Garibaldo

PERFORMER	Laerte Morrone 1972-1977
	Fernando Gomes 2007-2014
DEBUT	1972

The two Garibaldos.

Garibaldo was the resident Big Bird counterpart on Vila Sésamo, the Brazilian co-production of Sesame Street. Garibaldo was blue, but this was made clear only in merchandise and promotional images as the show was originally broadcast in black and white (although the character did appear in Roberto Carlos Especial, which aired in color). The puppet, as with the show's other characters, was constructed by Brazilian puppet builder Naum Alves de Sousa and not the Muppet Workshop. A comic book, Garibaldo, was published based on the character.

For the 2007 version of Vila Sésamo, producers were aware of the impact of the original Garibaldo. They brought the name and personality back, "as the link between the old and the new" according to Sesame Workshop producer Mary Tai. The team decided the original blue came across as drab on color sets and so revived Garibaldo as identical to Big Bird. Garibaldo was performed on the new series by Fernando Gomes.

Prior to the debut of the 2007 revival, a refurbished version of the original Garibaldo (performed here by Hugo Picchi) made a guest appearance on the special 40 Years TV Cultura, introducing the "new" Garibaldo.

Falcon Mantovani has performed Garibaldo on the game show Os Melhores Anos das Nossas Vidas (2018), on the hidden camera show Programa Silvio Santos (2019), and in various live appearances, including a stage show tour of Columbia.

Gallery

The original TV puppet, as pictured on a card signed by Laerte Morrone

Close-Up of his face

Restored puppet, currently displayed in the TV Cultura studios

Garibaldo in the new series

Garibaldo and Bel