Dedé Santana

Origin

Niterói, RJ

Also known as

Manfried Sant'Anna

Genres

comedy

Biography

Manfried Sant'Anna, known artistically as Dedé Santana, was born in Niterói on April 29, 1936. The son of circus artists and of Romani descent, he began his artistic journey in childhood, performing in circus rings and traveling troupes where he took on various roles, from clown to trapeze artist, building an essential background for his subsequent career in theater, television, and national cinema.

After a difficult start in Rio de Janeiro, where he worked as a cleaner and stagehand, he stood out in theater and began his path on the screen. In television, he initially formed the duo Maloca and Bonitão with his brother Dino Santana on TV Tupi, before teaming up with Renato Aragão in 1964 to cement one of the country's most successful comedic partnerships, which culminated in the formation of the famous group Os Trapalhões alongside Mussum and Zacarias.

As a member of the comedic quartet, Dedé stood out for his role as the straight man, acting as the sober and rational member who balanced his companions' eccentricities, in addition to contributing behind the scenes as a screenwriter and director of box-office hit films. Even after the group's regular activities ended, he remained active in the artistic milieu, preserving his legacy as one of the central figures of comedy and entertainment in Brazil.