Rabanete
José Gonçalves da Silva
Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, 1939
Acrobat, trapezist, equilibrist, clown. He was born and braought up in a circus and debuted at age six in acrobatic acts. Later on he performed at Orlando Orfei, Di Roma, Medrano, América, Robattini, Wolf and Stankowich. In 1962, he married the knife thrower and equilibrist Iracema Silva who was performing at Medrano. Together they inaugurated Circo Teatro Rabanete in which they presented circus acts and country side music duos such as Pedro Bento e Zé da Estrada, Zilo e Zalo and Léo Canhoto e Robertinho.