Los Payasos de la Tele

Heirs of a long family tradition of circus performance, which stretches back to the nineteenth century, they were sons of Emilio Aragón the elder and nephews of José María and Teodoro Aragón - [[Emig, Pompoff y Teddy]]. Other members of the family with circus connections included their cousins Nabucodonosorcito and Zampabollos.

Heirs of a long family tradition of circus performance, which stretches back to the nineteenth century, they were sons of Emilio Aragón the elder and nephews of José María and Teodoro Aragón - [[Emig, Pompoff y Teddy]]. Other members of the family with circus connections included their cousins Nabucodonosorcito and Zampabollos.

Gaby, Fofó and Miliki{{cite book | last=Pousada | first=A. | title=Being Bilingual in Borinquen: Student Voices from the University of Puerto Rico | publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4438-9607-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HV0pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA49 | access-date=2020-12-26 | page=49}} adopted the roles of [[clown]], [[auguste]] and [[whiteface clown|contra-auguste]], respectively. Gaby began performing solo in 1934 under the name ''[[Homobono]]'', but in 1939 they formed a trio known as ''Gaby, Fofó and Emilín''. Later, Emilio changed his stage name to ''Miliki''. At times, they performed with their sister [[Rocío Aragón|Rocío Aragón Bermúdez]], a [[flamenco]] dancer.{{cite web |url=http://seronoser.free.fr/payasos/origenes.htm |title= |trans-title= |access-date= }}

Gaby, Fofó and Miliki{{cite book | last=Pousada | first=A. | title=Being Bilingual in Borinquen: Student Voices from the University of Puerto Rico | publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4438-9607-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HV0pDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA49 | access-date=2020-12-26 | page=49}} adopted the roles of [[clown]], [[Auguste clown|auguste]] and [[whiteface clown|contra-auguste]], respectively. Gaby began performing solo in 1934 under the name ''[[Homobono]]'', but in 1939 they formed a trio known as ''Gaby, Fofó and Emilín''. Later, Emilio changed his stage name to ''Miliki''. At times, they performed with their sister [[Rocío Aragón|Rocío Aragón Bermúdez]], a [[flamenco]] dancer.{{cite web |url=http://seronoser.free.fr/payasos/origenes.htm |title= |trans-title= |access-date= }}

Thhey began their activities in Spain in 1939 at the [[Circo Price]]. In 1946, the three brothers emigrated across the Atlantic, where they remained for more than a quarter of a century. They first set up shop in [[Cuba]], where they made their first incursions into the world of television in 1949. In the following years, the diffusion of their shows in other countries in [[Latin America]] made them familiar faces in [[Mexico]], [[Venezuela]], [[Puerto Rico]], and the [[United States]]. Between 1965 and 1971 they moved to Puerto Rico, where they transmitted a daily program called El Show de las 5, one of the most popular and remembered shows in the history of TV in that country.

Thhey began their activities in Spain in 1939 at the [[Circo Price]]. In 1946, the three brothers emigrated across the Atlantic, where they remained for more than a quarter of a century. They first set up shop in [[Cuba]], where they made their first incursions into the world of television in 1949. In the following years, the diffusion of their shows in other countries in [[Latin America]] made them familiar faces in [[Mexico]], [[Venezuela]], [[Puerto Rico]], and the [[United States]]. Between 1965 and 1971 they moved to Puerto Rico, where they transmitted a daily program called El Show de las 5, one of the most popular and remembered shows in the history of TV in that country.

Two years later, in 1972, they returned to Spain, contracting with [[Televisión Española]] to front a new program called ''El Gran Circo de TVE''. It was a great success, remaining on air until 1981, and became an enormous cultural phenomenon in Spain in the 1970s. The group was awarded a [[TP de Oro]], a prestigious Spanish television award, for "most popular personality" in 1974.

Two years later, in 1972, they returned to Spain, contracting with [[Televisión Española]] to front a new program called ''El Gran Circo de TVE''. It was a great success, remaining on air until 1981, and became an enormous cultural phenomenon in Spain in the 1970s. The group was awarded a [[TP de Oro]], a prestigious Spanish television award, for "most popular personality" in 1974.

After the death of Fofó in 1976, the son of Miliki, Emilio Aragón Jr., joined the group under the name ''Milikito''. He is a mute clown, in the tradition of [[Harpo Marx]], and communicates with a [[cow bell]]. Much later, after the show ended in 1981, ''Rody'', the youngest son of Fofó, joined the group in the persona of a [[black people|black]] Cuban.{{cite web |url=https://www.laregion.es/articulo/ourense/rody-aragon-ultimo-payasos-tele/202310092120171248816.html |title=Rody Aragón, el último de Los Payasos de la Tele |trans-title=Rody Aragón, the last of The TV Clowns |last=La Región |first= |date=10 October 2023 |website=La Región |language=es |access-date=2024-05-27 }}

After the death of Fofó in 1976, the son of Miliki, Emilio Aragón Jr., joined the group under the name ''Milikito''. He is a mute clown, in the tradition of [[Harpo Marx]], and communicates with a [[cow bell]]. Much later, after the show ended in 1981, ''Rody'', the youngest son of Fofó, joined the group in the persona of a [[Black people|black]] Cuban.{{cite web |url=https://www.laregion.es/articulo/ourense/rody-aragon-ultimo-payasos-tele/202310092120171248816.html |title=Rody Aragón, el último de Los Payasos de la Tele |trans-title=Rody Aragón, the last of The TV Clowns |last=La Región |first= |date=10 October 2023 |website=La Región |language=es |access-date=2024-05-27 }}

Finally, the program (which in its final form was called ''El loco mundo de los payasos'', or "The Crazy World of the Clowns"), was retired from Spanish television in 1983. After several circus tours during the following two years, under the title ''El fabuloso mundo del circo'' (The Fabulous World of the Circus), the group (which by this time Miliki had already left) dissolved definitively.

Finally, the program (which in its final form was called ''El loco mundo de los payasos'', or "The Crazy World of the Clowns"), was retired from Spanish television in 1983. After several circus tours during the following two years, under the title ''El fabuloso mundo del circo'' (The Fabulous World of the Circus), the group (which by this time Miliki had already left) dissolved definitively.