Trapezist, clown. Son of Ermínio José de Souza and Carmelita Simões de Souza, Cortiça is part of the fourth generation of the Souza family. He started performing trapeze at age four for Circo Alhambra (Neno Santiago), and later in his life he performed ladder acts, trampoline and dandis for the circuses Irmãos Barreto, Olímpico (Olímpio Silva), Irmãos Miranda and with the Santiago family. In 1958 he became the owner and businessman of Circo Igor. He married Doroty Weber, who was the sister of the globist, Hilário Weber.