José Abelardo Barbosa de Medeiros (September 30, 1917 – June 30, 1988), better known as Chacrinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʃaˈkɾiɲɐ]), was a Brazilian comedian, radio and TV personality.

[2] Famous Brazilian celebrities made their debut on his show, such as Roberto Carlos and Raul Seixas.

He began as a radio presenter, and then enjoyed great success and inspired controversy with his anarchic sense of humor while hosting many TV shows on Globo[3] and other networks in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

[4] He would interrupt the musical numbers of major stars, blow a horn like Harpo Marx while poking fun at guests and throw codfish to the audience.

Two years after beginning his medical studies, in 1938, he was saved by graduate colleagues from severe appendicitis.

While still recovering from the surgery, he, as a percussionist at the group Bando Academico, decided to travel as a musician in a ship called Bage, heading to Germany.

However, on that day in 1939, the Second World War forced him to cancel his plans and land at Brazil's then capital, Rio de Janeiro.

In 1978 he transferred to TV Bandeirantes and in 1982 he returned to Rede Globo, where his two shows became one: Cassino do Chacrinha.

Known as Velho Guerreiro (Old Warrior), in 1987, the Samba School Imperio Serrano made him a homage.

On his seventieth anniversary, the then Brazil's president Jose Sarney hosted a dinner in his honor.

When cod was not selling well in a store called Casas da Banha, his sponsor in TV Tupi, he decided he would try to revert the situation.

[1] "Chacrinha, o Velho Guerreiro" a biopic directed by Andrucha Waddington, was released in 2018, with Stepan Nercessian in the title role.