NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - American Dreaming with José Díaz-Balart: Don Francisco

Episode Date: February 20, 2021

Mario Kreutzberger, known as “Don Francisco,” has graced televisions and filled the hearts of families for more than 50 years after starting his career in Chile. Don Francisco sits down with José Díaz-Balart and tells him how he made his American Dream a reality.

What does the American dream mean to you? I found my profession, my real professionberger, it may not ring a bell, but if I say hello to Don Francisco, millions of people around the world know him and love him. He actually holds the title for the world's longest running TV variety show. Mario Kreutzberger, Don Francisco, it's so nice to see you. Jose, thank you very much for having me. In my broken English, I will try to answer the best that I can, the first of my efforts.

When we hear the name Don Francisco, for many of us, it's a person that we grew up with, a person that was almost part of our family. And Mario, I want to ask you about before Don Francisco, before you created Don Francisco, Mario Kreutzberger grew up in Chile, the son of German Jews that your father actually escaped from a concentration camp. That's right. You know, I'm part of the national Chilean anthem. I'm a Chilean because part of the lyrics, they say Asylum against oppression. And that was the case of my parents. They fled from

Germany to Chile. My mother was one year before. My father went to the concentration camp and after that he escaped to England where he was in a working camp and he arrived in November 1939. My father was caught after the Kristallnacht and he arrived in Chile in November 1939. And I think I was made very fast because I was born in December 40. That means about 13 months after my father arrived. And you grew up in Chile. Your first language was German.

Yes, because I spoke with my grandmother, German. She couldn't speak Spanish. And I started speaking Spanish when I went to school, about when I was five years old. My father was an entrepreneur. And his dream was always that I was a little higher than a tailor. And then I became in the States when I went the first time. In 1959, I was a men's clothing designer.

So you go to New York to fine-tune your craft, and then when you get there, Mario, something really changes your life. Well, you know, I started my American dream when I was 19 years old and I arrived to Idlewild. That was the name of the airport at that time. They changed it in 1963 to JF Kennedy. In a very humble hotel, in 32nd and Broadway, still there. It's the Hotel Stanford. I saw for the first time a television set. And that was because when I went into my room, I saw a radio very similar to the radio that I had in my house. The only difference was that that radio had a piece of cloth in front in my house, and here was a glass. And when I put it on, and I saw that you were able to see and listen at the same time, I said, that was instantly, that's the future.

Not when I'm studying. This is before yesterday. That's the future. And I fell in love with television. That was love on the first sight. How do you go from being 19 in New York, finding this thing from the future, and saying, not only is that the future,

I need to be a part of the future. How do you go, Mario, back to Chile, and take me through that process? Well, that was a coincidence. Because when I went back after two years with my title under my arm, the only title that I really had, men's clothing designer, I arrived to Santiago, Chile. They were preparing the World Cup 1962 soccer

World Cup and the soccer World Cup brought the television. Then I tried and I went to the station because the station at that time they were in hands of the university. It was not allowed to do commercial. It was only university television. And I tell them that I knew more television than everybody because I was watching Art Linkleder, Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, you name it, all those big figures from the beginning. What was not easy? My perseverance because I went every day back and every day back during one year

and then they gave me after one year the opportunity to start with the show on Sunday in August of 1962 but they fired me wait wait so they fire you after after how long eight weeks and this is another coincidence because they fired me in the States also after eight weeks and in Chile I was one week outside of the program and then I came back in the States I came back the next week but I was fired they fired me because they told me that I don't have experience but the people they brought me back the audience brought me back. So you're fired. Is there an immediate reaction?

Well, you know, that's the beginning of television. Maybe the people that were able, 40 blocks around to watch television at the beginning. There were not that many viewers. That's the reason because I'm Dan Francisco. Because I started with my own name. I started as Mario Kreuzberger. But then I walked on the streets and nobody recognized me. I said, maybe it's my last name. It's so difficult to

pronounce. That's why I changed to another name that was a lucky name for me because I won with that name, you know, in a Jewish club for me because I won with that name, you know, in a Jewish club in Chile. I was performing every Friday night doing a

stand-up as a comedian with the name Francisco Cicichin González. There was a German Jewish guy that couldn't pronounce right, you know, in Spanish or in English when they talk. Then they talk like this, they cannot pronounce the words.

I did the same, but in Spanish. And the name of Don Francisco, I won in a radio contest, telling jokes. And then I said, this is my lucky name. And then I put Don Francisco over the name of Mario Kreutzberger. And after eight weeks, I forgot my name and I'm Don Francisco forever. I still haven't got a name for 58 years. So you get back to Chile and you immediately start working on your dream. You get that live TV show.

How many hours was that show? The show started at one o'clock live till 9 o'clock, 8 hours. But after that was the news, the newscast. And after that, I had a talk show for another two hours. You're kidding. And when I came here, I cut it in Chile to four hours, and then I did four hours in the States, in the beginning of Univision.

Then I was doing every week eight hours. I was flying every Saturday night from Santiago to Miami, and every Wednesday night from Miami to Santiago. Then I slept eight nights every month over the plane. I did that for six years. Adelante, Don Francisco! When we're talking about Don Francisco and we're talking about the United States,

I mean, for millions and millions and millions of Latinos, Don Francisco's Salvo Gigante was the equivalent of the Tonight Show with a Today Show, with a travel show, all led by a man who was your uncle, cousin, dad, your friend. How many years, Mario, was that program on? 53 years. It's the longest running variety show ever. How do you keep the energy up?

How do you keep people's interest up? Something so long lasting. How do you keep going and making it still fresh? You know, I was a bigamist because I was married to my wife and to the television at the same time. But who really built my family was my wife. My head, my soul was 24-7 always thinking and dreaming and television and communicating and communication with people and trying to bring something new. And I still having that till today, the passion. This is not a way. And you have to agree with me in that yeah absolutely i

mean you don't do it for any other reason for passion for for service for trying to make a difference in people's lives yes that's so important and part of your life and your commitment and your soul has been geared towards helping children and others. Teletón Chile, 42 years you have been leading that organization to raise money for hospitals and you've actually raised more than a billion dollars over these past 42 years. Yes, we have built 14, not myself. I'm part of many, and this is now a national event in my country, the Teleton, because we are a small country where 19 million people, and we raise every year $52, $54 million. It's a lot of money. The government, the state, give us about 20% in extra money.

And we have served 150,000 children. But more than that, we have changed the mentality from all our citizens about the discapacidad, la discapacidad, being handicapped.

Mario, you were saying early on that, in a way, you've been married to two people, to your wife and to your dreams and serving on television. You gave up a lot to follow that dream. What are some of the regrets or things that you kind of look back on and say, geez, I wish I should have, I could have? Well, you're going to have the same regrets. Well, I was not enough time with my kids when my kids were, you know, four. Now my kids are from 52 to 57. But when my kids were nine years, 11 years, 14 years, I traveled around the world. I had the camera viajera, that camera that was with

me in 160 something countries. I was two, three months out of my house traveling around the world. I worked many, many hours. I always had in my soul, my family, in my heart, my family. My family was very important. I have one daughter, two sons. I have nine grandchildren. I have no children. They are from 22 to 34. I'm very happy to have built that family, but I have to be very, you know, honest that my wife was the most important part

in building that family. Regrets? Well, regrets, I think it needed more time, my family, than the time that I gave. And I think that's not good. You have to be, your life has to be a better balance. I think today I have a better balance. I have dreams, as always,

but I have a much better balance with my family. Mario, during the more than 50 years of Sabo Gigante in Chile and in the United States, so many people came through. I mean, help me on this, but I'm thinking there were so many people that got their first shot through your programs. Enrique Iglesias, Shakira. I mean, so many people. Yes, they started in my show. Most of the big stars from the 90s, 2000, 2010, they started in Salvador Gigante. Because Salvador Gigante was not only in the United States.

We were in every country that spoke Spanish. In Spain, we were in Central America, South America. And you talked about what is Sábado Gigante. When I talk to people from the general market, they tell me, your program is an extravaganza program. And then I go back and I said, yes, we are like a soup. A soup with some ingredients, basic ingredients. You know, we like to give excitement to the people.

We like to play with the people. We like to give emotion to the people. It's a mixture of things that we do. And especially we like to give vital information to our audience. That is Salvador Gigante. And we had so many different segments. I'm representing the creative part from so many producers and journalists that work with me. You know, I'm only the guy that is in front of camera, but many ideas are from other people.

Mario, one of the privileges of my life is to be included as your friend. And on Friday nights at your home, you receive this incredible group of people, all kinds of people, for dinner, in which a conversation evolves. Is this a religious thing for you? Well, I explain to the people what is Shabbat, what is the day that the Jews have to stop working, to stop doing anything. But I'm not religious at all but i i met a rabbi about 15 16 years ago and he talked to me about the bible i never read the bible before and i find out that the bible has so many stories that all the stories they apply to us today, even all the technology that we have today,

even the different lives that we have today, everything that was written 3,500 years ago applies. And then when my program, my talking show that I had in Univision that was Don Francisco Presenta, and then I said, I need to have a conversation with people and I started about 10 years ago in that same table where I had the pleasure of having you I had about 7,000 people from different

religions or no religion you can be Catholic, Protestant Jew, Agnostic Atheist, that is the same you can be part of the show. You can talk about the matter that we are talking that night, and you can have fun. I think you had fun that night.

Oh, yeah, yeah. You are a connoisseur of food and of wines, Chilean wines. Yeah, we have good wine. Now I have to be careful. Well, I lost about 25 pounds during the pandemia. Mario, of all the people you have spoken to, of the princes and presidents, of the famous and not so famous,

you've interviewed so many people. Are there some that kind of stand out in your memory as being particularly impressive and I was blessed to have the opportunity to end the view all the last president Bush the father Clinton Bush the son Obama but I interviewed so many people and I have one interview that I never could make it. It's the poke, the actual poke. I tried, but I was not successful till now. Maybe. You never know.

Mario, when you look back at all of the accomplishments, all the things that you were so successful in in your life, what does the American dream mean to you? The first American dream was when I came here with 19 years. I learned so much about the United States and I found my profession, my real profession here when I saw the first time a television set. But when I came back, I came with the idea of doing the same thing that I was able to do in my country, not only to have an entertaining program, also to unite the audience, to give support to our audience. That was very important for me. And last Sunday, I went out for the first or second time in eight or nine months. And I was so amazed that the people, they recognized me like this, with the glasses. And they said, how are you, Don Francisco?

How is that possible that you know that I'm Don Francisco? Your head, the way you move your arms, the way you walk, because I was watching you 15, 20 years, or 25 years. I was here in the States 35 years on camera. You can understand me better than ever, than anyone, that you get addicted to this. I don't know how to explain that. But it's something that you need to have that connection with the audience. You feel that too?

Absolutely. It's a calling. Mario, do you feel you've achieved your American dream? I think so. I think so. I'm very happy. I was blessed with the opportunity to give vital information to the audience, to entertain them every Saturday night. That was my dream.

And I think in part, I accomplished that dream. If you had a chance to help determine how you would be remembered, how would it be? Only like a good person. Because I think I'm a good person. And I want that the people, they feel that I'm a good person. That I care about them. For me, the people is not a number. For me, reaching the people is very important.

I give the best of my soul, the best of my knowledge to anyone that approaches me. And I like to be remembered as a good person. That's it. And if you can put the grave, he died the last day at the last minute. Mario Kreutzberger, Don Francisco, thank you. Thank you for your time. It's great being with you.

Thank you, Jose. Thank you very much for having me in your program.