Rex Gildo

He claimed for many years to have been a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir before attending acting school; however, a documentary on German television a decade after his death in 2009 revealed that in fact he had worked in a decorating apprenticeship before he met Fred Miekley, who would become his manager/longtime companion.

His most popular songs, such as Speedy Gonzales (1962), Goodbye Susanna (1965) and Fiesta Mexicana (1972), were sung during the 1960s and 1970s in Germany.

[3] His appearances were mainly at folk festivals, shopping centres and other similar venues; he was also reported to have problems with alcoholism.

[4][5] His final performance, on the day of his suicide attempt, was in front of more than 3000 people at a furniture shop outside Frankfurt.

[citation needed] Gildo died in 1999, aged 63, having spent three days in an artificially-induced coma after attempting suicide by jumping from the window of his apartment building.