Vila Sésamo

File:Vila Sesamo Title Card 2.jpg

Title card from the 1970's

1972 cast

Title card from the revived series

The old and the new Garibaldo

Bel and the new Garibaldo

File:Vila Sésamo (Brazil) Show Open

The show's opening from the 2007 version.

Vila Sésamo is the Brazilian co-production of Sesame Street that ran from 1972 until 1977 on TV Globo and also ran until 1974 on TV Cultura. It was the first international Sesame Street co-production. The show was revived in 2007.

Original run (1972-1977)

Vila Sesamo premiered in 1972, broadcasted by TV Cultura and TV Globo. In this phase, they fulfilled all the norms of the American Sesame Street. Most of the material was dubbed, and the presentation of thematic charts in repetitive order. The puppet characters in the series, created within Brazil and not by the Muppet Workshop, were Garibaldo, a seven-foot tall blue bird who served as the show's equivalent to Big Bird, and Gugu, the resident grouch. They lived in the vila with Gabriela, Juca, Ana Maria and Seu Almeida. At that time, there was no color television in Brazil, so the show was broadcast in black and white.

But it was in 1973 that the two channels started the second phase. Vila Sésamo became entirely nationalized, with new cast members, new music and new scripts. Two new puppet characters were introduced: Funga Funga a big, furry red elephant, and Zé Das Latas, a robot.

In 1974, TV Cultura decided to stop financing the project. Now it was up to TV Globo, who changed the format to make it more national. A larger set was built for the renewed Vila Sésamo, and more children took part in the show.

The final phase started in 1975, and lasted until 1977. More actors and characters were added during the show's final seasons. All original Sesame Street material was dropped, except for the Bert and Ernie sketches.

Despite its success, overwhelming production costs eventually led to the show's cancellation.

Revival series (2007-on)

Vila Sesamo returned to Brazilian television on October 29, 2007. Rather than a full co-production, the new series, which airs on TV Cultura, is a programming block consisting of dubbed episodes of Elmo's World, Play With Me Sesame, and Global Grover, along with selections from Sesame Street and Sesame English, as well as locally-produced live-action and animation inserts. Appearing in new hosting segments were Garibaldo, this time a duplicate of the Big Bird puppet, and Bel, a female monster. In 2008, the package began airing on TV Ra-Tim-Bum.

The TV special 40 Years TV Cultura, which preceded the new series, featured a refurbished version of the original Garibaldo introducing the new Garibaldo. In this appearance, the original Garibaldo was performed by Hugo Picci.

Original Cast (1972-1977)

Muppets

• Laerte Morrone as Garibaldo
• Roberto Orozco as Gugu
• Marcos Miranda as Funga Funga
• Wilson Evangelina Costa as Zé Das Latas

• Sônia Guedes as Marocas
• Antônio Petrin as Marinheiro
• Henrique Lisboa as Sabichão
• Aziz Bajur as Bidu

Actors

• Aracy Balabanian as Gabriela
• Armando Bógus as Juca
• Sônia Braga as Ana Maria
• Manuel Inocêncio as Seu Almeida
• Flávio Galvão as Antônio
• Milton Gonçalves as Professor Leão
• Ayres Pinto as Cuca
• Luiz Antonio Angelucci as Bruno
• Paulo José as the magigian
• Elany Del Vechio as Jujuba the clown
• Teresa Cristina as Pipoca the clown
• Flávio Migliaccio as the builder

Second Series Cast (2007-on)

Muppets

• Fernando Gomes as Garibaldo
• Magda Crudelli as Bel

Character Translations

• Grover
• Elmo
• Ênio e Beto (Ernie and Bert)
• Sofia Sabida (Prairie Dawn)
• Come-Come (Cookie Monster)

See also

• Vila Sésamo Merchandise

External links

• InfanTv - Original series profile in Portuguese
• History of the original version explained in Portuguese