Carequinha(1915-2006)

George Savalla Gomes was born in the circus on the 18th July 1915. His mother, an acrobat, began to feel the pains of the childbirth while she walked on the wire rope in a show in the city of Rio Bonito, Brazil. His father, also in the circus, died when Carequinha was two years old. His stepfather, Ozório Portilho, placed the five year-old boy in the circus ring using the wig that would give the artistic name of Carequinha (Baldness). In 1951, the Circo Bombril arrived on the scene and its TV broadcasts up to 1964 made him known throughout Brazil. Afterwards he worked in several regional TV programmes, and also became a singer, recording 26 long plays and 184 compact discs that sold more than 2.5 million copies. Carequinha also made career in the movies, with performances in _ Sai de Baixo (1956) _, _ Com Água na Boca (1956)_, _ Sherlock de Araque (1957)_, _ Com Jeito Vai (1957)_, _ Palhaço O Que É?, O (1960)_ and _ Aí Vem a Alegria (1960)_ - in which he played himself. He worked beside singers as Francisco Alves, Emilinha Borba, Ângela Maria and Dalva de Oliveira. Carequinha traveled and performed in other countries like Argentina, Portugal, United States and the United Kingdom. He represented Brazil four times in the Exterior, winning a gold medal in Italy as the Modern Clown of the World. Carequinha was one of the pioneers of Brazilian television, inventing a new school of clowns. Until then the people laughed only at the clown's misfortune. He was truly a giant in the kingdom of clowns!