Camilo Delgado

Camilo Delgado, a Puerto Rican man, was born on May 29, 1927 and died peacefully in his sleep on February 8, 2005 at the age of 78 of natural causes. He pioneered television in Puerto Rico and appeared regularly as an actor, announcer, MC, talk show host, and producer. The son of a school principal and an elementary school teacher, he graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City with honors in 1957. After acting in numerous off-Broadway productions such as "The Heiress", "Shakhuntala", The Summer House", he returned to Puerto Rico and became a leading man in many successful soap operas such as "Concierto de Amor" and "Bajo el Vuelo de los Alcatraces". In 1970, he became an independent producer and created hits such as "Sabados Gigantes", "Field Day por Television", "Gane con Subaru", "Volando con Pan Am" and pioneered morning television in his country with "Despierta Puerto Rico". He enjoyed a lifetime marriage to Diana Santiago, his wife of 55 years. Delgado produced TV shows with a high quality standard, avoiding vulgarity or sensationalism. Nonetheless, he publicly opposed any kind of censorship on the content of television programs.

Delgado's interest in the dramatic arts sprouted at a young age and he acted in high school productions of Spanish plays such as "Puebla de Mujeres" and "Prohibido Suicidarse en Primavera". While attending college in Puerto Rico, he founded the drama club at the "Instituto Politecnico" (Interamerican University) which eventually led to the creation of the university's drama department. thumbnail

His older son, Camilo Delgado, Jr., also became a television show host during the early 1970s and eventually became a leading psychotherapist, author, workshop leader, and mental health administrator in Miami, Florida.

His younger son, Eric Delgado, is a film producer whose client roster includes Hillary Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Ricky Martin and the current and past governor's of Puerto Rico.

His brother, Mario Delgado, Ph.D., is a retired university professor and academic administrator.