Juan Carlos Mesa
Encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Mesa is a well-known Argentine humorist, screenwriter and director.
in 1930. Following a stint as a writer in Uruguay
for a sitcom, Telecataplum, He began his career in Argentine television in 1967 as a junior writer for comedian Carlos Balá
and first collaborated on a film script in 1971, with Enrique Carreras
' family comedy
, El veraneo de los Campanelli. He was reunited with Carreras for the film's 1972 sequel, wrote later that year for Fernando Siro
in his picaresque comedy, Autocine mon amour, and in 1976, earned his first credit as lead writer in Palito Ortega
's Dos locos en el aire.
Writing for leading local television comic Tato Bores in 1980, Mesa first became widely known as a performer on the radio, rather than on the screen, with his popular Radio Mitre show, Tenis de mesa; the name of the show ("table tennis
") was a play on his own last name, a witticism that became part of his act on many of his subsequent productions. Perhaps the most successful of these was Mesa de noticias ("News Desk"). The primetime sitcom, which premiered in 1983, set Mesa in a struggling network news
program as its hapless programming director, and ran until 1987, appealing to audiences of an unusually varied demographic. His leading co-star, Italian actor Gianni Lunadei
, joined Mesa in 1991 for a less successful spin-off, El gordo y el flaco (akin to Laurel and Hardy
).
Mesa continued to write for cinema, as well, working with the best-known local comedy duo of the 1980s, Alberto Olmedo
and Jorge Porcel
(whose wiry and portly physiques, respectively, mirrored those of Lunadei and Mesa, somewhat). His script for the boot camp comedy Los colimbas se divierten (1986) was followed by the Olmedo-Porcel duo's last, the 1988 gender-bender Atracción peculiar.
Following Alberto Olmedo's death in 1988, and Porcel's departure for Miami Beach, Mesa's career declined somewhat. Appearing mainly on radio, he worked with his brother Edgardo and son, Juan Martín, in El Surtidor ("The Dispenser"), a variety show
complete with astrology
forecasts. He reemerged on television, however, as the chief writer and in a supporting role in a 2003 sitcom, Dr. Amor (played by Arturo Puig
, who had become well-known among younger audiences in the United States
in the PBS educational series, Destinos
). He returned Radio Mire in 2006 with a segment, Río con Mesa, on Lalo Mir's top-rated Animados, and portrayed Noah
in a voice-over
role for an award-winning 2007 animated film, El arca ("The Ark").
Life and work
Juan Carlos Mesa was born in Córdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
in 1930. Following a stint as a writer in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
for a sitcom, Telecataplum, He began his career in Argentine television in 1967 as a junior writer for comedian Carlos Balá
Carlos Balá
Carlos Balá is an Argentine actor who specialized in children's entertainment.Descended from Lebanese immigrants, he was born in 1925 in the Chacarita neighborhood...
and first collaborated on a film script in 1971, with Enrique Carreras
Enrique Carreras
Enrique Carreras was a Peruvian-born Argentine film director, screenwriter and film producer, and was one of the most prolific film directors in the history of the Cinema of Argentina....
' family comedy
Family film
A family film is a film genre that is designed to appeal to a variety of age groups and, thus, families.In December 2005, Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial came first in a poll of the 100 Greatest Family Films. The genre today generates billions of dollars per annum.Family...
, El veraneo de los Campanelli. He was reunited with Carreras for the film's 1972 sequel, wrote later that year for Fernando Siro
Fernando Siro
Fernando Siro was an Argentine film actor, film director and screenwriter.-Life and work:Born Francisco Ángel Luksich in Villa Ballester, he developed an early interest in acting and in 1950 was given his first Argentine cinema role in El otro yo de Marcela, directed by Alberto de Zavalía...
in his picaresque comedy, Autocine mon amour, and in 1976, earned his first credit as lead writer in Palito Ortega
Palito Ortega
Ramón Bautista Ortega Argentine singer and actor, better known as Palito Ortega. Ortega reached international fame, particularly in Latin America and Spain, during the 1960s, when Rock and Roll music was popularized among teenagers in the region.- Youth :Ortega was born to a very poor family in...
's Dos locos en el aire.
Writing for leading local television comic Tato Bores in 1980, Mesa first became widely known as a performer on the radio, rather than on the screen, with his popular Radio Mitre show, Tenis de mesa; the name of the show ("table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
") was a play on his own last name, a witticism that became part of his act on many of his subsequent productions. Perhaps the most successful of these was Mesa de noticias ("News Desk"). The primetime sitcom, which premiered in 1983, set Mesa in a struggling network news
News broadcasting
News broadcasting is the broadcasting of various news events and other information via television, radio or internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network...
program as its hapless programming director, and ran until 1987, appealing to audiences of an unusually varied demographic. His leading co-star, Italian actor Gianni Lunadei
Gianni Lunadei
Gianni Lunadei was a versatile Italian Argentine actor best known for his work in Argentine comedy.-Life and work:...
, joined Mesa in 1991 for a less successful spin-off, El gordo y el flaco (akin to Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
).
Mesa continued to write for cinema, as well, working with the best-known local comedy duo of the 1980s, Alberto Olmedo
Alberto Olmedo
Alberto Olmedo was an Argentine comedian and actor.Olmedo was born in Barrio Pichincha, Rosario, Santa Fe Province. In his teens, he was a gifted gymnast and an aspiring actor, who tried his luck with several amateur theater companies and enjoyed some local success.Olmedo moved to Buenos Aires in...
and Jorge Porcel
Jorge Porcel
Jorge Raúl Porcel de Peralta was a comedy actor and television host from Argentina. He was nicknamed El Gordo de América...
(whose wiry and portly physiques, respectively, mirrored those of Lunadei and Mesa, somewhat). His script for the boot camp comedy Los colimbas se divierten (1986) was followed by the Olmedo-Porcel duo's last, the 1988 gender-bender Atracción peculiar.
Following Alberto Olmedo's death in 1988, and Porcel's departure for Miami Beach, Mesa's career declined somewhat. Appearing mainly on radio, he worked with his brother Edgardo and son, Juan Martín, in El Surtidor ("The Dispenser"), a variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
complete with astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
forecasts. He reemerged on television, however, as the chief writer and in a supporting role in a 2003 sitcom, Dr. Amor (played by Arturo Puig
Arturo Puig
Arturo Puig is an Argentine theatre, television and motion picture actor.-Cinema:* Los Muchachos de mi barrio * El Veraneo de los Campanelli * He nacido en la ribera * Me gusta esa chica...
, who had become well-known among younger audiences in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the PBS educational series, Destinos
Destinos
Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish, also known simply as Destinos, is an educational television program created by Bill VanPatten, who was, at the time, Professor of Spanish and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. The show, designed to introduce viewers...
). He returned Radio Mire in 2006 with a segment, Río con Mesa, on Lalo Mir's top-rated Animados, and portrayed Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
in a voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
role for an award-winning 2007 animated film, El arca ("The Ark").