Jorge Porcel

Jorge Raúl Porcel de Peralta (Buenos Aires, September 7, 1936-Miami, May 16, 2006) was an Argentine actor, comedian and singer. From a young age he dedicated himself to comedy, and in his films he also worked, making a memorable comedy duo with Alberto Olmedo.

Career

His beginnings on the radio

In 1958, Jorge Porcel was performing imitations in a restaurant in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Barracas when he was discovered by the popular Uruguayan entertainer Juan Carlos Mareco, who recommended him the following year for the radio program La Revista Dislocada. In this historic program, created by Délfor Dicásolo, he had as companions, among others, Carlitos Balá, Mario Sapag, Nelly Beltrán and Raúl Rossi.

Career as a film actor

His debut on the big screen was in 1962 with Disloque en Mar del Plata, but his first leading role was in 1964 with the film El gordo Villanueva. His consolidation at an international level occurred, without a doubt, with his famous duet with Alberto Olmedo, one of the most remembered in Argentine television and cinema, through dozens of films during the 1970s and a good part of the 1980s. The collaborations of the same guest actors with supporting roles of diverse styles were common, such as Javier Portales, Mario Sánchez, Adolfo García Grau, Tincho Zabala, Moria Casán and Susana Giménez, with whom they appeared in several films. Some of them were part of the cast of television programs they presented. The themes were diverse, but in general they were characterized by being light comedies, with high sexual content (some semi-nude females) and aimed at an adult audience.

Certain films (although they were Olmedo's or Porcel's own separately) had brief appearances by their respective partner. This very particular situation made it difficult to associate one actor without the presence of the other. Most were directed by Gerardo Sofovich or his brother Hugo Sofovich. A few were by Enrique Carreras, without losing the thematic line. Already in the 1980s they made films with a more family-oriented tone. After the premiere of his last film with Alberto Olmedo (Peculiar Attraction) was overshadowed by the death of his partner and friend in March 1988, Porcel decided to take on another life role. However, he films with the usual direction of Enrique Carreras the last film that he would make in Argentina, called The Punk Professor . It was officially released on July 7, 1988, just 4 months after the accident that caused Olmedo's death. At the end, a dedication to his friend is seen on the screen. By 1993, already living in the United States, he appeared with a brief role in Hollywood cinema, personifying 'Saso'. in Brian De Palma's film Carlito's Way, alongside Al Pacino. This would be his last film.

Career as a television actor

In 1965 he was part of the first incarnation of the program Operación Ja-Já, by the brothers Gerardo Sofovich and Hugo Sofovich.

In 1969 he joined the legendary group of Elbotton, by Gerardo and Hugo Sofovich, sharing a cast with Alberto Olmedo, Fidel Pintos, Juan Carlos Altavista, Haydeé Padilla, Mario Sapag, Tristán, Adolfo García Grau, Ernesto Bianco, Jorge Salcedo, Pepe Soriano, Javier Portales, María Rosa Fugazot, Dorys del Valle, Gogó Andreu, Carmen Morales, Mabel Manzotti and Vicente La Russa.

In 1972 he joined the board of Polemica en el bar, by Gerardo Sofovich, along with other actors such as Javier Portales, Fidel Pintos, Juan Carlos Altavista and Adolfo García Grau. That same year he teamed up for the first time with Alberto Olmedo - something that would be repeated many times in the cinema - for the program Fresco y Batata . The duo installed a new comedy model known as picaresque comedy, very successful in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978 he hosted El Tio Porcel dedicated to children.

At the beginning of the 1980s he worked on two Gerardo Sofovich programs that surpassed 60 audience rating points: Polemica en el bar, where he made a memorable duo with Juan Carlos Altavista and also shared the table with Javier Portales, Mario Sánchez, Julio de Grazia and Rolo Puente; and Operation Ja-Já , where he replaced Fidel Pintos to recreate a character tailored to him, the hairdresser Don Mateo .

After years of success, he starred - supported by a cast but where he was already the exclusive figure - programs such as Operación Porcel, Did you see Porcel? (broadcast on Channel 11 and where he sang the bolero Sabor a mí together with the Polish tango singer Goyeneche) and The fattest circus in the world. At the end of that decade, on Channel 9, he made the program Las Gatitas y Mice de Porcel , where he stood out for his characters: & # 34; El Rofo & # 34; ―satire of the newspaper seller "El Rafa"―, the Butcher and the "Tota" ―caricature of a Buenos Aires neighbor―, along with the prominent Argentine comedian Jorge Luz, who composed "La Porota". In 1990, on the same channel, he tried to repeat the success of The Gatitas y Mice with a new short-lived cycle on the screen, Las bebitas y bebotes de Porcel, in which adopted a more innocent and naive humor, which was not well accepted by the public.

Then he put his career on hold to move to the United States, where he made the program A la cama con Porcel, which was very successful among the Argentine community residing in the United States.

In 1994, already based in the United States, he returned for a while to Argentina to perform on the Telefé channel a cycle with Jorge Luz, who was his last work on local television, entitled The Tota and the Porota, which was based on a form of family and innocent humor, which also failed to repeat the success of the spicy cycles of the 1980s.

In Chile, it was presented in the program Jappening with JaIn the sketch The office like Mr. Petete, as well as in the program To the luck of the pot.

Race as a theatre actor

He debuted in the magazine in 1966 and always stood out in that category in Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata. Among the many works that he performed are: The Gala Maipo (1976), written and directed by Gerardo Sofovich, along with Ethel Rojo, Alberto Olmedo, Adolfo García Grau, Carmen Barbieri and Enrique Pinti; In the Astros, the stars (1975), also by Gerardo Sofovich, with Susana Giménez, Tristan and Vicente Rubino; The magazine never seen (1978), with Ethel Rojo, Olmedo, Don Pelele and Juan Carlos Calabró; The Super Star Magazine (1981), together with Moria Casán, Olmedo and Susana Giménez; We keep breaking the waves. (1982), with the book and address of Hugo Sofovich with Casán, Olmedo and Portales; Prohibited (1983), together with Olmedo, Patricia Dal and Mario Sapag. In 1974, Jorge Porcel led a cast that completed Nélida Roca and Susana Giménez in the Astros theater that had a great influx of audience (sold 285 000 entries), The Gold MagazineGerardo Sofovich. He also led and starred in comedy works like Isn't it thin? and It all rotted. on Avenida Corrientes de Buenos Aires.

Music

In 1980 he recorded the bolero album Puro corazón. Jorge Porcel was a music lover and in his programs he sang boleros, as in Las Gatitas y Mouses de Porcel (where he was usually accompanied by the pianist Mike Ribas) and in Did you see him Porcel?. With his character of Don Mateo he participated in an album of the program Operación Ja-Já , singing with Rolo Puente the hit by Leo Dan "Libre, solterito y sin Nadie."

Cartoon

In the 1970s, for several years, Cielosur Editora published several magazines dedicated to television characters, such as Piluso, Minguito and el Gordo Porcel. The Adventures of Gordo Porcel was the title of the one dedicated to Jorge. The usual plot - with drawings by Francisco Mazza - consisted of Fatty getting into various troubles and confusions, in the time left by the meals that his mother, with whom he lived, prepared for him. Other regular characters were his girlfriend and his dog Banana, who had his own comic strip.

Change of course

Olmedo's sudden and premature death significantly marked the course of Porcel's life. He filmed his penultimate film, The Punk Professor, released on July 7, 1988 in Argentina, and at the beginning of 1991 he decided to settle permanently in the city of Miami, United States, initially motivated by an offer to present a nightly variety show for adults called A la cama con Porcel / To the Bed with Porcel, where it debuted on January 14, 1991 on the Telemundo television network.

In 1993 he participated in the famous film Carlito's Way, as part of the cast led by actor Al Pacino. This would be his last film foray, after an extensive career. In 1995 and until the last days of his life, he converted to evangelical Christianity, and became a pastor. He even harshly questioned his previous life full of excesses, & # 34; kittens & # 34; and luxuries, admitting that money and popularity is ephemeral, but the warmth and affection of the public is eternal. Also during those years he created a restaurant serving Argentine and Italian food in Miami, called A la pasta con Porcel , adorned with images and caricatures that recalled his time as an actor.

His last years of life

In the late 1990s, Porcel's health began to deteriorate. He tried various diets without success. Then diabetes was added that complicated her clinical condition. 'El Gordo', as he was known in the entertainment world, suffered for several years from Parkinson's disease and spinal problems that forced him to move around in a wheelchair. In December 2005 he had undergone an appendix operation from which he had recovered favorably. In a press release in 2006, the official spokesperson for the family, Alberto Ávila, indicated: "Porcel had already sold a restaurant he owned in Miami, and the only thing he was doing was finishing a series of books on Evangelical Christianity, a faith he professed. »

Death

Jorge Porcel died on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at the age of 69, due to a complication of a gallbladder operation to which he had undergone. He suffered cardiorespiratory arrest at Mercy Hospital in Miami. According to his spokesperson, Ávila, Porcel died at 7:20 p.m.: "Jorge had overcome several interventions he had previously undergone, but his excess weight, which was always something quite complex, and Parkinson's disease "They had put him through a difficult time during the last years of his life (...), they led him to the final outcome of cardiorespiratory arrest which led to his death," Ávila explained. His remains were laid to rest in the United States and then transferred to Argentina for burial in the Chacarita cemetery. Due to his profession of evangelical faith, the family avoided the funeral chapel in the cemetery and held a small farewell ceremony in the Pantheon of Actors celebrated by a pastor related to his faith.

Transcendence

Jorge Porcel is considered one of the most important comedians in Argentina, both alone and in a duo with Alberto Olmedo. Porcel left several phrases that remained in popular language, the most remembered being:

• It's years!
• Isn't it thin?
• Juan Carlos Altavista in his character of Minguito Tinguitella told him “What did I do, Tri?”

[A Porcel] We said, "The Chancho." Obviously the nickname was hidden. We said to him, "Gordo", "Chancho" was private.

Susana Giménez

Another of the nicknames they used to refer to Porcel was Gordel. Gerardo Sofovich had worn it, describing it as 'the greatest thing that Buenos Aires had'.

Several actresses and vedettes who worked with Porcel - such as Noemí Alan, Moria Casán, Susana Giménez and Beatriz Salomón - commented in the media that the comedian was often a bad person:

On many occasions, Jorge forgot the concept he had to express, made a gargar sound and added with great pride: "Listen to me, baby, why don't you walk?" And when I turned around, he said, "People look at you for this" (and I pointed out the tail). There was an attitude of contempt and he did not take care of his mistake. [...] In the first season I banished all of this. From the second, I said stop. I told Gerardo Sofovich that if [Porcel] followed this mechanic I was going to insult him in the segment that was broadcast live. From that instance it never bothered me again. [...] He mistreated and despised, above all, the people who were below his level. Sofovich sent him to the fuck and the Fat didn't even squaw. He then used this same mechanic, like the galliner's law. Brother [Tito Porcel] treated him the same way. In a very despotic way, he was like a kind of servant. I remember that at that time Tito lived in a very coming house less in Avellaneda. [...] Then I shared in my house of Mar del Plata some dinners with Porcel and his partner, Luisita Albinoni, of whom I became very friendly. We had the ravioles that my old lady did. We also went to eat some wave restaurants back then and Porcel devoured the food. It was impressive to see him eat, three or four dishes was the least.

Noemí Alan

Porcel was not wanted, he was a bad person. We were partners, but not friends. He wasn't a good partner. [...] With him [Alberto Olmedo] was different, we were friends.

Susana Giménez

Theatre

• Very good. (1967, Teatro Maipo) with Don Pelele, Ámbar La Fox, Rafael Carret, Hilda Mayo, Amparito Castro, Marianito Bauzá, Pedro Sombra, Adolfo García Grau and Hugo del Carril
• Minifalditis (1968, Teatro Maipo) with Rafael Carret, Zaima Beleño, Osvaldo Pacheco, Pochi Grey, Lila Zaida, Jovita Luna and the duo (Anchart/Bal).
• The 40 springs (1968, Teatro Maipo) with Osvaldo Pacheco, Zaima Beleño, Juan Carlos Altavista, Pochi Grey, Pedro Sombra, Violeta Rivas and Néstor Fabián
• Buenos Aires 2001/Scan it at the Maipo (1969, Maipo Theatre) with Jorge Luz, Hilda Mayo, Alberto Anchart, Gladys Lorens, Liana Duamine, Elvia Evans, Pedro Sombra, Ruth During and Los Bombos Tehuelches
• The Maipo on the New Moon (1969, Maipo Theatre) with Don Pelele, Alberto Anchart, Norma Pons, Mimí Pons, Carlos Scazziotta, Pedro Sombra, Adriana Parets, Gloria Prat, Rocky Pontoni
• The Maipazo of the Year (1971, Teatro Maipo) starring José Marrone and Nélida Lobato with Don Pelele, Haydée Padilla, Alberto Anchart, Adriana Parets, Los Ranqueles, Sal Angélica, Oscar Valicelli, Herman the unusual, The Royal Bluebell Girls and Ricardo Ferrante
• Great spike in the Maipo (1972, Maipo Theatre) starring Nélida Lobato with Haydée Padilla, Juan Carlos Altavista, Norman Briski, Mónica Lander, Elizabeth Aidil, Oscar Valicelli, Julio Fedel and The Royal Bluebell Girls
• Depiplume's still walking. (1973, Teatro Maipo) with Haydée Padilla, Juan Carlos Calabró, Beba Granados, Pochi Grey, Oscar Valicelli, Susana Rubio and Julio Fedel
• Maipo Superstar (1973, Maipo Theatre) with Ethel Rojo, Gogó Rojo, Dringue Farías, Osvaldo Pacheco, Juan Carlos Calabró, Virginia Luque, Gladys Llorens and Oscar Varicelli
• La Revista de Oro, by Gerardo Sofovich (1974, Teatro Astros) with Nélida Roca, Susana Giménez, Alfredo Barbieri, Don Pelele, Nelly Lainez, Vicente Rubino, Fidel Pintos, Carlos Scazziota, Alberto Irízar, Mario Sánchez, Karen Mails, Tita e Isabel Coel, Mirtha Amat and Rorian Zambelli
• In the Astros, the stars (1975, Teatro Astros), by Gerardo Sofovich, with Susana Giménez, Tristan and Vicente Rubino
• The Gala Maipo (1976, Teatro Maipo) by Gerardo Sofovich with Ethel Rojo, Alberto Olmedo, Adolfo García Grau, Alberto Irízar, Tristan, Pedro Sombra, Miguel Jordan, Guadalupe, Argentina Trio, guest monologuist Enrique Pinti and the Vedette Carmen Barbieri.
• The magazine never seen (1978), with Ethel Rojo, Olmedo, Don Pelele, Juan Carlos Calabró
• Don't break the waves. (1981, Teatro Ópera, Mar del Plata) with Alberto Olmedo, Susana Giménez and Moria Casán.
• The Super Star Magazine (1981, Teatro Metropolitan, Buenos Aires – Mar del Plata) with Alberto Olmedo, Susana Giménez and Moria Casán.
• We keep breaking the waves. (1982, Mar del Plata), with book and address of Hugo Sofovich with Casán, Olmedo and Portales
• The shrink in the magazine (1982, Metropolitan Theatre) together with Alberto Olmedo, Moria Casán, Pimpinela, Valeria Lynch and Elenco
• Prohibited (1983), together with Olmedo, Patricia Dal and Mario Sapag
• Isn't it thin? (1985-1986, Teatro Provincial de Mar del Plata and Teatro Astral de Buenos Aires) together with Jorge Luz, Katja Alemann, Judith Gabbani, Sandra Villarruel, Irem Bekter, Horacio Heredia and Guillermo Blanco.
• There's party in the conventillo. (1988-1989, Teatro Provincial de Mar del Plata; Teatro Brodway and Teatro Metrópolis in Buenos Aires) together with Jorge Luz, Beatriz Solomon, Adriana Brodsky, Tito Mendoza, Leticia Moreira, Alberto Mazzini and Cecilia Novoa.
• It all rotted. (1989-1990, Teatro Provincial de Mar del Plata) together with Jorge Luz, Beatriz Solomon, Delfor Medina, Leticia Moreira, Tito Mendoza, Alberto Mazzini, Judith Gabbani, Andrea del Frate, Sandy Brandauer, Cecilia Oviedo, Rita Riviera, Guillermo Gramuglia (bailarín).

(He also participated in other works of the "review" genre.)

Cinema

• 1964: Disloque en Mar del Plata
• 1964: Fat Villanueva
• 1965: Shoot in the prison
• 1967: Villa Honey
• 1968: Car bed, accommodation
• 1968: Villa Honey is burning
• 1969: Naked in the sand
• 1969: The Bulín Pyola Flower 1969
• 1970: Dominguera Passion (not commercially released).
• 1973: The Knights of the Round Bed
• 1973: Today it's my wife's turn
• 1973: Doctors prefer naked.
• 1973: The house of love
• 1974: Vampires prefer them gorditos
• 1974: You have to break the routine.
• 1975: My girlfriend the transvestite
• 1975: Husbands on holiday
• 1976: The fat of America
• 1976: Men just think about it.
• 1977: Enough women
• 1977: Tourists want war
• 1977: Fat catastrophe
• 1978: Photographer of ladies
• 1978: Very close meetings with ladies of any kind
• 1979: Custodian of ladies
• 1979: Prick experts
• 1979: The king of the exhortations (cameo)
• 1980: So there's no bed that can hold
• 1980: Surgeons are leaving their hands
• 1980: Shared Department (cameo)
• 1981: I'll break your ratings.
• 1981: Women are handsome.
• 1981: Lover for two
• 1982: A peculiar stunt
• 1982: The indomitable cuffs
• 1983: The little ones have fun
• 1983: Aliens
• 1984: The Kings of the Sabbath
• 1984: Save whoever can
• 1985: Look at me.
• 1986: The hummingbirds have fun
• 1986: Rambito and Rambon, first mission
• 1987: The bombs on the attack
• 1987: Gallery of terror
• 1988: A peculiar attraction
• 1988: Professor punk
• 1988: Porcel to the living green "not exhibited in cinemas"
• 1989: Isn't it thin? "is the recording of the play of theatre"
• 1989: There's party in the conventillo. "is the recording of the play of theatre"
• 1990: In Porcel's kitchen "not exhibited in cinemas"
• 1991: Porcel: How to conquer women "not exhibited in cinemas"
• 1992: It all rotted. "gravation of theatrical work"
• 1993: Carlito's Way
• 1995: Counterattack Crown not exhibited in cinemas, special participation.

TV shows

• 1963: Operation Ja-Já (in the sketches "La peluquería de Fidel" and "Polemica en el bar").
• 1964: The dreams of fat Porcel
• 1965: The matraca
• 1969: The button
• 1969: Comic theatre Sundays
• 1970: The vest
• 1972 (and between 1981 and 1983): Polyester in the bar
• 1973: Fresco and Batata (with Alberto Olmedo)
• 1973-1975 (and 1984): Porceland.
• 1974-1975: Garrafa
• 1977: Porceland Show
• 1977: Nude
• 1978: Uncle Porcel "child program"
• 1980: Porcel for all
• 1981: Light, camera, action
• 1980-1983: Operation Ja-Já -sketch Don Mateo's hairdresser
• 1981-1983 (and 1972): Polyester in the bar
• 1984 (and between 1973 and 1975): Porceland.
• 1984: Did you see Porcel?
• 1984-1987: Jappening with Ja (in the "The Office" segment as Mr. Petete).
• 1985: Operation Porcel
• 1985-1986: The biggest circus in the world
• 1987-1990: The cats and mice of Porcel
• 1990: Porcel bebits and bebots
• 1990: Men's Club
• 1991: To bed with Porcel
• 1994: Cartoon fullTelefé
• 1994: The piñata (sketch "La Tota y la Porota" next to Jorge Luz).
• 1997: Polyester in the bar

Radio programmes

• 1950: The magazine dislocatedtogether with Délfor Dicásolo, Carlos Balá and Mario Sapag, among others.
• 1979: People todaynext to Canela, by Radio El Mundo.
• 1984: Porcel plus two, along with Carlos Burone and Jorge Vaccari, by Radio Continental.

Discography

• 1976: "Botoncitos de Zarzuelas", together with Fidel Pintos, Adolfo García Grau, Carmen Morales, María Rosa Fugazot and Alberto Olmedo - Microfon Argentina S.R.L.
• 1980: "Puro Corazón" - Epic
• 1980: "If everyone were like you / I am pure heart" - Epic

Awards and nominations

Martín Fierro Awards

• 1970: Comic work - winner
• 1972: Comic work - nominee
• 1973: Male comic work - winner
• 1974: Male Comic Work - nominee

Konex Awards

• 1981: Diploma in Merit - Actor of varieties