Carlos Salim Balaa Boglich (13 August 1925 – 22 September 2022), known as Carlitos Balá, was an Argentine actor who specialized in children's entertainment.

[1][2] Balá also created a large gallery of characters (played by himself on his show) that include Petronilo, Angueto the invisible dog, Indeciso, and Miserio.

[3] Balá had a weekly television show, cementing his status at the top of children's entertainment, on par with Alberto Olmedo (as Capitán Piluso) and José Marrone.

In addition to summertime tours of Argentina, Balá starred in several family-oriented films, most notably in the Canuto Cañete series in the 1960s.

Balá is widely recognised as a true icon of the popular culture due to his contribution to humor and Argentine television by touching generations for over 50 years of artistic career.

I am very excited, because they have reminded me of what Chacarita means to me.In the mid-1950s, close to turning thirty, he met eighteen-year-old Martha Venturiello, with whom he had a seven-year courtship until his marriage in 1962.

[15][16][17] On 22 September 2022, he died at the age of ninety-seven,[18][19] after being admitted to the Güemes Sanatorium, located in the neighborhood of Palermo, after suffering a bout of hypotension.

[20] Balá made his professional debut in 1955, being hired by Délfor Dicásolo to be part of the team of La revista dislocada, a successful variety show broadcast on Radio Splendid that was considered a birthplace of artists.

[21][22] After a disagreement with Dicásolo in 1958, Balá left the program and formed a comedy trio with Jorge Marchesini and Alberto Locati starring in Los tres..., on Radio El Mundo, along with announcer Antonio Carrizo.

In 1963 he made his debut in the theatrical play Canuto Cañete, conscripto del siete, and due to his great success on Canal 9, he was hired to host his own program, Balamicina.

That same year he returned with El show de Carlitos Balá, which won a Martín Fierro Awards for best children's program.

In 1990, ATC produced a program with Carlitos Balá and the troupe of Margarito Tereré that lasted only a short time on the air.

On 2 September 2009, he was invited to Justo a tiempo, a program hosted by Julián Weich,[2] where promised to donate his famous Chupetómetro to continue the tradition of helping boys give up the pacifier.

Albums recorded by Balá include:[28] On 11 December 2009, the Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires declared him an Outstanding Cultural Personality.