Rubens de Falco

Rubens de Falco da Costa (October 19, 1931 – August 22, 2008) was a Brazilian actor best known for his work in telenovelas, most notably his portrayal as a slave owner in the 1976 telenovela, Escrava Isaura (The Slave Isaura) and the 1986 telenovela Sinhá Moça (Little Missy).[1][2]

Rubens de Falco
Rubens de Falco.jpg
Rubens de Falco, 2007
Born
Rubens de Falco da Costa

(1931-10-19)October 19, 1931
DiedAugust 22, 2008(2008-08-22) (aged 76)
São Paulo, Brazil
OccupationActor
Years active1952–2008

Career

De Falco was born in São Paulo, Brazil on October 19, 1931. He began his acting career in the local theater. In 1955, he joined the group "Os Jograis", of São Paulo, and played beside such actors as Ruy Afonso, Italo Rossi and Felipe Wagner. He made his cinema debut in 1952, in the movie Apassionata, for the movie studio Companhia Cinematográfica Vera Cruz.

In television, he had big roles in telenovelas such as O Rei dos Ciganos (1967), A Rainha Louca (1967), O Passo dos Ventos (1968), Gabriela (1975), O Grito (1975), Escrava Isaura (1976), Dona Xepa (1977), A Sucessora (1978) and Sinhá Moça (1986).

Perhaps his best-known work came in 1976, when he played the cruel villain Leôncio Almeida, a powerful farm owner and ruthless slave owner in the telenovela Escrava Isaura.[1] De Falco's character, Leôncio Almeida, fell in love with one of his slaves, played by Brazilian actress Lucélia Santos.[1]

Escrava Isaura was very popular around the world and became a hit in Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.[1] Escrava Isaura was the first soap opera ever broadcast in Poland and Soviet Union and became the first television series shown in China with a foreign actors in main roles.[1] Rubens de Falco, who played Leôncio Almeida as one of his most famous roles, was called "the great villain of Brazilian television drama" by Lucélia Santos.[1]

He again played a powerful farm owner and ruthless slave owner, the cruel villain Baron de Araruna in the 1986 telenovela, Sinhá Moça alongside Lucélia Santos who starred this time as his rebellious daughter.

De Falco's last television role was as Almeida in 2004 in the Rede Record remake of A Escrava Isaura,[1] and his last movie and acting role was as Deputado Ernesto Alves in 2008 in Fim da Linha.

Death

Rubens de Falco died on February 22, 2008, of heart failure at the CIAI Center for the Aged in São Paulo, Brazil.[1] He never married, had no children and left no heirs.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1952 Appassionata
1953 Esquina da Ilusão
1954 Floradas na Serra
1957 O Capanga
1957 O Pão Que o Diabo Amassou
1959 Moral em Concordata Narrator Voice
1966 Engraçadinha Depois dos Trinta
1966 Essa Gatinha é Minha
1968 O Homem Que Comprou o Mundo
1969 Tempo de Violência
1969 O Impossível Acontece (segment "Eu, Ela e o Outro")
1970 Anjos e Demônios Prosecutor
1971 Uma Pantera em Minha Cama
1972 Missão: Matar John Dorcas
1972 A Difícil Vida Fácil Ricardo
1973 Café na Cama Flávio
1974 O Mau-Caráter
1975 O Sósia da Morte Narciso
1975 O Homem da Cabeça de Ouro
1975 Nós, Os Canalhas
1975 Deixa, Amorzinho... Deixa
1977 Este Rio Muito Louco (segment "Fátima Todo Amor")
1978 Colonel Delmiro Gouveia Delmiro Gouveia
1978 A Dama de Branco
1979 Os Foragidos da Violência
1981 Pixote Juiz
1984 Macho y hembra Vicente
1985 La hora Texaco
1986 Un hombre de éxito Iriarte
1986 O Monge e a Filha do Carrasco Saltmaster
2001 Sonhos Tropicais General Travassos
2008 Fim da Linha Deputado Ernesto Alves (last acting role)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Brazilian telenovela actor Rubens de Falco, star of The Slave Isaura, dies at 76. 22 February 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/22/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-Obit-De-Falco.php. Retrieved 24 February 2008. 
  2. "Little Missy (1986)". Internet Movie Database.

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