Heloísa Helena

Biography

Helena was the daughter of a lawyer and senior official of the city of Rio de Janeiro. As a child, aside from regular school subjects, she was taught English by her governess, and soon also began to sing and play the guitar. She started her career in the mid-1930s at 'Rádio Mayrink Veiga', an icon of the Golden Age of Radio headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, singing in English and with an American accent since she dominated the language. Her film career would soon follow, by appearing as herself in Jaime Costa's first screen musical, one of the most important actors in the history of Brazilian theater and who would become her idol. In October 1936, she was invited to sing on "Parada das Maravilhas", a benefit show at Rio the Janeiro's Municipal Theater, so she asked composer João de Barro to create lyrics for Pixinguinha's now classic melody "Carinhoso" (1917). The event would become the song's first public performance. She would also sing at Urca, Copacabana and Atlântico Cassinos. At the time The Embassy of the United States promoted a cultural exchange with Brazil and Helena ended up going to New Orleans, remaining there for some time. Starting in 1938, she would be cast in several stage musicals and plays, including Edward Albee's play "Tudo no Jardim" ('Everything in the Garden', 1967) in 1971 and Paulo Pontes's "Dr. Fausto da Silva" in 1973. In 1951, she was invited to join the newly opened Tupi TV station in Rio de Janeiro, where she would act in several tele theater episodes as well as hosting and directing shows. She moved to Globo TV in 1969, beginning a long list of telenovelas and miniseries appearances until 1998. She died at 81, leaving a of memorable legacy in music, film, theater, and TV.