Don Francisco (television host) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Francisco
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Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld
28 December 1940 Talca, Chile
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| Nationality | Chilean and American |
| Citizenship | Chile |
| Occupation | Television host |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Television |
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| Spouse(s) | Teresa "Temmy" Muchnik Rosenblum (m. 1962) |
| Children | 4 |
Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld (born 28 December 1940) is a famous Chilean and American television host. He is much better known by his stage name, Don Francisco. He became very popular on the Univision network, reaching many Spanish-speaking viewers in the United States. He is most famous for hosting the long-running variety show Sábado Gigante, as well as Don Francisco Presenta and Don Francisco Te Invita.
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About Don Francisco
Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld was born in Talca, Chile on December 28, 1940. His parents, Anna Blumenfeld Neufeld and Erick Kreutzberger, were from Germany. They moved to Chile to escape from World War II. Mario grew up speaking both Spanish and German. German was actually his first language, which he used with his parents at home. He follows the Jewish faith.
His Amazing TV Career
Don Francisco started his television journey in 1962. He began a show called Show Dominical (which means "Sunday's Show") on Canal 13 in Chile. Later, the show moved to Saturdays and was renamed Sábado Gigante ("Giant Saturday"). He used many ideas he had seen on American TV for his Chilean audience. The show quickly became a huge hit and lasted for more than 53 years!
In 1986, Sábado Gigante started being made in Miami, Florida, for viewers in the United States. It kept the same fun format. For many years, Don Francisco hosted this three-hour show. It featured exciting contests, funny comedy skits, interviews with famous people, and a special "traveling camera" section.
The Traveling Camera
The "traveling camera," or Cámara Viajera, took Don Francisco to over 185 countries around the world. He visited many of these places more than once! Through his show, Don Francisco interviewed many well-known figures. These included athletes like Roberto Durán and even presidents like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. He also spoke with business leaders like Bill Gates.
Sábado Gigante also helped many entertainers start their careers. Some famous names who got their start on the show include Lili Estefan and Sissi Fleitas. Don Francisco even appeared as himself in the movie The 33. This movie was about the brave miners rescued in the 2010 Copiapó mining accident in Chile.
Other TV Shows
Don Francisco also hosted Chilean versions of popular game shows. These included ¿Quién merece ser millonario? (like "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"). He also hosted Deal or No Deal and Atrapa los Millones (which means "Catch the Millions"). He hosted Atrapa los Millones for its first three seasons.
In 2003, Don Francisco lent his voice to a character. He voiced Governor Bernardo de Galvez in an episode of the PBS Kids show Liberty's Kids.
On April 18, 2015, Don Francisco announced that Sábado Gigante would end. Its final episode, called "Hasta Siempre" ("Farewell Forever"), aired on September 19, 2015.
However, Don Francisco soon returned to television! On March 1, 2016, he signed a new deal with Telemundo. His new show, Don Francisco Te Invita ("Don Francisco Invites You"), started on October 9, 2016. It was a Sunday night talk show, similar to his previous shows. This Telemundo show ran for 100 episodes before it ended in late 2018.
Giving Back: His Charity Work
Don Francisco is well-known for his amazing charity work. For many years, he hosted and promoted the Teletón in Chile. This is a special TV charity show that raises money for disabled Chilean children. Between 1978 and 2021, there were 22 telethons over 30 years. He retired from hosting this show in 2021.
He is also the Hispanic spokesperson for the U.S. Muscular Dystrophy Association. He appears in their yearly telethon to encourage Hispanic people to donate. Don Francisco was also the first host of the Teletón USA telethon. This event started in December 2012 on the Univision network and is based on the Chilean Teleton.
Awards and Recognitions
Don Francisco's show, Sábado Gigante, was recognized by Guinness World Records. It was the world's longest-running TV variety show!
He has received many awards throughout his career. He even has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. On March 1, 2012, Don Francisco was added to the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
The city of New York honored him on September 8, 2015. They named a street in the Washington Heights area "Don Francisco Boulevard." On April 11, 2018, the Jewish Community of Chile gave him a special award, calling him "Javer Olam" (which means "friend of the world").
Commercials and Public Service
Don Francisco has also appeared in commercials for various companies. He was in ads for La Curaçao Department Stores. He even attended the opening of some of their new stores. He also appeared in TV spots for the Mexican telecom company Claro.
In 2010, the U.S. Social Security Administration asked Don Francisco for help. He appeared in a series of public service announcements. These messages helped inform American Hispanic communities about the benefits of Social Security.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids
See also
In Spanish: Don Francisco para niños
