Ramón Rivero (Diplo)
Encyclopedia
Ramón Rivero — known as Diplo — was a comedian
, actor
, composer
and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television and cinema industries. Rivero is considered by many Puerto Ricans to be their greatest comedian.
to Juan Ortiz Alibrán and Providencia del Rivero. In 1917, his family moved to the Old San Juan section of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. There he received his primary and secondary education. As a young man he learned to play various musical instruments, among them the piano, the guitar and the mandolin, under the tutelage of Amelia Maestú y Jorge Rubiano. His father, who was a lawyer, sent him to Ontario, Canada to study law, however while he was in Canada, he learned to play baseball and received an offer to try out for the New York Giants
major league team. He did not accept the offer and when he returned to Puerto Rico he joined the "Senadores de San Juan" (San Juan Senators) baseball club. Rivero married and found it difficult to sustain his family economically as a professional baseball player, therefore he moved with his family to the town of Cayey
and worked as a physical education instructor at a local school.
, a Puerto Rican poet who would become known for his Afro-Caribbean poetry. In 1941, Boria was participating in a show in the town of Loíza. Rivero and Torregrosa, who were present, were so impressed with Boria's performance that they incorporated him into their troupe.
Rivero's comedy act became well known, not only on the traveling theatrical scene, but also in the local radio shows such as "Los embajadores del buen humor" (Ambassadors of Good Humor), "La vida en broma" (Life as a Joke) and "El Tremendo Hotel" (The tremendous hotel) where he also actively participated as a script writer. During World War II
, Rivero and his acting troupe, the "La Farándula Bohemia," (Bohemian Show-business) traveled to the United States military bases in which Puerto Rican troops were stationed and not only did he entertain the men, but he also accepted and delivered mail to the families of those whom he met overseas. Puerto Rican industrialist Angel Ramo
, owner of WKAQ Radio signed an exclusive deal with Rivero to broadcast "El Tremendo Hotel" via the airwaves. His show became the most popular radio show in Puerto Rico. "El Tremendo Hotel", together with his other production La Farándula Corona, catapulted WKAQ to the top of the ratings. Among the many Puerto Rican artists who began their careers in "El Tremendo Hotel" were Luis Vigoreaux
, Miguel Ángel Álvarez
and Sylvia Rexach
who worked as a comical script writer. On one occasion, Rivero denounced and lambasted a foreign newspaperwoman who had published an article in the U.S. stating that "Puerto Rican men sold their women to the American servicemen", exhorting his countrymen to expel her from Puerto Rico, during a radio broadcast of El Tremendo Hotel.
Rivero produced and acted in various theatrical productions in Puerto Rico among them Mosquilandia (Mosquito Land), El Príncipe Wele-Wele (Prince Wele-Wele), A Mi Me Matan Pero Yo Gozo (They can kill me, but I'll enjoy it), Ese Niño Es Mio (The child is mine), Hay Que Defenderse (One must defend himself), La Familia del Lío (The family of problems) and El Tremendo Hotel, however his success was not limited to the theater and radio.
In 1946, El Mundo, a local newspaper, began a comic strip about Rivero/s character Diplo, making this the first time that a Puerto Rican from the local entertainment industry receives such a distinction. Rivero was a pioneer of Puerto Rican television who produced the first comedy show "La Taberna India" (The Indian Saloon) for Angel Ramo's Telemundo
, a local television station. He became known to his fans as the "Rey de la Farándula" (King of Show-business) and "Señor Televisión" (Mr. Television). In the winter of 1953, Rivero and his troupe traveled to New York City
to perform before the Puerto Rican community which had migrated and settled there during the Great Puerto Rican migration of the 1940s
. For three weeks Rivero and his show "El Tremendo Hotel" held sell out performances at the Teatro San Juan, Teatro Hispano and the legendary Teatro Puerto Rico
.
, Rivero participated in the movie Una Gallega en la Habana with Niní Marshall
, however it was in Puerto Rico that in 1953, he played the lead role of "Pepe" in what is possibly the best motion picture ever made in the island, Los Peloteros ("The Baseball Players") alongside Puerto Rican actress Míriam Colón (Lolita) under the direction of Jack Delano. The movie, which is based on a real life story, is about a man (Pepe) who, despite the fact that no one takes him seriously, is willing to coach a group of very poor children and help them raise funds for their baseball team.
Rivero wrote more than 3000 scripts for radio, theater, television and motion pictures and was the author of ¿Por qué se ríe la gente? (What Makes People Laugh), and El Album de la Radio, (1940–1948), a significant study and the first historical record of the radio industry in Puerto Rico. Rivero also composed more than ten songs, among them "¿Por qué será?" (Why is it?), "Ya me olvidaste" (You already forgot me), "Comienza el fin" (The beginning of the end), "Así es" (That's how it is), "Me gustó" (I liked it), "Hola, don Pepito" (Hello, Mister Pepito) and "Dondequiera que tú vayas" (Wherever you go).
. He walked 80 miles from the capital city of San Juan
, crossing Puerto Rico up and down the treacherous mountain roads of Cayey, known as "La Piquiña", to Ponce
, on the other side of the island, to raise money for the Liga Puertorriqueña Contra el Cáncer (the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer). In that wakathon, Rivero raised the equivalent of $85,000 in 4 days. The Walk-A-Thon turned into a historical event that became part of the collective consciousness of Puerto Ricans all over the world, and has been copied several times since. Rivero also defended the victims of injustice during student revolts at the University of Puerto Rico
, and led the first actors' strike on the island.
Rivero was in the process of organizing his performing troupe, which was to travel to the town of Yabucoa in an attempt to help the town after it was devastated by the Santa Clara hurricane
, when on August 24, 1956 he suddenly died of a congenital aneurysm. Rivero was the father of five children, three from his first two marriages and two which he had in his third marriage with Puerto Rican actress Alicia Bibiloni. Rivero was buried at the Cementerio de la Capital in San Juan, Puerto Rico and a state of national mourning was declared in the island. It was estimated by "El Imparcial", a local newspaper, that a total of 50,000 of his followers attended his burial. Due to his untimely sudden death, Rivero was not to participate in the anticipated film with Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth.
The memory of Rivero has been honored by both by the Government of Puerto Rico, who declared a national Ramon Rivero "Diplo" in 2009, and by Naguabo his hometown who named an urbanization after him and installed a Ramon Rivero "Diplo" Monument in the town square. Puerto Rican poet Juan Antonio Corretjer
wrote "Morir y Reír (A Ramón Rivero)" (Laugh and Die (To Ramón Rivero)) a poem dedicated to Rivero and his character "Diplo". In 2009, a "Diplo Returns to San Juan" walkathon, in memory of the first event, raised almost $200,000. In 2009, in the commemoration of his 100th birthday, the Fundación Ramón Rivero released the book, "Diplo! ¿Por qué se reía la gente?"; Authored by José Orbi; ISBN 9780966161922.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television and cinema industries. Rivero is considered by many Puerto Ricans to be their greatest comedian.
Early years
Rivero (birth name: Arturo Ramón Máximo Ortiz del Rivero) was born in the town of Naguabo, Puerto RicoNagüabo, Puerto Rico
Naguabo is a municipality in Puerto Rico located in the east coast of the island, north of Humacao; south of Río Grande and Ceiba; and east of Las Piedras. Naguabo is spread over 8 wards and Naguabo Pueblo...
to Juan Ortiz Alibrán and Providencia del Rivero. In 1917, his family moved to the Old San Juan section of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. There he received his primary and secondary education. As a young man he learned to play various musical instruments, among them the piano, the guitar and the mandolin, under the tutelage of Amelia Maestú y Jorge Rubiano. His father, who was a lawyer, sent him to Ontario, Canada to study law, however while he was in Canada, he learned to play baseball and received an offer to try out for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
major league team. He did not accept the offer and when he returned to Puerto Rico he joined the "Senadores de San Juan" (San Juan Senators) baseball club. Rivero married and found it difficult to sustain his family economically as a professional baseball player, therefore he moved with his family to the town of Cayey
Cayey, Puerto Rico
Cayey is a mountain town in central Puerto Rico located on the Central Mountain range, north of Salinas and Guayama; south of Cidra and Caguas; east of Aibonito and Salinas; and west of San Lorenzo Cayey is spread over 21 wards and Cayey Pueblo...
and worked as a physical education instructor at a local school.
Career as an entertainer
In Cayey, he met and befriended Jose Luis Torregrosa, and joined Torregrosa's traveling theatrical company. Torregrosa became his best friend and later served as his comedy sidekick. Together they acted in the comedy "El proceso de Armando Líos", this experience convinced Rivero to pursue a career in comedy. After witnessing a comedy by Cuban comedian Leopoldo Fernández also known as "Tres Patines", Rivero adopted the idea of creating a comical "Afro-Puerto Rican" character. His inspiration for the character was someone he met during his youth years in San Juan called "Diplomacia", hence he named his character "Diplo". Together with Torregrosa, Rivero founded "La Farándula Bohemia", a theatrical company in which he was able to developed the character "Diplo" and make him known to the public. Rivero's father, asked him to change his name because another son was a priest, and having a comedian in the family ran against propriety. Rivero respected his fathers request and changed his name from Arturo Ramón Máximo Ortiz del Rivero to Ramón Rivero, plus he also added the nickname "Diplo." Among the local talents that Rivero and Torregrosa discovered was Juan BoriaJuan Boria
Juan Boria also known as the Negro Verse Pharaoh, was a Puerto Rican poet known for his Afro-Caribbean poetry.-Early years:...
, a Puerto Rican poet who would become known for his Afro-Caribbean poetry. In 1941, Boria was participating in a show in the town of Loíza. Rivero and Torregrosa, who were present, were so impressed with Boria's performance that they incorporated him into their troupe.
Rivero's comedy act became well known, not only on the traveling theatrical scene, but also in the local radio shows such as "Los embajadores del buen humor" (Ambassadors of Good Humor), "La vida en broma" (Life as a Joke) and "El Tremendo Hotel" (The tremendous hotel) where he also actively participated as a script writer. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Rivero and his acting troupe, the "La Farándula Bohemia," (Bohemian Show-business) traveled to the United States military bases in which Puerto Rican troops were stationed and not only did he entertain the men, but he also accepted and delivered mail to the families of those whom he met overseas. Puerto Rican industrialist Angel Ramo
Angel Ramos (industrialist)
Angel Ramos was the founder of Telemundo, the second largest Spanish-language television network in the United States.-Early years:...
, owner of WKAQ Radio signed an exclusive deal with Rivero to broadcast "El Tremendo Hotel" via the airwaves. His show became the most popular radio show in Puerto Rico. "El Tremendo Hotel", together with his other production La Farándula Corona, catapulted WKAQ to the top of the ratings. Among the many Puerto Rican artists who began their careers in "El Tremendo Hotel" were Luis Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux Rivera was a Puerto Rican radio and television show host, announcer, comedian and producer. The son of a sugar worker, Vigoreaux became one of the most popular television entertainers in Puerto Rico's history....
, Miguel Ángel Álvarez
Miguel Ángel Álvarez
Miguel Ángel Álvarez, also known as "El Men," , was a Puerto Rican comedian and actor.-Early years:...
and Sylvia Rexach
Sylvia Rexach
Sylvia Rexach , was a comedy scriptwriter, poet, singer and composer of boleros .-Early years:Rexach was born and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico. There she attended public school and received her primary education...
who worked as a comical script writer. On one occasion, Rivero denounced and lambasted a foreign newspaperwoman who had published an article in the U.S. stating that "Puerto Rican men sold their women to the American servicemen", exhorting his countrymen to expel her from Puerto Rico, during a radio broadcast of El Tremendo Hotel.
Rivero produced and acted in various theatrical productions in Puerto Rico among them Mosquilandia (Mosquito Land), El Príncipe Wele-Wele (Prince Wele-Wele), A Mi Me Matan Pero Yo Gozo (They can kill me, but I'll enjoy it), Ese Niño Es Mio (The child is mine), Hay Que Defenderse (One must defend himself), La Familia del Lío (The family of problems) and El Tremendo Hotel, however his success was not limited to the theater and radio.
In 1946, El Mundo, a local newspaper, began a comic strip about Rivero/s character Diplo, making this the first time that a Puerto Rican from the local entertainment industry receives such a distinction. Rivero was a pioneer of Puerto Rican television who produced the first comedy show "La Taberna India" (The Indian Saloon) for Angel Ramo's Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
, a local television station. He became known to his fans as the "Rey de la Farándula" (King of Show-business) and "Señor Televisión" (Mr. Television). In the winter of 1953, Rivero and his troupe traveled to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to perform before the Puerto Rican community which had migrated and settled there during the Great Puerto Rican migration of the 1940s
Puerto Rican migration to New York
Puerto Ricans have both immigrated and migrated to New York. The first group of Puerto Ricans moved to New York in the mid-19th century when Puerto Rico was a Spanish Colony and its people Spanish subjects and therefore they were immigrants. The following wave of Puerto Ricans to move to New York...
. For three weeks Rivero and his show "El Tremendo Hotel" held sell out performances at the Teatro San Juan, Teatro Hispano and the legendary Teatro Puerto Rico
Teatro Puerto Rico
The Teatro Puerto Rico was to the Latino community in the South Bronx what the Apollo Theater was to the African American community in the Harlem section of Manhattan. During its 1940s to 1950s "golden era," it was the hub of la farándula, a vaudeville-style package of Spanish-language events, and...
.
Actor and composer
In CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Rivero participated in the movie Una Gallega en la Habana with Niní Marshall
Niní Marshall
Niní Marshall was a popular Argentine comedienne and actress.-Life and work:She was born Marina Esther Traveso in Buenos Aires to Pedro and María Ángela Traveso, a well-to-do family in Rosario, in 1903...
, however it was in Puerto Rico that in 1953, he played the lead role of "Pepe" in what is possibly the best motion picture ever made in the island, Los Peloteros ("The Baseball Players") alongside Puerto Rican actress Míriam Colón (Lolita) under the direction of Jack Delano. The movie, which is based on a real life story, is about a man (Pepe) who, despite the fact that no one takes him seriously, is willing to coach a group of very poor children and help them raise funds for their baseball team.
Rivero wrote more than 3000 scripts for radio, theater, television and motion pictures and was the author of ¿Por qué se ríe la gente? (What Makes People Laugh), and El Album de la Radio, (1940–1948), a significant study and the first historical record of the radio industry in Puerto Rico. Rivero also composed more than ten songs, among them "¿Por qué será?" (Why is it?), "Ya me olvidaste" (You already forgot me), "Comienza el fin" (The beginning of the end), "Así es" (That's how it is), "Me gustó" (I liked it), "Hola, don Pepito" (Hello, Mister Pepito) and "Dondequiera que tú vayas" (Wherever you go).
Activist
In 1953, Rivero organized the world's first known Walk-A-ThonWalkathon
A walkathon , walking marathon or sponsored walk is a type of community or school fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course...
. He walked 80 miles from the capital city of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, crossing Puerto Rico up and down the treacherous mountain roads of Cayey, known as "La Piquiña", to Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, on the other side of the island, to raise money for the Liga Puertorriqueña Contra el Cáncer (the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer). In that wakathon, Rivero raised the equivalent of $85,000 in 4 days. The Walk-A-Thon turned into a historical event that became part of the collective consciousness of Puerto Ricans all over the world, and has been copied several times since. Rivero also defended the victims of injustice during student revolts at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
, and led the first actors' strike on the island.
Legacy
In 1955, Rivero's doctors recommended that he lessen his work activities for the good of his health. Cervecería India, Inc., Puerto Rico's largest beer brewery and the sponsor of "La Taberna India", did not agree with his doctors request and required that Rivero continue producing 3 weekly television shows for them, resulting in Rivero's refusal and resignation. He then approached Cervecería Corona (Cervecería India competitor) with the idea of producing a weekly television comedy show. Cervecería Corona agreed to sponsor the show which he named "La Farándula Corona". Rivero's new show became very popular among the Puerto Rican audiences.Rivero was in the process of organizing his performing troupe, which was to travel to the town of Yabucoa in an attempt to help the town after it was devastated by the Santa Clara hurricane
1956 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1956 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1956, and lasted until November 15, 1956. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was slightly below average, with only four hurricanes and eight...
, when on August 24, 1956 he suddenly died of a congenital aneurysm. Rivero was the father of five children, three from his first two marriages and two which he had in his third marriage with Puerto Rican actress Alicia Bibiloni. Rivero was buried at the Cementerio de la Capital in San Juan, Puerto Rico and a state of national mourning was declared in the island. It was estimated by "El Imparcial", a local newspaper, that a total of 50,000 of his followers attended his burial. Due to his untimely sudden death, Rivero was not to participate in the anticipated film with Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth.
The memory of Rivero has been honored by both by the Government of Puerto Rico, who declared a national Ramon Rivero "Diplo" in 2009, and by Naguabo his hometown who named an urbanization after him and installed a Ramon Rivero "Diplo" Monument in the town square. Puerto Rican poet Juan Antonio Corretjer
Juan Antonio Corretjer
Juan Antonio Corretjer Montes , was a poet, journalist and pro-independence political activist opposing United States rule in Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
wrote "Morir y Reír (A Ramón Rivero)" (Laugh and Die (To Ramón Rivero)) a poem dedicated to Rivero and his character "Diplo". In 2009, a "Diplo Returns to San Juan" walkathon, in memory of the first event, raised almost $200,000. In 2009, in the commemoration of his 100th birthday, the Fundación Ramón Rivero released the book, "Diplo! ¿Por qué se reía la gente?"; Authored by José Orbi; ISBN 9780966161922.
Awards/Special Recognition
- Rey de la Farándula (King of Showbusiness)
- Señor Televisión (Mr. Television)
Theater
- El Tremendo Hotel
- A mi me matan pero yo gozo
- La familia del lío
- Diplo contra Hitler
- El Príncipe Wele Wele
- Ese niño es mio
- Hay que defenderse
Music/Composer
Among the songs composed by Rivero are the following- ¿Por qué será?
- Donde quiera que tú vayas
- Ole don Pepito
- Las Penas de mi amor
- Llora monina
- Ya me olvidaste
- Juan Calalú
- Me gustó
- La vieja se desmayó
Books
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican comedians