1 9 6 3 - 1 9 6 4 in a scrap book

I don't know who invented scrap-books. I have always had scrap-books where I pasted clippings from magazines and newspapers until such time as the Internet came along. My scrap-books were usually dedicated to favourite pop stars and their latest hits. I had a friend called Claudete Deleva, who was a little different. She loved pop music,  films and TV, but she also liked all kinds of news relating to various subjects. She usually bought popular newspapers like 'Ultima Hora' and 'Notícias Populares' which supplied the seedier side of society to an avid population in search of scandal and low-life behaviour. 

When I met Claudete in 1966, she had this seamstears's book filled with clippings of all kinds. I thought it 'funny'. I even laughed at the things she considered 'important' enough to be included in her scrap-book. Now, looking back at it I see it is priceless because it captured a slice of time in the popular culture of late 1963, 1964 and early 1965. 

Claudete loved Italian rocker Rita Pavone and was also partial to sultry Spanish bombshell Sarita Montiel. Apparently, Claudete started her scrap-book around the time John Kennedy was murdered in Dallas, Texas, on 11 November 1963. Here are some of the topics covered by the Brazilian popular press around 1963 & 1964: 

Actress Maria Vidal drank poison and died later in hospital on 14 May 1963; Mexican singer Miguel Aceves Mejia would visit Brazil soon; Janio Quadros resigned as President in in 1961, but was still the butt of jokes; President João Goulart would soon be toppled by a military coup that would drag the country back 100 years; Laura wanted to become Lauro; 

beautiful singer Gilda Lopes was depressed because her 9 year-old son had lost an arm in a bus accident; British 'Profumo affair' was still raging; Audrey Hepburn and Shirley McLaine played a lesbian love-affair in a William Wyler movie called 'Infâmia' based on Lillian Hellman's 'The children's hour'; 

Chubby Checker and the twist were still popular; Miss Brazil was Black for the 1st time ever; monokini was in, bikini was out; controversial writer Adelaide Carraro of 'Eu e o governador' fame wanted to became a painter; Cassandra Rios who wrote mainly about lesbian love was accused of kidnapping  someone; 

Henrique Lobo, a popular DJ changed radio stations, radio was still important enough to be news; the Beatles had arrived; Trini Lopez 's first record had just been released; Rita Pavone had a Brazilian romance; Brigitte Bardot visited Rio with Bob Zagury, her Brazilian beau; Edith Piaf married a Greek man young enough to be her son

John Kennedy is murdered in Dallas, Texas (Fatos & Fotos, 7 December 1963).

great Mexican singer Miguel Aceves Mejia is supposed to visit Brazil in July 1964; great comedian Maria Vidal takes poison and dies on 14 May 1963. 

President Jânio Quadros (1961) says: 'I just want to know who spiked my drink!; President João Goulart (1961-1963) wants to know who started the putsch that toppled him on 1st April 1964.

Pelé; Pelé in Santos in 1958.

Laura wants to become Lauro. Laura Aria worked as a brick-layer and declared to daily 'Ultima Hora', on 16 June 1964, she always felt more comfortable wearing men's clothes. 

Gilda Lopes' drama: her 9 year-old son was in a bus accident while traveling from Porto Alegre to Rio during the 1962 Christmas season. He had one of his arms amputated. Gilda entered a period of depression which ended up making her leave show business for good; the lady on the left declares she had seen a flying saucer...

Gilda Lopes (13 April 63) & Mila Moreira on the cover of Fatos & Fotos (28 Sept 1963).

Norma Benguel (5 Jan 63) & Irma Alvares (18 May 63).

John Profumo & Mandy Rice - Audrey Hepburn & Shirley McLaine

Ângela Maria - Chubby Checker - Hebe Camargo - Leonor Mendes de Barros - Rita Pavone

Vera Lucia Couto, Miss Guanabara 1964.

Adelaide Carraro - Cassandra Rios 

Brigitte Bardot in Cabo Frio-RJ.

Enraged by her baby's cries, mother throws it on the floor. Her husband arrived home later, listened to her wife's account, took the boy to a hospital, but he died soon after. Radio man Henrique Lôbo leaves Radio Excelsior.

The Beatles had their photo reversed by 'Ultima Hora'. 

European cinema - Brigitte Bardot and her Brazilian beau.

Pavone & her Brazilian beau - Piaf & her Greek beau.

Sabu - Paul Anka 

'A moça que veio de longe' the trend-setting soap-opera - 'O direito de nascer' revived from radio times.

'O Cruzeiro' 23rd June 1963 (Pope John XXIII) & 27 July 1963 with Hebe Camargo on the cover. 

Doctor Kildare's Richard Chamberlain - Rinaldo Calheiros.

Wilson Miranda - Ronnie Cord 

Rita Pavone - Roberto Carlos 

Carlos Zara - Lolita Rodrigues 

Singer Agnaldo Rayol declares he was not a drug addict; telenovela 'A moça que veio de longe' (The girl that came from afar) run from 5 May 1964 and  29 July 1964, written by Ivany Ribeiro for TV Excelsior, was the most popular TV soap-opera ever, starting a trend that has lasted 30 years up to date (2014); 'O direito de nascer' the most popular radio soap-opera ever was re-enacted on TV with similar success; Richard Chamberlain's 'Dr. Kildare' was top TV Excelsior; Rinaldo Calheiros sans Silvana still managed to appear on the cover of TV guide even without a hit-record; the same might be said of Wilson Miranda; Ronnie Cord was #1 with 'Rua Augusta', the 1st real Brazilian rock; Rita Pavone was the Italian Volcano; Roberto Carlos was young and new; actors Carlos Zara and Lolita Rodrigues were popular among soap-opera viewers; Sarita Montiel had known better days but she still had a faithful fan-club (Claudete being one of them); middle-aged comedian Dercy Gonçalves (she was 58 in 1964) was really hot on TV Excelsior with her weekly show.

1963 started with a Carnaval tune recorded in 1962: 'Marcha do pó-de-mico' (March of the itching powder) sung by old-timer Emilinha Borba. Its lyrics had a double-entendre which made the populace change the original lyrics into something obscene. Needless to say, 'Pó de mico' turned out to be the greatest hit of the Carnaval parade.