Mario Machado facts for kids

Machado at his 70th birthday party in 2005.

Mário Machado (born Mário José de Souza Machado; April 22, 1935 – May 4, 2013) was a famous television and radio host, and an actor. He was Portuguese-Chinese-American. In 1970, he made history in Los Angeles. He became the first American of Chinese background to report and anchor news on TV. This was a big step for television news.

Early Life and Education

Mário Machado was born in Shanghai, China. His father, Carlos Jacinto de Lourdes Gouveia Furtado Machado, worked for the Portuguese Consulate. His mother, Maria Teresa de Sousa, was Chinese-Portuguese and a homemaker.

When he was 11, Mário studied at St. John's Military Academy in Los Angeles. Later, he went to the British Thomas Hanbury School. He also studied at St. Francis Xavier College in Shanghai. He finished his education at a business college in Hong Kong. In 1956, he moved to Seattle, USA. He became a US citizen in 1965.

Career Highlights

Before working in TV and radio, Mário Machado worked in management. He was employed by IBM Corporation.

Television Work

Mário Machado's TV career started in 1967. He joined KHJ-TV (now KCAL-TV) as a news reporter. This was a first for a Chinese American. The next year, he became a sports commentator at CBS station KNXT in Los Angeles. In 1969, he became the first reporter in the country to cover consumer affairs.

By 1970, he was a regular reporter on The Big News. This was a very popular newscast in Los Angeles. He worked with famous news anchor Jerry Dunphy. In the 1970s, Mário hosted Noontime. This was a daily news and interview show on KNXT. It ran for seven years.

Mário also hosted Medix, a medical investigation show. It had 208 episodes over eight seasons. He was nominated three times for "Outstanding Achievement as Host." The show won several Emmy Awards. When he wasn't hosting, Mário often played a reporter or news anchor. He appeared on many popular TV shows.

Acting Roles

On the big screen, Mário Machado often played a news anchor or reporter. He was well-known as Casey Wong in the three RoboCop movies. He also played reporters in other famous films. These included Brian's Song (1971) and Oh, God! (1977). He was in The Concorde ... Airport '79 (1979) and Rocky III (1982). He also appeared in Scarface (1983).

Mário Machado also appeared as himself in some movies. These included Blue Thunder (1983) and Without Warning (1994). His last acting role was in 1998. It was an episode of the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210.

Mário's unique voice was also used for TheatreVision. This service helps blind audiences. It describes what is happening on screen in films.

Sports Commentary

Mário Machado loved soccer. He was a great college athlete and soccer player. He was the English language commentator for four FIFA World Cup championships. These were in Mexico (1970), Germany (1974), Argentina (1978), and Spain (1982). He also covered the 1984 Olympic Games.

He was the "Voice of Soccer" for CBS Television in 1968 and 1976. He covered the North American Soccer League (NASL). He hosted The Best of the World Cup for the Spanish International Network. For six years, he hosted Star Soccer from England on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Mário was one of the people who helped start AYSO. This is the American Youth Soccer Organization. In 1971, he helped change AYSO rules. This allowed girls to play soccer too. For his work in soccer, Mário was put into the AYSO Hall of Fame in 1999.

Old China Hands Reunion

Mário Machado also produced many special events. One important event was the Old China Hands Reunion in 1996. Over 1,100 people who used to live in China gathered in Las Vegas. They shared their stories from the 1940s and 1950s.

Mário helped collect these stories. They became part of the Old China Hands Archive. This archive is now at California State University, Northridge. It helps save these important historical stories for the future.

Personal Life

Mário Machado was married to Marie Christine D’Almada Remedios. They had four children together.

Mário Machado passed away on May 4, 2013. He was 78 years old. He died in West Hills, California.

Awards and Honors

Mário Machado received many awards for his work.

• He won eight Emmy Awards and was nominated ten times.
• His last Emmy was for a TV special called U.S. Citizenship: A Dream Come True.
• The Mayor of Beverly Hills, California declared December 4, 1983, as Mario Machado Day.
• He was the honorary mayor of Granada Hills for eight years.
• He was a Los Angeles Commissioner of Cultural Affairs.
• Mário helped found Nosotros in 1970. This group worked to improve how Latino actors were shown in media.
• President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the Child Safety Partnership in 1986.
• He was honored in 1987 for his "outstanding work on behalf of women, children and families."
• He was the announcer for Pope John Paul II's Mass at Dodger Stadium.
• In 1988, he rode on a special float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. He rode with famous people like Mickey Mouse and Muhammad Ali.
• Honda Motors created the Mario J. Machado Scholarships in 1991.
• He was inducted into the AYSO Hall of Fame in 1999.
• He served as Grand Marshal for many Chinese New Year Parades in Los Angeles Chinatown.
• He received the John Anson Ford Humanitarian Award in 1994.
• He carried the Olympic Flame through downtown Los Angeles in 2004. This was before the Athens Olympic Games.

Filmography