Pablo de Madalengoitia
The young television host poses with his faithful dog in the early 1960s. (Photo: El Comercio
Historical Archive)
The great master of Peruvian television
El Comercio Historical Archive)
Carlos Batalla
Next May 24 will be remember the death of one of the most important pioneers of Peruvian television in the 20th century. His name was Pablo de Madalengoitia Aubry, or simply Pablo, that centenarian man who was born on La Colmena Avenue, in downtown Lima, at the Febres Clinic to be more exact, on May 11, 1919. Pablo walked at a leisurely pace to reach his study center, the Colegio de la Inmaculada, in the imposing premises where it worked from 1902 to 1967, since from that last year it was occupied by the Federico Villarreal National University. It is likely that many young people today do not remember him as a presenter, a great entertainer and a meticulous host of national television; of that television of the pioneers, at the end of the 1950s. In this area he stood out notoriously and would do so for three more decades, until the 90s of the 20th century. The beginnings of a productive and creative life He married at the age of 32, on December 9, 1951, with Carmen Ferreyros Pérez de Velasco, in the Church of Santa María Magdalena, in Pueblo Libre. But before that, Pablo had studied for two years at the Faculty of Law of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. His dreams, however, were more ambitious than spending his life in courts and tribunals. Like the non-conformist that he was, he got on a plane one day and went to Argentina, very young, he had barely left school, to be an actor. In Buenos Aires, in the midst of economic hardship, he came to study at the Conservatory of Dramatic Art and even acted in that country, but he returned to his own to continue making his way on stage.
The talented television entertainer in a special place in his house. (Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive) Already in Lima, he founded the Compañía Nacional de Comedias and had as partners Elvira Travesí, Luis Álvarez and Enrique Victoria. Then, cultural journalism began to seduce him. In those times, the 20-year-old wrote chronicles and art criticism in the newspaper "La Crónica"; He edited magazines and would later stand out for his film notes in the newspaper "El Comercio". He was editor-in-chief of the magazine “Fanal”, of the International Petroleum Company (IPC). Radio was another medium that welcomed him. In the mid-1950s, he made the program "Helene Curtis asks for 64 thousand soles",
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
which would later have its television version in the early 1960s. Another radio program was "Pablo and his friends", which would also reach television. at the beginning of the 1960s, at night on Channel 13 (today Channel 5).
Pablo was a cheerful person, but meticulous enough to allow himself a mistake. He was extremely careful in his expression and gestures, which is why he is still remembered as one of the most outstanding professionals who have appeared on national television. At the end of the 1950s, the magnet of the new television medium captured him; and for the new decade, that of 1960, the curious student of the Inmaculada was already a luxury TV host.
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
Peruvian television star He was a born animator, that is, someone who gave life and form to things, to moments, and was also an enemy of silence on set. Thus, Pablo de Madalengoitia, a communicator seen throughout Peru in black and white, hosted the classic programs of that decade (especially on Channel 13 at the time), which consecrated him as the best entertainer on our small screen. Unforgettable would be the programs that he hosted such as “Scala Regala” (1960-1961), “Esta es la vida de el” (1961), where he received the visit of an artistic, sports or scientific character; as well as “Cancionísima” (1962-1968), together with Norma Belgrano; and the programs “Queen for a day” (1962) and “Olympia asks for 100 thousand soles” (1964), both co-hosted by former Miss Universe Gladys Zender; "This is her day" (1966-1967), "The clan of 4" (1968) and "The question of the 500 thousand reais" (1968-1970), among others. AD Pablo de Madalengoitia in the "Scala Regala" program of 1961, next to Chabuca Granda. (Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
Pablo became international in the 1960s when he traveled to Argentina in 1965 and did his famous program “Cancionísima” there, alongside Norma Belgrano. On the stage of that program, which lasted several years, Nelson Pinedo, Celia Cruz, Mario Moreno 'Cantinflas', Raphael, Rocío Durcal, Daniel Santos, among other artists and singers, passed by. In 1963, he answered a question from "El Comercio": "What would you have liked to be, if you weren't an animator?" The chronicler noted: "He looks at us surprised, as if we were missing... Then he laughs out loud as he replies: 'I would like to be an 'aspiring' TV animator. '".
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
He was, without a doubt, a great figure on Peruvian television at a time when other artists and communicators such as Kiko Ledgard, Humberto Martínez Morosini, "Uncle Johnny" and the young Tulio Loza stood out. At his best moment, when many Peruvians were used to seeing his correct behavior on the nascent television, Pablo de Madalengoitia had to distance himself from the Peruvian media from 1970 to 1977, precisely at the time of the military dictatorship of General Juan Velasco Alvarado and in part of the General Francisco Morales Bermudez. He devoted himself abroad to music and cinema, his other two passions. But he missed television terribly.
His enthusiastic return to Peru
In 1977, when the military government called the general elections to establish the Constituent Assembly in Peru, the teacher received an offer from Telecentro, where he worked as head of Public Relations, and also became the master of ceremonies that we all remembered. From 1977 to 1979 he hosted on América Televisión, in prime time, the quiz show “Lo que vale el saber”. He had returned through the front door
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
During those years, Radio América had his voice for a modern music program. At the same time, he began to embody characters from radio soap operas on Radio Central, a tradition that would disappear in our midst during the 1990s. Pablo was a person of great curiosity, he knew how to express himself in several languages, he liked Peruvian cuisine and he had a small bookstore , where he exhibited antiques. But his passion was communication. For this reason, in the 1980s he returned to television, in an almost hypnotic relationship with the mass media, since his talent and charisma caught the attention of viewers. In 1981, he did “Magazine” on Channel 5, together with Silvia Macera; and then “The question of the 10 million”, between 1982 and 1983. The following year, in 1984, “The question of the 25 million” again on América Televisión. Pablo de Madalengoitia was a character who swept the ratings.
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
The end of an admirable career He was a man who inspired respect and admiration for his broad culture, which is why he is still remembered by many generations of Peruvians. He hosted one more program in the 1980s called “Personal Agenda”, between 1988 and 1989, where he interviewed and provided cultural and artistic information. All his forces were always focused on making the best TV show. He always did it that way. But at age 70, he felt his health suffer. He would only return to the small screen in the early 1990s, with special programs broadcast by Panamericana Televisión. Television lost its interest for a more sedate Pablo de Madalengoitia, who was looking for a calmer professional life. Thus he returned to the radio, as he had returned years before to the written press in "El Comercio". It was on CPN Radio in 1997 where, on Sunday afternoons, we listened to “Conversando con Pablo”.
(Photo: El Comercio Historical Archive)
A year later, in November 1998, the great animator of the Peruvian audiovisual media felt his health again in a trance. Rest, after a heart attack, was imposed. In this way, young journalists looked for him to talk and get a phrase, an idea that would light their way in the task of working in media that were already beginning to be structured and conceived digitally. The teacher left these young journalists with many memorable phrases, but none as exact as this one, which he had repeated since the 1960s: "Television must entertain by educating and educate by entertaining." Things were so clear for Pablo de Madalengoitia, until he died, in his sleep, on May 24, 1999. AD • Journalistic Director: Juan Aurelio Arévalo Miró Quesada Publishing Company El Comercio. Jorge Salazar Araoz # 171 Santa Catalina La Victoria. Copyright © Elcomercio.pe. Grupo El Comercio - All rights reserved
With affection,
Ruben
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