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Univision to Debut First-Ever Primetime Spanish-Language Animated Series, “El Chavo Del 8,” Sunday, January 20
First-Run, All New Animated Version of One of Latin America’s Favorite Comedy Classics
Miami, FL -- The Univision Television Network announced it will debut the first ever Spanish-language animated series in primetime based on one of the most popular and beloved classic TV shows in all of Latin America, “El Chavo del 8” (The Kid from #8), with a one-hour special featuring El Chavo himself, Roberto Gómez Bolaños, and many of the original live-action cast members on Sunday, January 20th, 2008 at 7pm ET/PT (6pm Central). Regular 30-minute episodes are scheduled to run thereafter on Sundays from 7:30pm – 8pm ET/PT (6:30 – 7pm Central).
This Simpson-like animated series is an innovative and creative approach to the wildly popular international TV classic of the mid-1970s that was the most-watched show on Mexican television, and a following of 350 million viewers worldwide. As in the original, this new animated version focuses around the adventures and tribulations of the title character, El Chavo, an orphan (played by the series' creator, Roberto Gómez Bolaños of "Chespirito" fame) and other inhabitants of a fictional Mexico City neighborhood or vecindad.
The show’s comedic style is a mixture of slap-stick physical humor; adorable characters, and a heavy dose of clever and thought-provoking dialogue. Although first and foremost a comedy, the show explores the problems many homeless children face on a daily basis, such as hunger, sadness, and not having someone responsible to watch over them. Fans of the original series will be delighted to see the familiar characters that populate the neighborhood including: Quico, El Chavo’s best friend and frequent co-conspirator; Popis, the stuck-up little girl; Don Ramon, El Chavo’s perennial target of mischief and part-time father-figure; Doña Florinda, Quico’s mother; Professor Jirafales, her erstwhile suitor; Doña Clotilde, the neighborhood spinster; and Señor Barriga, the neighborhood landlord, among others.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring our viewers this marvelous updating of one of their favorite television series of all time,” said Otto Padron, Sr. Vice President, Programming & Promotions, Univision Television Network. “The animation is superb and has captured the charm and humor of the original show’s characters in a way that will ensure Hispanic audiences can enjoy them for generations to come.”
Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 99% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 89% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 64 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa Records, La Calle Records and Mexico-based Disa Records as well as Fonomusic and America Musical Publishing companies; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at www.univision.com. Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa’s pay television channels in the U.S., and a non-voting 14.9% interest in Entravision Communications Corporation, a public Spanish-language media company. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States.
For more information, please visit www.univision.net.
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