Ovidio Cátulo González Castillo (6 August 1906 – 19 October 1975) was an Argentine poet and tango music composer. He was the author of many famous works, such as ', ''El aguacero'' (lyrics by ), ' and ''Caserón de tejas'' (both with music by Sebastián Piana), ''María'' and ' (both with music by Aníbal Troilo), and ''El último café'' (with music by Héctor Stamponi). The tango ''La calesita'', which he composed with Mariano Mores, inspired the film of the same name directed in 1962 by Hugo del Carril. His father, José González Castillo, an anarchist, wanted to list himself in the civil registry as Descanso Dominical González Castillo, but was convinced by his friends not to, and kept his other name. As an infant, Cátulo lived in Chile, where his father was exiled because of his anarchist ideology. He returned to Argentina in 1913. Cátulo later affiliated with the Communist Party.

Professional career

Cátulo composed ''Organito de la tarde'', his first tango, at the age of 17. He was also a boxer, eventually becoming the

featherweight Featherweight is a weight class in the combat sports of boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and Greco-Roman wrestling. Boxing Professional boxing History A featherweight boxer weighs in at a limit of . In the early days of the division, ...

champion in Argentina and was pre-selected for the Paris Olympics, attending as part of his country's delegation, but not competing. In 1926, he traveled to Europe, where he would later conduct his own orchestra. During the 1930s, he obtained one of the ''

cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...

s'' of the Municipal Conservatory of Manuel de Falla in Buenos Aires. In 1950, he would become the director of that conservatory, where he remained until he retired. During the 1940s and 1950s, when tango was at its peak, he dedicated himself to poetry and wrote with distinguished composers:

Mores Mores (, sometimes ; , plural form of singular , meaning "manner, custom, usage, or habit") are social norms that are widely observed within a particular society or culture. Mores determine what is considered morally acceptable or unacceptable ...

('' Patio de la Morocha''), Armando Pontier (''Anoche''), Pugliese (''Una vez''), Sebastián Piana (''Tinta roja'' and ''Caserón de tejas''), and his main collaborator after 1945: Aníbal Troilo (''María'', ''La última curda'', ''Una canción''). He wrote for many journals, published the book ''Danzas Argentinas'' in 1953, composed songs for different films, wrote the lyrical sainete ''El Patio de la Morocha'' (with music by Troilo), and was both secretary and president of SADAIC in different years. In 1953, he became president of the National Commission of Culture of the Nation. Two years later, the military government, the so-called '' Revolución Libertadora'', stripped him of everything he had achieved. His wife, Amanda Pelufo, recalls those times: Because of persecution by Pedro Eugenio Aramburu's government, he had to abandon his profession. Included on blacklists with dozens of other ''tangueros'' like Hugo de Carril, Nelly Omar, , Anita Palmero, and Chola Luna, among others, he was persecuted for his political ideas, and did not return to work until the regime's fall. With the political thaw in the 1960s, Cátulo returned to his former activity. He continued composing, writing radical screenplays, and working in SADAIC. He published the novel ''Amalio Reyes, un hombre'', which became a film directed by Hugo del Carril. He also published ''Prostibulario'', on his correspondence with Perón, in 1971. Among his most popular songs were: ''Maria'', ''El último café'', ''La última curda'', ''La Calesita'', ''Café de los Angelitos'', ''Desencuentro'', ''Y a mi qué'', ''A Homero'', ''Arrabalera'', ''Mensaje'', ''Tinta roja'', ''Patio mío'', and ''Caserón de tejas''. In 1974, he was named Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires. Upon receiving the award, he told a short fable:

Death

He died 19 October 1975 from a heart attack.

Filmography

;Author * '' El patio de la morocha'' (1951) * '' La calesita'' (1963) * '' Amalio Reyes, un hombre'' (1970) * ' (1999) ;Music * '' Internado'' (1935) * '' Juan Moreira'' (1936) * ' (1940) * '' Arrabalera'' (1950) ;Soundtracks * '' Ayúdame a vivir'' (1936) * '' Eclipse de sol'' (1942) * '' Buenos Aires a la vista'' (1950) * '' To Live for a Moment'' (1951) * '' La muerte flota en el río'' (1956) * ' (1989) ;Texts * '' Ésta es mi Argentina'' (1974)

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

''Cátulo Castillo'', Todo Tango

Información sobre Cátulo Castillo on the Argentine national film website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castillo, Cátulo 1906 births 1975 deaths Poets from Buenos Aires Argentine male poets 20th-century Argentine poets 20th-century Argentine male writers Burials at La Chacarita Cemetery 20th-century Argentine composers Argentine composers Illustrious Citizens of Buenos Aires Boxers from Buenos Aires Argentine male boxers Featherweight boxers 20th-century Argentine sportsmen