official website (in Portuguese)