Hernando Casanova

Hernando Casanova Escobar known as El Culebro Casanova (Neiva, Huila, April 21, 1945 - Bogotá D.C., October 24, 2002), was a Colombian actor, director, singer, and television presenter. He is considered one of the pioneers of comedy and one of the most important actors in the history of Colombia. His versatility as an actor led him to become not only an icon of humor but also of drama. He was regarded as the best actor in Colombia during the peak of his career. Throughout his career, he received multiple awards and recognitions for his artistic achievements, including his nomination as a revelation actor at the Ondra Awards in Spain and the award for best dramatic actor at the APE Awards.

Hernando Casanova began his career as a singer in the Club del Clan (1966), where he was part of the first generation of Colombian rock, and later made his acting debut with a brief role in the soap opera "Cartas a Beatriz" (1969). His career gained momentum, and he gained national recognition for his role as Hernando María de las Casas in the series "Yo y tú" (1975) by Alicia del Carpio. Later, he reached the peak of success with his character Eutimio Pastrana Polanía in the series "Don Chinche" (1982) by Pepe Sánchez. His portrayal of the Huilense culture made him one of the most representative and influential figures in Colombian television history. Additionally, Casanova was a pioneer in sketch comedy, directing, writing, and acting in "Los Meros Recochan Boy's," a section of the successful show "El Show de Jimmy" (1971) hosted by Jimmy Salcedo. Among his other notable roles are Salomón in "Embrujo Verde" (1977), the lead role in "Farzán" (1983), presenter in "El tiempo es oro, su pueblo gana" (1986), Wilson Rodríguez in "El pasado no perdona" (1991), Yardines Murillo in "Perro Amor" (1998), and Vicente Secretario in "Amor a mil" (2001). In the film industry, Casanova was the emblematic actor of Chilean filmmaker Dunav Kuzmanich, even being named "the greatest Colombian actor of all time." He acted in movies such as "Canaguaro" (1981), "La agonía del difunto" (1982), "Mariposas S.A" (1986), and "Apocalipsur" (2007).

In 2015, his children started the production of a documentary feature film about his life titled El Culebro: La historia de mi papá. The film narrates the actor's life from the perspective of his youngest son, Nicolás Casanova. It premiered on September 20, 2017, at the Eureka University Festival. The documentary received favorable reviews and was well-received by the Colombian audience, highlighting its historical importance. Later, the film was broadcast on the program "Entre Ojos" on Caracol Televisión, becoming the most-watched program in its time slot that day. It also premiered in the United States in October 2022. Additionally, "El Culebro: La exhibición," an exhibition of photographs, video clips, awards, and costumes of Casanova's characters, took place at the Huila House in Bogotá.

Casanova's controversial private life received significant attention. His parties, disorder, and excesses led him to experience periods of depression and anxiety. He was married twice and had five children. He passed away on October 24, 2002, due to a fulminant heart attack at the Cardioinfantil Foundation in Bogotá. His death was a national shock and considered an invaluable loss in the Colombian entertainment world.

Early life
Hernando Casanova was born in Neiva, department of Huila, Colombia, on April 21, 1945, the only male of his parents Blanca Casanova and Guillermo Escobar. Her mother gave him her last name since his father did not legally recognize him. Casanova attended Santa Librada School in Neiva and he dropped out after ninth grade. At the age of sixteen he joined the National Army of Colombia in the Marine Corps. Besides his duties as a militar, he performed with the soldiers in several plays, musicals and fashion shows. However, two months later, while serving in Buenaventura, he deserted. Soon after, he turned himself in and was transferred to Bogotá to take a course for non-commissioned officers. During his time in the army, he became an Olympic wrestling and featherweight boxing champion in the military engineers unit. Later, he settled in Yaguará, Colombia, to work as a teacher for fifth-grade students.

From an early age, Casanova showed a fascination for the world of entertainment. He performed several plays at his school in Neiva, among them a play about Adam and Eve, where Casanova played the role of Eve. At the age of eleven, he would escape from school to join the circus or participate in RCN's Ondas del Huila radio show, where he sang in the evenings. He also participated in a radio show called El Mundo infantil where he dramatized stories based on real events. Later, Casanova joined Carlos Emilio Campos' theater company. His debut as an actor occurred in his native Neiva, in the middle of a dispute between an actor and Carlos Campos. The actor resigned and it was Casanova who replaced him. After this, he toured the country with the theater company. Hernando Casanova never took drama classes, but he was an avid consumer of cinema and was convinced that much could be learned about the craft in movie theaters.