Moacyr Franco

Moacir Franco supplied material that Chitãozinho e Xororó, Wanderley Cardoso, Nalva Aguiar and João Mineiro e Marciano later committed to disc. His own enormous success arrived with the marchinha “Me Dá Um Dinheiro Aí,” which was quickly followed by “Suave é a Noite” and several other widely admired pieces; he simultaneously built a thriving career in television.

He entered professional life at Rádio Difusora in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, and afterward in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo. After relocating to the state capital he joined Manoel da Nóbrega’s programs on television—Praça da Alegria, O Riso é o Limite and Noites Cariocas.

In 1959 Franco’s portrayal of the Beggar character turned “Me Dá Um Dinheiro Aí” (Homero/Ivan/Glauco Ferreira) into one of the year’s dominant Carnaval successes; the song remains a staple of Carnaval balls. The accompanying album surpassed 100,000 copies and earned him the Roquette-Pinto award.

By 1962 “Suave é a Noite,” adapted by Nazareno de Brito, had become another major hit. That same year he launched his own program, Show Doçura, on TV Rio and released the LP Contrastes. In 1963 the Moacyr Franco Show opened on TV Excelsior and collected six Roquette-Pinto awards.

“Riram Tanto” (Luís Vieira) supplied his 1964 triumph, while two years later Wanderley Cardoso recorded “Do Sublime Que Tu És.” During the 1970s Franco scored further successes with “Balada Número 7,” a tribute to soccer legend Garrincha, together with “Eu Nunca Mais Vou Te Esquecer,” “Seu Amor Ainda É Tudo” (shared with João Mineiro e Marciano), “Small World,” “Pobre Elisa” and “Minhas Noites Sem Ti.”

Entering politics in the 1980s, he won election as a congressman. Chitãozinho e Xororó cut “Filho de Maria” in 1985 and, four years later, “Será Que Sou Eu.” He also enjoyed widespread popularity with a spoken-word series devoted to the New Testament.