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Alberto Olmedo
Alberto Olmedo
Born	24 August 1933; Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Died	5 March 1988 (aged 54); Mar del Plata, Argentina

Alberto Olmedo (24 August 1933 – 5 March 1988)^[1] was an Argentine comedian and actor, popularly regarded as one of the most important comedians in the history of his country, for his outstanding work in television, cinema and theater.^[2]

Olmedo was born in the city of Rosario. In his teens, he was a gifted gymnast and an aspiring actor who tried his luck with several amateur theater companies and enjoyed some local success.

Olmedo moved to Buenos Aires in 1954. One year later, while working as a technician in Canal 7, Argentina's first television station, his improvisation skills caught the attention of the management, whom gave him acting jobs in several TV shows.

While Olmedo had a string of successful children's programs during the 1960s, he gained the most notoriety when allowed to mix slapstick, nonsense and adult-oriented entertainment.

Career

Film

Starting with Gringalet in 1959, Olmedo starred in 49 movies, including: Los Doctores las Prefieren Desnudas ^[3] (Doctors Prefer Them Naked), in 1973, Maridos en Vacaciones,^[4] (Husbands on Vacation, 1975), Fotógrafo de Señoras^[5] (Ladies' Photographer, 1978), Las Mujeres Son Cosas de Guapos^[6] (Women Are for the Brave, 1981), Los Fierecillos Indomables^[7] (The Indomitable Little Beasts, 1982), Sálvese Quien Pueda (Every Man for Himself, 1984) and Rambito y Rambón, Primera Misión^[8] (Little Rambo and Big Rambo, First Mission, 1986). His last movie was Atracción Peculiar, released shortly after his death. Los Fierecillos Indomables had a sequel in 1983.

Many of Olmedo's movies in the 1980s were adult-oriented comedies featuring Jorge Porcel and vedettes Moria Casán and Susana Giménez. Conservative Argentine authorities rated these movies as PM-18 (age 18 and above), save for a few tamer films aimed at family audiences.

The "Olmedo and Porcel" movies are considered to be the pinnacle of Argentina's sexploitation movie genre. Most of these movies were directed by Gerardo Sofovich or his brother Hugo, who also directed Olmedo's TV shows El Chupete (The Pacifier) and No Toca Botón! (Don't Touch That Button!).

Television

Olmedo's Capitán Piluso^[9] show was a hit with children in the 1960s, but he preferred working for adult audiences. After acting in the successful Operación Ja Ja weekly show, Olmedo landed his first leading role in El Chupete.

In 1976, shortly after the beginning of the military dictatorship known as the National Reorganization Process, Olmedo had his own death announced on the show. Once the truth was revealed, the actor was punished for his prank and banished from the airwaves for two years.^[10]

In the 1980s, No Toca Botón!^[11] was the highest-rated show in Argentina. In fits of improvisation, Olmedo would stray from script, tear down props, dash past the cameras and verbally abuse his fellow actors. He created popular characters such as General González, Rucucu the Ukrainian magician, the dictator of Costa Pobre (a parody of a banana republic ruler; its name is a pun on Costa Rica, since the country's name means "rich coast" and Costa Pobre means "poor coast"), and above all el Manosanta ("the miracle healer"), a multi-level parody on charlatans of all stripes and Argentines' reckless pursuit of sex and money.

Those years saw the blooming of a partnership with character actor Javier Portales, who provided a counterweight to Olmedo's wild improvising.

Olmedo, who was nicknamed el Negro, would evoke his Rosario background by using Rosario slang and narrating implausible stories about his childhood exploits.

Death

Olmedo died in the resort city of Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, on 5 March 1988.^[12] According to police reports, he slipped off his eleventh-floor apartment's balcony. It is believed that he tried, possibly under the influence of alcohol or cocaine, to perform a high-wire stunt on the balcony and lost his balance.^[13] The only witness to his last moments was girlfriend Nancy Herrera, who was pregnant with his posthumous son Alberto Jr.^[14]

Olmedo married and divorced twice and had six children (including Alberto Jr.). He is buried in La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires.

References

^ "Alberto Olmedo | Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Alberto Olmedo, el Negro....Capitán Piluso -". www.universalmedios.com.ar. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017.
^ Sofovich, Gerardo (13 September 1973), Los doctores las prefieren desnudas (Comedy), Alberto Olmedo, Jorge Porcel, Javier Portales, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ Salaberry, Enrique Cahen (26 June 1975), Maridos en vacaciones (Comedy), Jorge Porcel, Alberto Olmedo, Javier Portales, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ Moser, Hugo (13 April 1978), Fotógrafo de señoras (Comedy), Jorge Porcel, Tristán, Graciela Alfano, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ Sofovich, Hugo (18 June 1981), Las mujeres son cosa de guapos (Comedy, Crime), Jorge Porcel, Alberto Olmedo, Susana Giménez, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ Carreras, Enrique (15 July 1982), Los fierecillos indomables (Comedy, Musical), Alberto Olmedo, Jorge Porcel, Susana Traverso, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ Carreras, Enrique (10 July 1986), Rambito y Rambón primera misión (Comedy), Alberto Olmedo, Jorge Porcel, Javier Portales, Aries Cinematográfica Argentina, retrieved 7 November 2023
^ El capitán Piluso (Comedy, Family), Alberto Olmedo, Humberto Ortiz, retrieved 7 November 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ "Alberto Olmedo". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). 21 January 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ No toca botón (Comedy), Susana Romero, Susana Traverso, Alberto Olmedo, Canal 9 Libertad, 10 March 1987, retrieved 7 November 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ "A 35 años de la trágica muerte de Alberto Olmedo: qué es la vida de Nancy Herrera, la última pareja del actor". Todo Noticias (in Spanish). 5 March 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Impactantes fotos de Alberto Olmedo en el día de su muerte". A24 (in Spanish). 5 March 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Eramos tan ricos". 10 February 2008.