Carmen Miranda's abodes in Rio de Janeiro in the 1920s & 1930s

Carmen Miranda's name has never been forgotten... but there was a time in Brazil - between 2005 (50th anniversary of Miranda's death) and 2009 (Carmen's 100 birthday) - that Carmen Miranda's name was never too far away from the media or citizens in general... 

Here are some of the pages dedicated to the houses Carmen Miranda lived in Rio de Janeiro... that is, from when she was very little until she left Brazil for good in early 1940. 

On 8 January 2006, magazine 'Domingo' published this interesting 'visit through Memory Lane' with the help of  Carmen's own niece, Carminha aka Carmen de Carvalho Guimarães.

Carmen Miranda and one of her sisters in a great automobile in the early 1930s at Avenida Ruy Barbosa that was flattened by the construction of Aterro do Flamengo in the 1960s. 

1964 Roquette Pinto award on 10 April 1965

Brazilian democracy was raped on 1st April 1964. A right-wing conspiracy between the military brass and most part of the established media with the veiled prodding of the US government simply deposed President João Goulart and put up a General in his place. 

Radio & TV Record as well as TV Tupi were conspicuosly silent about the violence perpetrated against Democracy, just 10 days before. They were actually glad of the change mostly because TV Excelsior, the new kid on the block (it had begun broadcasting on 9 July 1960) was Number One in the ratings... so they welcomed the 'change of government'... but they were soon to regret bitterly their folly. 

writer & lyrics translator Fred Jorge got his first award; Carmen Silva got hers as female-singer revelation; Jair Rodrigues got his Roquette too.

Roberto Carlos (top right) receives his Roquette Pinto award from the hands of Blota Junior; sportscasters Darcy Reis and Braga Junior flank Mr Paulo Machado de Carvalho, the owner of TV Record which promotes the gala. 

Dorothy 1963

Dorothy Peroni had two passions: singing and teaching children! She graduated as a school-teacher in 1961, and found work as a teacher at a 'parque infantil' in the outskirts of sprawling São Paulo from 7:00 am to 12:00 noon. 

At the same time Dorothy pursued her dream of becoming a professional singer - Ella Fitzgerald was her idol - and was signed by TV Tupi, Channel 4, to sing jazz tunes in one of their musicals. 

Soon after Carnaval 1963, independent label Audio Fidelity released a single that become #1 in the land: Vinicius de Moraes & Baden Powell's 'Samba em prelúdio' sung by Geraldo Vandré and Ana Lúcia. 

Radio & TV personality Enzo de Almeida Passos had a weekly programme at TV Tupi called 'Recreio do disco' and as 'Samba em prelúdio' reached #1 in the charts, producer Magno Salerno arranged for the song to be presented at the show but Ana Lúcia was away touring Northeast Brazil (she didn't even know 'Samba em prelúdio' was Number One in São Paulo and Rio). 

Magno Salerno then approached Dorothy with a 'Samba em prelúdio' single in his hands and told her she had to learn Ana Lucia's part in 24 hours to sing Ana Lucia's part with Geraldo Vandré. Everyone knows how intricate this song is for there is a main melody to be sung by the male part followed by a different melody by a female counterpart. In the second half, both parts inter-mingle until they finally 'meet' at the very last line of the song. 

Geraldo Vandré was already in the studio when Dorothy arrived and they went through the song once or twice before the cameras started rolling on... Dorothy sang Ana Lucia's part as if it had been written for her... 

Alfredo Corletto, a Continental Discos executive who was at TV Tupi studio was impressed with Dorothy's rendition and promised her a recording contract at his label. That's how Dorothy started. 

Dorothy at 'Revista do Radio' no. 715 - 1st June 1963.

Dorothy Peroni's story at 'Revista do Radio'. 

Dorothy was signed impromptu by Continental Discos' Alfredo Coreltto after singing 'Samba em prelúdio' with Geraldo Vandré on TV Tupi's 'Recreio do Disco' presented by Enzo de Almeida Passos.