Villa Alegre (TV series) facts for kids
Villa Alegre (which means Happy Village) was a special children's television show. It was the first TV program in the United States that taught in two languages: Spanish and English. The show was created by a company called Bilingual Children's Television in 1970. Villa Alegre first aired on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1973. It continued to be shown until 1981, when funding issues caused it to end. Some commercial TV stations also showed Villa Alegre in certain areas.
Dr. Rene Cardenas created Villa Alegre. He was also the president of Bilingual Children's Television and the show's Executive Producer. Other producers included Moctesuma Esparza and David Ochoa. The show won a Peabody Award, which is a very important honor for television programs.
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About the Show
Villa Alegre was set in a fun, imaginary village where everyone spoke both Spanish and English. The show had a lively salsa-style theme song. It ended with kids and adults happily shouting "¡Villa Alegre!"
What it Taught
This educational series was made to help Latino children learn English. It also helped Anglo children learn Spanish. The show taught many different school subjects, like math and science. It also shared important life lessons and information about Hispanic culture.
Who Made It
Claudio Guzman was the executive producer for the show. Barbara Chain was the main writer. Her son, Michael Chain, also wrote for the show and created much of its special music.
Meet the Performers
Many talented actors and actresses were part of Villa Alegre. They helped bring the happy village to life.
Main Characters
- Kenia Hernandez Cueto played a child actress and singer named Maria.
- Carmen Zapata starred as Doña Luz, who was the mayor of Villa Alegre for nine seasons.
- Linda Dangcil played the character Elena.
- Nono Arsu played Felipe in the first two seasons.
Other Cast Members
The Mexican-American singer and actress Marisela also appeared on the show when she was young. Steve Franken and Hal Smith were regular performers too. Darryl Henriques played a character named Mimo in the first and second seasons.
The Director
The show was directed by Argentinian actor and director Alejandro Rey. He had also worked with Linda Dangcil on another TV show called The Flying Nun.
