He is the son of Lazaro Gomes  and Elisa Savala. His father died when he was two years old and his mother had a second marriage. His long and succesful career began at age five, when Lázaro put a bald cap on his head and took him to the circusring. At that moment, he was given the nickname "Carequinha", which means small bald head in Portuguese.  Carequinha comes from the third generation of a Peruvian circus family. His mother was born at Circo Peruano, owned by his grandfather, José Rosa Savala. He was always known for his extraordinary creativity and this led him to became one of the most well-known clowns in Brazil in the XX century. As a clown, singer in radio programs, actor in films and composer of children's songs, Carequinha had a unique way of showing  off his talent. In the 1950s, he was the first circus artist to appear in a television program, "Circo Bombril", later renamed "Circo do Carequinha" in the defunct station, TUPI. He created the catchphrase "Tá certo ou não tá?" (Is it right or not?). Together with the clown, Fred Vilar, and other artists he acted in many circuses throughout his whole life.