Erick Kreutzberger: The Father of a Television Legend

Table of Contents

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Erick Kreutzberger’s was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1905, to a German Jewish father and a Chilean mother. He grew up in a wealthy and cultured family, and he attended high school and college in Germany. He joined his father’s import-export business, and he traveled frequently to Chile and other countries.

However, his life changed dramatically when the Nazis came to power in Germany in the 1930s. He faced persecution and discrimination because of his Jewish ancestry, and he witnessed the horrors and the atrocities of the Nazi regime. He managed to escape and immigrate to Chile with his family in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II.

In Chile, he started a new life and a new career. He graduated from high school and joined the Chilean army, where he served as a translator and a liaison officer. He returned to Santiago after the war, and he started his own clothing business, which became very successful and profitable. He also became involved in Chilean society and culture, and he made many friends and connections.

The Creation of Don Francisco

Erick Kreutzberger had one son, Mario Kreutzberger, who was born in 1940. He loved and cared for his son very much, and he supported and encouraged his son’s passion for television and entertainment. He noticed his son’s talent and charisma at an early age, and he helped him pursue his dreams and goals.

He bought his son a television set, a camera, and a microphone, and he let him practice and experiment with his own shows and programs. He also enrolled his son in a theater school, and he introduced him to some of his friends and contacts in the television industry. He also gave his son a nickname, Don Francisco, which was inspired by a radio character that his son liked.

He was very proud and happy when his son got his first television show, Show Dominical, in 1962, which was a Sunday afternoon program that featured music, comedy, and interviews. He was even more proud and happy when his son created and launched his own variety show, Sábado Gigante, in 1963, which was a Saturday night program that featured games, contests, sketches, and celebrities.

The Rise of Sábado Gigante

Sábado Gigante was a huge success and a phenomenon in Chile and Latin America. It attracted millions of viewers and fans, and it broke many records and milestones. It was the longest-running variety show in the world, with more than 50 years of uninterrupted broadcast. It was also the most watched and the most awarded show in Latin America, with more than 20 Emmy Awards and a Guinness World Record.

Erick Kreutzberger was always by his son’s side, and he witnessed his son’s rise to fame and popularity as Don Francisco, the host of Sábado Gigante. He also helped his son expand and improve his show, by providing him with financial and logistical support, and by giving him advice and feedback. He also accompanied his son when he moved his show to Miami, USA, in 1986, where he reached a wider and more diverse audience.

Erick Kreutzberger was very proud and happy of his son’s achievements and accomplishments, and he always celebrated and congratulated him. He also enjoyed and participated in his son’s show, by appearing as a guest or a co-host, and by playing games or telling jokes. He also shared his son’s joy and gratitude, and he thanked the audience and the fans for their love and support.

Impact on Latin American Television

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco had a huge impact and influence on Latin American television and culture. They created and developed a unique and original show that combined entertainment, education, and social service. They also created and promoted a sense of identity, unity, and diversity, among the Latin American people and communities.

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco also inspired and mentored many young and aspiring television hosts, producers, and artists, who followed their footsteps and learned from their example. They also collaborated and partnered with many television networks, channels, and organizations, such as Univision, Telemundo, and Televisa, to create and produce more quality and innovative shows and programs.

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco also contributed and donated to many causes and charities, such as education, health, environment, and human rights. They also supported and participated in many campaigns and events, such as Teleton, Unicef, and Amigos for Kids, to raise awareness and funds for the needy and the vulnerable.

Legacy and Contributions to the Entertainment Industry

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco left a lasting and remarkable legacy and contribution to the entertainment industry and the world. They created and hosted one of the most popular and longest-running variety shows in the world, Sábado Gigante, which entertained and educated millions of people for more than five decades. They also created and promoted a new and innovative style and format of television, that combined humor, music, culture, and social service.

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco also received many awards and recognitions for their work and service, such as the Emmy Awards, the Guinness World Record, the Peabody Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. They also received many honors and distinctions, such as the Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Order of Merit of Chile, and the Honorary Doctorate from the University of Chile.

Erick Kreutzberger and his son Don Francisco also left a lasting and remarkable impression and memory on the hearts and minds of the people, who loved and admired them for their talent, charisma, generosity, and humility. They also left a lasting and remarkable legacy and contribution to their family, who inherited and continued their passion, vision, and mission.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

Erick Kreutzberger was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He married Anna Blumenfeld, a Chilean woman of Jewish descent, in 1939, and they had one son, Mario Kreutzberger, who was born in 1940. He also had four grandchildren, Vivian, Francisco, Patricio, and Andrea, and six great-grandchildren, Alejandro, Valeria, Nicolas, Benjamin, Matias, and Sofia.

Erick Kreutzberger was also a generous and compassionate philanthropist, who gave back to society and the community. He supported and donated to many causes and charities, such as education, health, environment, and human rights. He also founded and sponsored many organizations and institutions, such as the Erick Kreutzberger Foundation, the Erick Kreutzberger School, and the Erick Kreutzberger Hospital.

Erick Kreutzberger died in Santiago, Chile, in 1996, at the age of 91. He was buried in the Jewish Cemetery of Santiago, next to his wife Anna, who died in 1992. He was mourned and honored by his family, friends, colleagues, and fans, who remembered and celebrated his life and legacy.

Conclusion:

Erick Kreutzberger was a German-Chilean businessman, philanthropist, and the father of Mario Kreutzberger, also known as Don Francisco, the famous Chilean television host. Erick Kreutzberger was a Holocaust survivor, a successful entrepreneur, and a supportive and influential father, who helped his son create and develop one of the most popular and longest-running variety shows in the world, Sábado Gigante. Erick Kreutzberger was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and a generous and compassionate philanthropist, who gave back to the society and the community. Erick Kreutzberger was a remarkable and inspiring man, who left a lasting and remarkable legacy and contribution to the entertainment industry and the world.