Villa Alegre (, Happy Village) is a children's television show and the first national bilingual (Spanish/English) program in the United States.Danini, Carmina. "Rivas-Estrella was part of the first national bilingual TV show," San Antonio Express-News, 25 January 2006, State & Metro, p.4B. It was produced by Bilingual Children's Television as its inaugural project on the company's founding in 1970.Villa Alegre at Retroland.com. Retrieved July 15, 2007. Villa Alegre debuted on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) public television in 1973 and ran there until funding disputes ended the project in 1981. The show was also seen in syndication on commercial stations at least weekly in some markets.
Villa Alegre was the creation of Dr. Rene Cardenas, who served as president of Bilingual Children's Television and Executive Producer.Villa Alegre at the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved July 15, 2007. Other producers included Moctesuma Esparza, who worked on only the first season, and David Ochoa."Militant found career in films", Rocky Mountain News (Colorado), 21 May 1994, Local section, special feature "La Gente", p.74A.
The show won a Peabody Award among other honors.Payan, Victor. "Interview with Moctesuma Esparza: From the L.A. High School walkouts to 'Selena' and 'The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca', In Motion Magazine. May 21, 1998. Retrieved July 15, 2007.
Description
Villa Alegre centered on life in a whimsical bilingual (Spanish and English) village. The program had an upbeat, catchy salsa-flavored theme song, which ended with adults and kids shouting "¡Villa Alegre!" The series was designed to teach each featured language to children who were native speakers of the other. It featured various educational subjects (such as mathematics and science) and life lessons, in addition to Hispanic culture. The executive producer was Claudio Guzman and the head writer was Barbara Chain. Her son Michael ChainMichael Chain biography page at the Internet Movie Database was a staff writerMichael Chain at the Internet Movie Database who also composed much of the specialty music for the episodes.
Performers
Kenia Hernandez Cueto played the child actress/singer Maria. Actress Carmen Zapata, of Mexican-Argentinian-American heritage, starred in the program for nine seasons in the role of Doña Luz, the mayor of Villa Alegre,Kilmer, Lowe. "Celebrities" (column), Watertown Daily Times (New York), 7 October 2003, Lifestyles & Leisure section, p.B2. Mexican-American singer-actress Marisela appeared on the show in her youth.Arroyo, Blanca. "Ahora 'sin él', pero lista para volver - La cantante confiesa que a los 15 años tuvo un tórrido romance con Marco Antonio Solís y que le 'encantaría' trabajar otra vez con 'El Buki Mayor,'" ["Now 'Without Him', but ready to return: The singer confesses that at age 15 she had a torrid romance with Marco Antonio Solís and that she would be 'delighted' to work again with 'El Buki Mayor'"], La Opinión (Los Angeles, California), May 6, 2001, Espectáculos section. (in Spanish) Actress Linda Dangcil played Elena on the show. The show was directed by Argentine actor and director Alejandro Rey (who co-starred with Dangcil on The Flying Nun). Nono Arsu played Felipe at TVAcres.com, 5 February 2013; archived in the first and second seasons. Steve Franken and Hal Smith were regulars also. Darryl Henriques played Mimo in the first and second seasons.
Notes
External links
Villa Alegre on Facebook Villa Alegre at Big Cartel