Mario Kreutzberger

Host

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

Tab

About

About this interview

In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Mario Kreutzberger discusses moving to the United States from his native Chile as a boy to study men's tailoring -- a career his father wished him to pursue. He recalls, upon arriving in New York City, being immediately fascinated with television: "a radio you could watch." He describes being influenced by the American television hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson and details abandoning his first career to try to get Chile's Canal 13 to give him a chance as an on-air host. He recalls his first Sunday show, which was soon canceled, and outlines the creation of a new, eight-hour live show on Saturdays, called Sabados Gigantes ("Giant Saturdays"), which he hosted under the pseudonym "Don Francisco." He discusses the show's certification by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running variety show on television in 2003, with the show's premiere in 1962, and how in almost 50 years of hosting, Kreutzberger only missed one Saturday show -- when his mother passed away. He talks about moving the show from Chile to Miami, making it the first regular Spanish-language show broadcast nationally in the U.S., and why he changed the name of the show to Sabado Gigante. Kreutzberger also discusses Teleton, a charity telethon for children with physical disabilities, talks about the production schedule of Sabado Gigante, speaks of various stars who got their start on the show, and articulates the program's legacy. Claudio Tona conducted the interview on July 20, 2011 in Miami, FL.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"I saw Jack Paar, Art Linkletter, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson. And then I made a mixture of everything that I saw. That's why when they asked me -- what is 'Sábato Gigante'? I have to say that (the show) is like a soup. We have ingredients that has the basic flavor of the soup but we can add or we can take off some of the spare ingredients. Then you have to make that soup a little different every week but with the flavor of 'Sábado Gigante.'"

People Talking About ...

Mario Kreutzberger

Highlights

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's holding the Guinness World Record as the longest-running variety show on television

Mario Kreutzberger on why he has had such a long career (since 1962) on television

Mario Kreutzberger on working for the biggest minority in the US vs. representing a whole country in Chile; on how the content of Sabado Gigante "has to go with the needs of the community"

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante and what makes a good host: "communication is magic"

01:41

Mario Kreutzberger on advice to aspiring television show hosts "perserverance"

00:21

Full Interview

Play Full Interview

Chapter 1

On his childhood in Chile; his family and background

On his father's wish he become a tailor and on coming to the U.S.; on the first time he saw television and knowing he wanted to change career paths; on anti-semitism he faced growing up in Chile; on high school and his early interests in performing

On his first television appearance and changing his name to "Don Francisco"; on his early television influences

On the origin of Sabados Gigantes; on the show's beginnings in Chile, on trying to bring the show to the U.S.; on being fired from his first show which aired on Sundays and coming back with the Saturday show; on his audience; on his hosting duties

On moving Sabados Gigantes from Chile to Miami; on the challenges of a new audience; on the character "Don Francisco"; on how the show changed over the years; on the show not being political but responding to its audience; on the state of Spanish-language TV in Chili and then in the United States; on the difficulty of getting U.S. sponsors for the show

Mario Kreutzberger on working for the biggest minority in the US vs. representing a whole country in Chile; on how the content of Sabado Gigante "has to go with the needs of the community"; on what makes the show successful; on why he changed the name of the show (dropping the "S") in the U.S.

Chapter 2

On the crew on Sabado Gigante; on a typical production month; on various musical guests and celebrities on the show; on handling censorship

On what political issues Sabado Gigante has covered; on 9/11; on his interviewing style

On his interviewing style; on what makes a good host; on the audience of the show

On Sabado Gigante's legacy as the longest-running variety show on television; on where the show is seen worldwide; on it being primarily a "family show"; on how long he sees the show continuing

On the power of content on television; on his proudest achievement; on advice to aspiring television hosts

Shows

Sabado Gigante

View Show Page

Mario Kreutzberger on how Sabado Gigante ("Giant Saturday") is "like a soup," comprised from many different influences such as Jack Paar, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, etc.

Mario Kreutzberger on moving Sabados Gigantes to a live, 8-hour show on Saturdays; on the origin of the show

Mario Kreutzberger on moving Sabados Gigantes from Chile to Miami; on the challenges of a new audience; on the character "Don Francisco"; on how the show changed

Mario Kreutzberger on his goal to "represent the audience" rather than take a political bent with Sabado Gigante; on the state of Spanish-language TV

Mario Kreutzberger on his co-hosts on Sabado Gigante; on the difficulty of getting U.S sponsors

Mario Kreutzberger on working for the biggest minority in the US vs. representing a whole country in Chile; on how the content of Sabado Gigante "has to go with the needs of the community"

Mario Kreutzberger on what makes Sabado Gigante successful; on his role on the show

09:00

Mario Kreutzberger on changing the name of the original Sabados Gigantes to Sabado Gigante in the U.S

07:16

Mario Kreutzberger on casting Sabado Gigante; on different segments of the show; on recurring characters and co-hosts, on the contests

06:26

Mario Kreutzberger on a segment of Sabado Gigante interviewing children, which was influenced by The Steve Allen Show, which he watched when he first came to the U.S in 1959

00:51

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's political impact

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's legacy; on what makes a good host

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's holding the Guinness World Record as the longest-running variety show on television

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's legacy

Steve Allen Show, The (1956-61)

View Show Page

Mario Kreutzberger on a segment of Sabado Gigante interviewing children, which was influenced by The Steve Allen Show, which he watched when he first came to the U.S in 1959

00:51

Topics

9/11

View Topic

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's show on 9/11

Creative Influences and Inspiration

View Topic

Mario Kreutzberger on being influenced by early television hosts Jack Paar, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, and Art Linkletter and how they influenced his Spanish-language show Sabado Gigante

Historic Events and Social Change

View Topic

Mario Kreutzberger on Sabado Gigante's show on 9/11

Technological Innovation

View Topic

Mario Kreutzberger on embracing social media in his programs