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Silvio Santos

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Silvio Santos
Santos in 2019
Born
Senor Abravanel

(1930-12-12)12 December 1930
Rio de Janeiro, Federal District, Brazil
Died17 August 2024(2024-08-17) (aged 93)
São Paulo, Brazil
Occupations
  • Television host
  • media mogul
Years active1962–2024
TitleChairman and founder of Grupo Silvio Santos
Spouses
Maria Aparecida Vieira
​
​
(m. 1962; died 1977)​
Íris Abravanel
​
(m. 1978)​
Children6, including Patricia
Relatives
Signature

Senor Abravanel (12 December 1930 – 17 August 2024), known professionally as Sílvio Santos (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsiwvju ˈsɐ̃tus]),[1] was a Brazilian media proprietor, television producer, and television host.

He was the founder of Grupo Silvio Santos, a conglomerate that includes SBT—the second-largest television network in Brazil. He was the host and namesake of the variety show Programa Silvio Santos, which has aired since 1963, and he hosted from 1963 through 2023. Santos has been described as one of the greatest personalities in the history of Brazilian television.[2]

Early life

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Abravanel was the son of Sephardic Jewish immigrants born in the Ottoman Empire. His father, Alberto Abravanel, was born in Thessalonica, Greece in 1897 whilst his mother, Rebecca Caro, was born in Smyrna, Turkey in 1905. Both died in Rio de Janeiro (in 1975 and 1988 respectively) and are buried side by side in the Caju Jewish Cemetery, Rio de Janeiro.[3] He was a descendant of Isaac Abrabanel, a 15th century Portuguese Jewish statesman.[4] Abravanel attended primary school at the Escola Municipal Celestino da Silva, and graduated from Colégio Estadual Amaro Cavalcanti.[4][5]

Abravanel worked on the streets of Rio de Janeiro as a street vendor at the age of 14, selling plastic cases for storing voter registration cards.[3][6][7] Impressed by his voice, he was invited to try out for a position at Radio Guanabara, but quit after a month because he made more money as a street vendor.[3][7] At the age of 18, he began service in the Brazilian Army, training as part of the Paratroopers Brigade.[1]

Broadcasting career

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As he had time off on Sundays, Abravanel revisited his pursuit of a broadcasting career by joining Rádio Mauá. He later moved to Rádio Tupi, and added another position at Rádio Continental in Niterói—to which he travelled by ferry from Rio. Seeing an opportunity in adding entertainment for passengers, he began a business venture of bringing a PA system aboard the ferry to play music and commercials. Abravanel quit Rádio Continental to focus on the ferry venture instead, which proved successful. After the ferry company added bars to the ships, Santos spearheaded raffle promotions where passengers could receive a ticket by buying a beverage.[4][7]

Abravanel adopted the professional name Silvio Santos; his mother Caro had taken to calling him "Silvio" instead of "Senor" as it was easier to pronounce,[1] while his surname stemmed from having once said "que todos os Santos me ajudem" ("may all the Saints help me") before going on the air.[1]

Baú da Felicidade, television work

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Santos would later move to São Paulo, taking a job at Rádio Nacional de São Paulo, and beginning other ventures such as a magazine, and a circus caravan—where he would continue a focus on raffles as an aspect of his businesses.[4] One of the advertisers Santos would work with at the station was Manuel de Nóbrega, entertainer and co-owner of Baú da Felicidade—a company that offered Christmas toy chests that customers could pay for in installments throughout the year. However, after the company faced financial issues (including Manuel's German partner taking the money for himself, the company being unable to deliver on its orders, and its "headquarters" being a largely empty basement), Manuel transferred the business to Santos—who would go on to establish a partnership with the Estrela toy company, and expand the program by allowing customers to redeem for other items besides toys.[4]

In 1960, TV Paulista signed Santos to host a television program—Vamos Brincar de Forca—which would incorporate variety entertainment and raffles, and be used as a platform to promote Baú da Felicidade.[4][7] He would also go on to host other programs for TV Tupi. In 1963, he moved to a Sunday afternoon variety show on TV Paulista, Programa Silvio Santos.[4][8] In 1966, TV Paulista became part of the new Rede Globo, which signed Santos to a five-year deal. In 1971, Santos began to present the Troféu Imprensa, an awards presentation for Brazilian television. He opened a studio, Estudios Silvio Santos Cinema e Televisao, at the former facilities of TV Excelsior in 1974.[4]

TVS and SBT

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Santos in the early 70's

In the early-1970s, Rede Globo began to institute a new quality standard for its programming in order to help improve viewership, with a stronger focus on novellas, news, sports, and films; Santos began to experience conflicts with the network due to these policies, and almost left in 1972. Santos sought to establish his own channel, but his contract with Globo prevented him from holding ownership stakes in a competitor. In the interim, Santos had a partner—Dermerval Gonçalves—covertly offer to acquire a stake in TV Record on his behalf to keep his programming on the air in São Paulo.[9][10]

When the Brazilian government began taking applications for a new VHF station in Rio on channel 11, Santos would bid for its concession with the support of Manuel de Nóbrega and other television personalities (including Carlos Eduardo Imperial, who had previously been critical of Santos' programming). Santos would be awarded the concession for channel 11 in December 1975, becoming the first Brazilian television artist to own a broadcast station.[4]

To get the station on-air as quickly as possible, Santos purchased transmission equipment at auction from TV Continental, which had closed in 1971. While the equipment was initially dismissed as junk by the press, it was discovered that all of the equipment was in working order, and capable of broadcasting in colour (with its use by Continental pre-dating the official introduction of PAL-M colour television in 1972). The new station—known as TVS—first broadcast on 14 May 1976.[4][11] Programa Silvio Santos would subsequently move from Globo to TVS in August; it would also be simulcast on TV Record (with Santos having completed his purchase of a 50% stake), and Rede Tupi.[11]

Silvio Santos in the TV program "First Brazilian Championship of New Singers", 1972. National Archives of Brazil.

In July 1980, Rede Tupi was closed by the military dictatorship, and the federal government began to take bids on its stations' concessions. Santos was among several parties placing bids, and commissioned a survey from the IBOPE that displayed public support for him as an owner. In 1981, the stations would be awarded to Grupo Silvio Santos and Grupo Bloch, with Santos awarded Tupi's former signals in São Paulo and Porto Alegre. His victory in São Paulo was criticized by a local broadcasters' union, who lamented TVS's programming as "canned goods", and felt that Santos only wanted to sell more Baú da Felicidade cards.[12]

The São Paulo station signed on 19 August 1981, officially launching the Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão (SBT); the upstart network would benefit from Santos' popularity.[4] Meanwhile, Bloch's stations became the core of Rede Manchete.[4][13] Santos had also won the concession for a station in Rio; this station would be transferred to Paulinho Machado de Carvalho, and operate as an affiliate of TV Record.[4] By the late-1980s, SBT became more established, acquiring popular film rights,[14] and signing names such as Hebe Camargo, Carlos Alberto de Nóbrega, and Jô Soares.[15] He also personally intervened with Globo's head Roberto Marinho to keep Gugu Liberato (who had hosted a late-night talk show for SBT) from defecting to the competitor. Santos would, in turn, offer Liberato a major pay raise, and prominent roles in SBT's Sunday lineup.[16]

Further projects

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In 1989, 20 days before the Brazil's first direct presidential election since 1960, Santos announced that he would run as a candidate for the Brazilian Municipalist Party. However, the party was delisted from the ballot shortly afterward due to multiple technicalities.[17][18] Amid financial issues at the broadcaster, agreements were reached to sell Rede Record to Edir Macedo, founder of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.[19]

In 1991, Santos would premiere one of his most popular series, the hidden camera show Topa Tudo por Dinheiro. Adapted from the American series Candid Camera,[20] the show would introduce a trademark of Santos throwing paper planes made from banknotes into the studio audience as prizes (a practice that, at one point, drew the ire of the Central Bank of Brazil), and the accompanying catchphrase "Quem quer dinheiro?" ("Who wants money?").[21]

Santos with the Tradição samba school during the 2001 Rio Carnival.[22]

In 1999, Santos premiered Show do Milhão, a game show that was influenced by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (which would not have a local version until 2017, hosted by Luciano Huck for Globo) and become a major success for SBT through the early-2000s.[23][24]

In October 2001, Santos entered the reality television market by premiering Casa dos Artistas. The show was inspired by the Dutch format Big Brother; Santos had attempted to acquire the local rights to the format for SBT, but lost to Globo. The series was developed in secret, and only revealed on its premiere date of 28 October 2001—beating Globo's Big Brother Brasil to air, and drawing away viewers from Globo's highly-viewed newsmagazine Fantástico. Its similarities to Big Brother led to Globo briefly reaching an injunction to halt its broadcast, but Casa would later return to air. The first season was successful, with SBT averaging 46 ratings points.[25][26]

By the 2000s, Programa Silvio Santos was primarily structured as a block of multiple Sunday-afternoon programs rather than as a singular variety show, with Santos focusing more on hosting individual programs (particularly on Wednesday nights). In 2008, Programa Silvio Santos was revived as a variety show, with Santos reviving classic segments and features.[27][28]

With a net worth of US$3.2 billion, Santos was the single biggest individual/natural person taxpayer in Brazil.[29]

Departure from television work

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In 2020, Programa Silvio Santos went on a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filled mainly by compilations of classic segments from past episodes of the series and other programs Santos had hosted. In December 2020, the presenter celebrated his 90th birthday privately with his family.[30] In July 2021, Programa Silvio Santos briefly returned to filming for the first time since 2020, but was halted again after Santos was infected with COVID-19.[31]

In October 2021, Santos' daughter Patricia Abravanel began to serve as a guest host, filling in for Santos.[32] In April 2022, Santos returned to the program for the first time in eight months, marked by an appearance as a surprise opponent for Ratinho in the show's "Jogo das Três Pistas" game.[33] However, his return would be brief, as Santos began to steadily reduce his involvement in television work. Santos would step down as host of his titular program, with his final episode airing on 26 February 2023; at this time, Patricia took over as the permanent host of Programa Silvio Santos, but Santos would continue to make occasional appearances on the program and other SBT specials.[34][35][36] Santos would also step down from his role as vice president of SBT in April 2023, in favor of his daughter Daniela Beyruti.[37] Despite these moves, Santos did not officially announce a retirement.[37]

Legacy

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Due to his extremely charismatic personality, Silvio was one of the most influential and beloved people in Brazil, and was considered to be a "timeless" figure of Brazilian entertainment.[38] In an obituary after his death, Argentine newspaper Clarín lamented Santos' skills and self-confidence on-air.[39]

Santos's other trademark was wearing a full-size microphone on his chest (although he would eventually abandon this practice in late 2014).

Silvio Santos was portrayed by José Rubens Chachá in the 2022 biographical television series O Rei da TV.[40] He was also portrayed by Rodrigo Faro in the 2024 biographical film Silvio.[41][42]

Death

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Main article: Death of Silvio Santos

Santos died due to a bronchopneumonia, a complication provoked by H1N1, in São Paulo, on 17 August 2024. He was 93, and had been hospitalized at Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital since the beginning of August.[43][44][45]

His body was not veiled and was buried in Israelite Cemetery of Butantã.[46] He did not want tributes or large wakes, which was respected by the family. Because he was Jewish, he was buried, since he could not be cremated.[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Editora, On Line; Editora, Grandes Ídolos On Line (18 September 2017). Te Contei? Grandes Ídolos Edição Luxo (Silvio Santos) Ed.01. On Line Editora.
  2. ^ "Silvio Santos presidente 'teria sido revolucionário', diz autor". UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Behind the Headlines: Jewish Tv Celebrity is a Favorite in Brazilian Elections Next Week". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 8 November 1989. Archived from the original on 7 August 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Silva, Arlindo (2002). A fantástica história de Silvio Santos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora do Brasil. ISBN 978-85-10-03063-2.
  5. ^ Dimenstein, Gilberto (21 May 2000). "O judeu Silvio Santos e o câncer" [The Jewish Silvio Santos and cancer]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 9 October 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Conheça a carreira do empresário Senor Abravanel, o Sílvio Santos" [Learn about the career of businessman Senor Abravanel, Sílvio Santos]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 30 August 2001. Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d "De camelô a bilionário, conheça trajetória de Silvio Santos" [From street vendor to billionaire, learn about Silvio Santos' career]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). 26 December 2014. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  8. ^ Feltrin, Ricardo (28 February 2001). "Silvio Santos faz auditoria em empresas e deve vender a Vimave" [Silvio Santos audits companies and is expected to sell Vimave]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  9. ^ Stycer, Mauricio (14 December 2020). "Silvio e Boni já 'se estranharam' várias vezes em 50 anos de TV" [Silvio and Boni have weirded each other several times in 50 years of TV]. UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Como Silvio Santos virou patrão". Observatório da Imprensa (in Brazilian Portuguese). 16 November 2010. Archived from the original on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b de Castro, Thell (8 May 2016). "Há 40 anos, Silvio Santos colocava no ar sua primeira emissora de televisão". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Governo concede TVs aos grupos Bloch e Silvio Santos". Jornal do Brasil. 20 March 1981. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  13. ^ Stycer, Mauricio (27 August 2018). "Silvio sobre Figueiredo: 'Se não fosse ele, eu tava vendendo caneta na Sé'". UOL TV e Famosos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  14. ^ de Castro, Thell (23 June 2019). "Em guerra com a Globo, Silvio Santos mandou o público ver Rambo na rival em 1988". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  15. ^ de Castro, Thell (8 August 2014). "Em 1987, Silvio Santos interrompeu telejornal para anunciar Jô Soares". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  16. ^ de Castro, Thell (22 August 2016). "Em 1988, Silvio Santos barrou Gugu na Globo com proposta milionária". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  17. ^ Bächtold, Felipe (18 February 2018). "Candidatura de Silvio Santos levou eleição presidencial à Justiça em 1989". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  18. ^ Oliveira, Felipe (12 September 2014). "Há 25 anos, Silvio Santos tentou presidência; você votaria?". Terra. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  19. ^ "PF: compra da Record pode ter sido irregular". O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 31 May 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Opinião - O Curioso: Relembre os quadros mais famosos de pegadinhas na televisão brasileira". Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 5 January 2024. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  21. ^ CASTRO, THELL DE (9 December 2018). "Ostentação de Silvio Santos entrou na mira do Banco Central; saiba por quê". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Silvio Santos ficou 'muito contente' com convite para ser enredo, diz presidente – Setor 1" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  23. ^ Gois, Ancelmo (26 April 2017). "Luciano Huck começa a gravar seu novo quadro: 'Quem quer ser um milionário?'". Ancelmo - O Globo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  24. ^ Forato, Thiago (9 November 2019). "Problemas de direitos autorais e mania nacional: A incrível história do Show do Milhão". NaTelinha (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  25. ^ Alves, Martha (12 October 2021). "Casa dos Artistas faz 20 anos: conheça bastidores e a história do programa". F5 (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  26. ^ Castro, Daniel; Mattos, Laura (1 November 2001). "Juiz proíbe exibição de programa do SBT". Folha de S.Paulo. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  27. ^ Castro, Daniel (25 May 2008). "Programa Silvio Santos volta com pegadinha e aviãozinho". Folha de S.Paulo. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  28. ^ "Gugu Liberato: de menino prodígio a empresário de sucesso". Revista Fórum (in Brazilian Portuguese). 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  29. ^ "'Forbes': Silvio Santos e Edir Macedo entram em lista de bilionários" [Forbes: Silvio Santos and Edir Macedo join the list of billionaires]. Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 March 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  30. ^ "Aos 90 anos, Silvio Santos mantém audiência mesmo com reprises". Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). 11 December 2020. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  31. ^ pipocamoderna. "Sílvio Santos é internado com covid-19". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  32. ^ "SBT coloca Patrícia Abravanel no comando do Programa Silvio Santos". NaTelinha (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  33. ^ "Fefito - Silvio Santos volta a gravar seu programa do SBT nestas terça e quinta". www.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  34. ^ "'Não é mais aquela pessoa': qual foi a última aparição de Silvio no SBT?". UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  35. ^ REDAÇÃO (11 February 2023). "Aposentadoria? Aos 92 anos, Silvio Santos não deve voltar mais aos domingos". Notícias da TV (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  36. ^ Dracz, Juliana. "Com Patricia Abravanel no comando, SBT altera logo do programa Silvio Santos". observatoriodatv.uol.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Silvio Santos chega aos 93 anos recluso e longe da TV". R7 Entretenimento (in Brazilian Portuguese). 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  38. ^ "'Ícone da TV': morte de Silvio repercute na imprensa internacional". UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  39. ^ "'Ícone da TV': morte de Silvio repercute na imprensa internacional". UOL (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  40. ^ "O Rei da TV: série sobre Silvio Santos chega ao Disney+". disney.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 16 August 2023. Archived from the original on 20 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  41. ^ Bravo, Zean (14 May 2024). "Filme sobre Silvio Santos estrelado por Rodrigo Faro tem novas cenas divulgadas: 'Sonhava em ser como ele'". Extra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  42. ^ "Rodrigo Faro fala sobre viver Silvio Santos no cinema; Luciano Huck e Marcos Mion também comentam inspiração". Globo.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 August 2024. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  43. ^ "Silvio Santos morre aos 93 anos em São Paulo" [Silvio Santos dies at age 93 in Sao Paulo]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo. 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  44. ^ "Silvio Santos, um dos maiores comunicadores da TV brasileira, morre aos 93 anos" [Silvio Santos, one of the greatest communicators on Brazilian TV, dies at 93]. CNN Brazil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  45. ^ "Morre Silvio Santos, figura mitológica da televisão brasileira, aos 93 anos" [Silvio Santos, a mythological figure on Brazilian television, dies at 93]. Púbico (in European Portuguese). 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  46. ^ "Em cerimônia judaica, Silvio Santos é enterrado no Cemitério Israelita do Butantã, Zona Oeste de SP" [In a Jewish ceremony, Silvio Santos is buried in the Israeli Cemetery of Butantã, West Zone of SP]. G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 August 2024. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  47. ^ Oliveira, Fábia (17 August 2024). "Morre Silvio Santos; apresentador estava internado há 17 dias" [Silvio Santos dies; the presenter had been hospitalized for 17 days]. Metrópoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.

Further reading

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  • Grinberg, Keila (2005). Os judeus no Brasil. Editora Record. ISBN 85-200-0699-X.
  • Silva, Arlindo (2002). A fantástica história de Sílvio Santos. Editora do Brasil. ISBN 85-10-03063-4.
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