Enrique Nicanor (5 December 1944 – 8 July 2025) was a Spanish film and television producer and director, writer and designer best known for his works for public service broadcasting as Director of TVE-2, the Spanish Public TV and the creation of and Perezgil, the Spanish muppets of Sesame Street (Barrio Sésamo). He began as a designer and film animation director in Cuba in 1959. Based in Paris (1965) and Spain (1967), he was board member and President of INPUT-TV, The International Public TV Conference and film trainer at EAVE, The European Producers' workshop and the European Commission Learning Network. He was an independent producer from 1988 until his death in 2025.
Background The son of a Galician family of modest landowners, Nicanor's parents emigrated after the Spanish Civil war to New York joining their family there. In 1950 the family established their home in Havana where he studied Fine Arts at The National School of Fine Arts Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes "San Alejandro" and Philosophy and History of Arts at the University of Havana. In 1965 the family left Cuba and he went to Paris to work as animation director and cameraman with producer Serge Danot. In 1967, Mr. Adolfo Suárez, Director of the recently created Spanish Public TV (RTVE), invited E. Nicanor to come back to Spain and join the new institution where he produced and directed films and documentaries till 1983 becoming that year Director of the channel. In 1988 he left the Spanish institution to work internationally as an independent producer/consultor promoting public broadcasting service within institutions such as INPUT-TV, collaborating as professional film trainer at EAVE the European Audiovisual workshop and producing for international television channels.
Nicanor died on 13 July 2025, at the age of 80.Muere Enrique Nicanor, exdirector del OUFF, pionero en la animación y figura destacada del cine y la televisión
Early works in Cuba and France 1959, Cartoonist and designer for the Cuban newspaper Prensa Libre and the weekly magazine Bohemia at the time that Cuban Revolution changed the political power. 1960, Founder, Animator and Director of the Animation Department of ICAIC - Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos together with artists Jesús de Armas, Tulio Raggi, Eduardo Muñoz-Bachs, Modesto García, Hernán Henríquez, Harry Read, Jorge Carruana, Wichy R. Nogueras, Paco Prats and other pioneers who created the first Cuban animation films. 1965, director, animator and cameraman with producer Serge Danot, co-producer Ivor Wood and scenographer Rafael Esteve for the Public French TV (ORTF) programme series The Magic Roundabout.
Filmography Cuba (ICAIC) + Year Title Spanish title Description Notes 1960 a-e-i-o-u a-e-i-o-u Animation on the first letters of the alphabet Animator with Hernán Henriquez 1961 Ogu, the Primitive Man Ogú, el hombre primitivo[ Animation on the discovery of solidarity Director, animation by Hernán Henriquez and Jorge Carruana 1963 The Paper Bird El gallito de papel Animation on toys' war and peace Designer, directed by Jorge Carruana, animator Wichy Nogueras 1965 Macrotí, a Cuban Noah Macrotí, un Noé cubano Animation on the Cuban aborigin story of Noah's Ark Animator, directed by Tulio Raggi 1965 Two Men Dos hombres Animation on the dangers of human greed Story by Fernando Villaverde
Filmography France, (ORTF) Year Title French title Description Starring 1965/1966 The Magic Roundabout Le Manège Enchanté Puppet animation series for small children / Serge Danot Productions, for ORTF, broadcast later by BBC, UK Pollux, Margot, Zebulon, Pere Pivoine, Flappy, Ambroise Music by Alan Legrand
Filmography Spain, RTVE In 1967, Mr. Adolfo Suárez, Director of the recently created Spanish Public TV (RTVE), invited E. Nicanor to come back to Spain and join the new institution. He produced the Children series "The Adventures of Mumu the Bull", a new puppet animation series and started the channel production of documentaries, series and programmes in film format until 1983 when he became Channel director of TVE-2.
Year Title Spanish title Description/network Starring 1967 The Adventures of Mumu the Bull Las Aventuras de Mumú Animation puppet series for small children, 26 Episodes Mumú, Lolita, Mondoñedo, D. Tontón 1967 First Day of School El primer dia de escuela First "free cinema" Doc. for TVE on education / Ramiro de Maetzu School Host: Ivan Tubau 1967 Images to Learn Imágenes para saber Weekely cultural magazine / Film segments co-director with video Director Ricardo Arias First appearance in TV of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente 1968 School Television Televisión escolar School daily magazine / Film segments co-director with video Director Ricardo Arias Felix Rodríguez de la Fuente, Carmen Esther, Manolo Portillo...
Cómo es Cómo se hace +scripts: Justo Merino, voice-over: Eufrasio Zúñiga Episode Title Spanish title Description Location 1 (1968) The Olive Oil El aceite de oliva From the historic plantation of the olive trees to the bottle Jaén, Andalusia 2 Bread El Pan From collecting wheat to baker's work and distribution Madrid 3 Ceramic La cerámica Traditional Spanish pottery Bailén, Andalusia 4 Wood Furniture Un mueble de madera From cutting the tree to the carpenter's hand-craft Almagro 5 A Spanish Guitar Una guitarra española The secret process of combining woods and crafts to get music sounds Ramírez Guitars, Madrid 6 The Paper El papel From the collecting of wood to our desktop Sarrió, Leiza, Navarre 7 An Electric Dam Una central eléctrica Transforming water river flow into power Central del Duero, Extremadura 8 A Nuclear Power Plant Una planta nuclear The process of transforming uranium into electric power Vandellós, Tarragona 9 The Japanese Lacquerware La laca japonesa with Prof. Ramon Sarsanedas, Escola Massana Barcelone 10 A Jewel Una joya Goldsmith and arts at the Escola Massana, Barcelone 11 An Art Collection Una colección de arte Museum Frederic Marés Frederic Marés Museum, himself Barcelone 12 A Newspaper Un periódico The printing of La Vanguardia Barcelone 13 A Classic Spa Un balneario Mondariz Vigo, Galicia 14 An experimental farm Una granja Experimental Granxa do Louro Porriño, Galicia 15 Growing Sea-food La pesca del marisco with Alvaro Cunqueiro (writer) O Grove, Vigo, Galicia 16 A Galician Back-pipe Una gaita gallega traditional Galician craft-maker Pontevedra 17 The Galician Camellia La camelia gallega Planting, growing and caring camellias A Coruña, Galicia 18 A Public Park Un parque Caring and life of a park. Parque Güell Barcelona 19 A Fabric La tela From the thread to the fabric. Industrial knitting Barcelona 20 Orchids in a Green House Un vivero de orquideas. "El inglés" Green house Nerja, Málaga 21 Inshore Fishing La pesca de bajura Fishermen fleet working close to the coast Málaga 22 A Spanish Sword Una espada española Forgering traditional Toledan steel. Felix' forgery Toledo 23 A Medieval Spanish Armor Una armadura medieval Forgering and decorating traditional Toledan steel Toledo 24 Toledan Goldsmith El damasquinado Toledan / Arab traditional goldsmith Toledo 25 Recording and printing a Vinil Disk Un disco de vinilo On the industry of music Madrid 26 Modeling a Statue El modelado en barro The artistic process to create a statue Bailén, Andalusia 27 The Art Restoration La restauración artística Instituto de Restauración Artística Madrid 28 A Supersonic Combat Airplane Un avión de combate supersónico The Saeta aircraft by CASA Seville 29 (1971) A Radio Broadcast Una emisora de radio Radio Popular with Tip y Coll and Alfonso Eduardo Madrid 30 (1972) How Television is made (Part 1) La televisión (episodio 1) TVE, Prado del Rey Madrid 31 (1972) How Television is made (Part 2) La televisión (episodio 2) TVE, Prado del Rey Madrid + Stand alone films and programmes Episode Title Spanish title Description Notes 1970 Front Page: Mexico: Luis Echeverria president A toda plana: Elecciones en México. Would presidente Luís Echeverría re-establish relations with Franco's Spain? Documentary on President Luis Echeverria takeover ceremony and possible re-establishing diplomatic relations. Commissioned by Eduardo Sancho 1970 Cheste a Cell of New Families Cheste, una célula universitaria para nuevas familias New education at the Cheste Labour University, Cheste, Valencia Host: Eduardo Sancho 1970 Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei Pilot for the series The History of Science Scientific advisor: Dr. Roberto Saumells 1973 Trip to the Moon Viaje a la luna (de Cyrano de Bergerac) Fiction episode for the series "La Comparsa" Gabriel Fariza, Miriam de Maeztu, Juan Margallo, Marcelo Rubal 1973 The Hunting of the Snark La caza del Snark (by Lewis Carroll) Fiction episode for the series "La Comparsa" Francisco Merino and Quique San Francisco 1976 Platero and I, Juan Ramón Jiménez Platero y yo, Juan Ramón Jiménez Fiction episode for the series "Books" (Los libros) Script by and Enrique Nicanor Agustín González, Gerardo Maya, Ana de Yebra1979The Invasion of the Street ComediantsEls Comediants invaden la ciudadSpecial programme representing TVE at the Montreux TV Music FestivalTheater group 1982-1983RobinsonRobinsonYouth weekly magazine for literature and gamesFelicidad Orquín, Gabriel Fariza. Ondas TV Award'82
The Rules of the Game +Produced in 1976, Broadcast 1977-1978 On the theory by host: Broadcast Title Spanish title Description Notes October 4, 1977 The TRIBAL Man Homo Tribalis The human feelings that count. Beyond economics, politics and Marx theories Galicia, Cairo, Tokio, NYC October 11, 1977 LAND LA TIERRA The feeling of belonging to a land or place. Nationalism conflicts Israel-Palestine conflict, Lebanon war, UK-Spain Gibraltar conflict 1018/77 LANGUAGE LA LENGUA The feeling of ownership or belonging to our language with Camilo José Cela, Guillermo Cabrea Infante, Alvaro Cunqueiro October 25, 1977 RACE LA RAZA Racial conflicts is/was determined by tribal feelings? Lebanon'75 war, Hiroshima, Auschwitz November 1, 1977 HISTORY LA HISTORIA The tribal way that History adapts its different stories USA, France, Japan, UK, 11/04877 RELIGION LA RELIGIÓNTribal uses of all religionsThe Vatican, Judaism, Muslims, Budism . Shot in Italy, Japan, Israel, Palestine November 15, 1977 THE TYPES LOS TIPOSTribal kind of personalities developed through timesTribal kinds of human charactersDecember 3, 1977POLITICSLA POLITICAHow tribal feelings work, are used and determine politicsPolitical parties, unions, press, monarchy and democracyDecember 10, 1977ECOLOGY AND DRESSECOLOGÍA Y VESTIDOThe way fashion determines own attachments to the way we dressOur way of dressing according to our tribeDecember 17, 1977TOTEMTHE TOTEMTotems of contemporary society: flags, kings and other social "symbols"Contemporary societies also have totemsDecember 24, 1977ECONOMICSLA ECONOMIANational of global economy. How it works.When coins tell us that we belong to...December 31, 1977WARLA GUERRATribalism in wars in old and contemporary societyAre wars simply tribal matters?January 7, 1978EMPIREEL IMPERIOTribal reasons or use of Empires in old and contemporary society Grece, Rome, Spanish Empire, British Empire, USA imperialismFebruary 21, 1978FOOD AND ARTLA COMIDA Y EL ARTEOwn food or international food habits how they workWhy my country food is better than the others. Music folklore and nationalismsJune 18, 1978EPILOGUE: TIBAL 1EPILOGO: TRIBAL 1Summary of the series part oneSummary of the whole series 1June 25, 1978EPILOGUE: TRIBAL 2EPILOGO: TRIBAL 2Summary of the series part 2Summary of the whole series 2
Barrio Sésamo Broadcast Title Description starring 1979–1980 BARRIO SESAMO First Sesame Street Spanish co-prod with CTW featuring Spanish characters and muppets Emma Cohen as "Caponata", Jesús Alacaide as "Perezgil", Gabriel Fariza, Concha Goyanes, Juan Margallo, Petri Martínez ...
Noah's Ark / El arca de Noé, series on wildlife and nature