Florencio Parravicini (24 August 1876 – 25 March 1941) was an Argentine actor who primarily worked during the
Golden Age of Argentine Cinema
Cinema of Argentina refers to the film industry based in Argentina. The Argentine cinema comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of Argentina or by Argentine filmmakers abroad.
The Argentine film industry has histor ...
, performing on both stage and in films. From an aristocratic family, he was a relative of the artist
Benjamín Solari Parravicini (1898-1974). He began his career singing ''
música criolla
Música criolla or ''canción criolla'' is a varied genre of Peruvian music that exhibits influences from European, African and Andean music. The genre's name reflects the coastal culture of Peru, and the local evolution of the term '' criollo ...
'', a Latino folk genre of music that exists in many countries throughout Latin America. He appeared in more than three hundred theatrical works and films, becoming one of the leading figures of Argentine entertainment. Facing cancer, Parravicini committed suicide in 1941.
Biography
Florencio Bartolomé Parravicini Romero Cazón was born on 24 August 1876 in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, Argentina. His father, Col. Reinaldo Parravicini,
was the director of the penitentiary and his grandfather had been an Italian marquis who owned a large landed estate. At fourteen, he was destined for the priesthood, but abandoned the vocation
for a life that was branded eccentric, genius, mad, and "a most remarkable creation". For many it was difficult to tell where his acting diverged from his real life.
In his youth, he was said to have hunted wolves in
Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...
and was known for remarkable aim and skill with firearms. At the age of 20, he inherited a fortune from his parents and squandered it in Paris on parties and in casinos,
He worked in various trades, including as a tour guide, as a comic in a coffee house
and in venues singing ''
música criolla
Música criolla or ''canción criolla'' is a varied genre of Peruvian music that exhibits influences from European, African and Andean music. The genre's name reflects the coastal culture of Peru, and the local evolution of the term '' criollo ...
''. He returned to Argentina and for a while worked as a smuggler in
Puerto Deseado
Puerto Deseado, originally called Port Desire, is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, on the estuary of the Deseado River.
It was named ''Port Desire'' by the privateer Thomas ...
, but made his way back to Buenos Aires.
He was acting in low-class cafés and variety shows, when he was seen by
Ulises Favaro, who introduced Parravicini
to
Pepe Podestá in 1906.
Podestá was one of a team of brothers who performed and trained actors in theatrical comedy at the Teatro Apolo.
By 1908, Parravicini had his own acting troupe and was performing throughout Argentina.
He was most known for his improvisation, dropping words that were not in the script in suggestive manners to elicit laughter which the audiences loved.
He helped many actresses get their start in the business including
Amelia Bence
Amelia Bence (born María Amelia Batvinik; 13 November 1919 – 8 February 2016) was an Argentine film actress and one of the divas of the Golden Age of Argentine Cinema (1940–60).
Born to Belarusian Jewish immigrants, Bence began her ...
,
Olinda Bozán
Olinda Bozán (21 June 1894 – 8 February 1977) was an Argentine film actress and comedian of the Golden Age of Argentine Cinema (1940–1960). Born into a circus family, she acted on the vaudeville circuit, and performed in silent and sou ...
,
Mecha Ortiz,
Paulina Singerman
Paulina Singerman Begun (1911 – 9 February 1984) was an Argentine actress and businesswoman who primarily worked during the Golden Age of Argentine Cinema, performing on both stage and in films. In the later part of her career, she spent a d ...
and others.
In 1910, he took up flying, earned his pilot's licence and the designation civil brevet No. 2 of Argentina.
Parravicini next ventured into silent films as writer and director, working in collaboration with Enrique
Ernesto Gunche Ernesto, form of the name Ernest in several Romance languages, may refer to:
* Ernesto (novel), ''Ernesto'' (novel) (1953), an unfinished autobiographical novel by Umberto Saba, published posthumously in 1975
** Ernesto (film), ''Ernesto'' (film), ...
and on the film ''
Hasta después de muerta'', which he wrote and acted in. The project made him realize there was no money in silent films and he did not make another film until talkies were introduced.
He opted to try his hand at politics and ran in the 1926 municipal elections on the ticket of the "Partido Gente de Teatro" (Party of Theater People) and actually won a seat. His performance, other than a tribute for the Prince of Wales when he visited Argentina, was negligible.
When Parravicini next appeared in film, the picture, ''
Los muchachos de antes no usaban gomina'' directed by
Manuel Romero co-starring with
Santiago Arrieta,
Irma Córdoba and
Mecha
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the meaning in Japanese is ...
, became a classic of Argentine film.
His move into movies came about largely because he was tired of being typecast as a comic. In 1931, when he tried to perform a serious role at the Broadway Theater, the minute he appeared on stage, the audience began laughing in anticipation of his
double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s.
In addition to making films, he began traveling to perform throughout Latin America, where he was unknown.
In his 35 years of theater performances, Parravicini had over 300 performances,
had had numerous artists write plays specifically for him and had become a fixture of Argentine theater.
After having been diagnosed with cancer, Parravicini committed suicide on 15 March 1941.
Filmography
As a writer
* ''
Hasta después de muerta'' (1916)
*''
Melgarejo'' (1937)
*''
Luisito Luisito is a hypocorism of the Spanish name Luis, which may also be found as a given name. Notable people include:
* Luisito Campisi (born 1987), Italian footballer
* Luisito Comunica (born 1991), Mexican YouTuber
*Luisito Espinosa (born 1967), F ...
'' (1943)
As an actor
* ''
Hasta después de muerta'' (1916)
* ''
Gervasio Ponce, el Mocho''
* ''
Los muchachos de antes no usaban gomina'' (1936)
* ''
Melgarejo'' (1937)
* ''
Three Argentines in Paris'' (1938)
* ''
Noches de Carnaval'' (1938)
* ''
El diablo con faldas'' (1938)
* ''
La vida es un tango'' (1939)
* ''
Margarita, Armando y su padre
''Margarita, Armando y su padre'' is a 1939 Argentine romantic comedy film directed by Francisco Múgica. The film is based a play by Enrique Jardiel Poncela who himself adapted the film for the silver screen. The film premiered in Buenos Aires ...
'' (1939)
* ''
Carnaval de antaño'' (1940)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parravicini, Florencio
1876 births
1941 deaths
Argentine people of Italian descent
Argentine male film actors
Argentine male stage actors
Male actors from Buenos Aires
20th-century Argentine male actors
1941 suicides
Suicides in Argentina