Dorival Caymmi
Known for

Acting

Credits

32

Gender

Man

Birthday

30 Apr 1914

Day of death

16 Aug 2008 (94)

Place of birth

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Also known as

Dorival Caymmi

Biography

Dorival Caymmi (April 30, 1914 – August 16, 2008) was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, actor, and painter active for more than 70 years, beginning in 1933. He contributed to the birth of Brazil's bossa nova movement, and several of his samba pieces, such as "Samba da Minha Terra", "Doralice" and "Saudade da Bahia", have become staples of música popular brasileira. Equally notable are his ballads celebrating the fishermen and women of Bahia, including "Promessa de Pescador", "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?", and "Milagre". Caymmi composed about 100 songs in his lifetime, and many of his works are now considered to be Brazilian classics. Both Brazilian and non-Brazilian musicians have covered his songs. Ben Ratliff of The New York Times wrote that Caymmi was "perhaps second only to Antônio Carlos Jobim in 'establishing a songbook of [the 20th] century's Brazilian identity." Throughout his career, his music about the people and culture of Bahia influenced Brazil's image in the eyes of both Brazilians and foreigners. Caymmi was married to Brazilian singer Stella Maris for 68 years, and the couple's children, Dori, Danilo, and Nana, are also prominent musicians. Each debuted professionally by accompanying Caymmi onstage and in recordings. In 2014, Caymmi's granddaughter Alice also began a musical career. Caymmi was born in Salvador, Bahia, to Durval Henrique Caymmi, the great-grandson of an Italian immigrant, and Aurelina Soares Caymmi, a native Bahian. He had two younger sisters, Dinahir and Dinah, and a younger brother, Deraldo. His father, a civil servant, often played the piano, guitar, and mandolin at home, and his mother, a housewife, sang regularly. He participated in his church's choir for much of his childhood. At age 13, he left school to work as a journalist at Bahian newspaper O Imparcial. When O Imparcial went out of business two years later, he took up work as a street vendor. Although he never formally studied music, Caymmi taught himself to play guitar in the late 1920s and began to compose, sing, and play his own songs on Bahian radio programs around 1930. He first achieved widespread recognition in 1933, when he composed the song "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?" ("What Is It About Bahian Women?") for singer Carmen Miranda. In 1936, at age 22, he won a songwriting contest at Salvador's annual Carnaval celebration. His prize was a pink satin lampshade. Despite his early musical success, he moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1938 with intentions to pursue a law degree and to return to working as a journalist. While employed there by the newspaper Diários Associados, he spent his spare time composing and singing songs on the radio show Dragão da Rua Larga. His popularity began to grow with the show's audience. ... Source: Article "Dorival Caymmi" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Known for
Acting roles
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2024Dorival Caymmi - Um Homem de AfetosSelf (archive footage)
2019Dorivando Saravá, o Preto Que Virou MarSelf
2018Dê Lembranças a TodosSelf (archive footage)
2009Paulo Gracindo - O Bem AmadoSelf (archive footage)
2007A Casa do Tom: Mundo, Monde, MondoSelf
2005Taking a Chance on Love: Jane Monheit in ConcertSelf / Guest - Guitar
2003CelebridadeSelf
2002Um Certo Dorival CaymmiSelf
2001Samba RiachãoSelf
1997It's All BrazilSelf
1997Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema NacionalSelf
1996Bahia de Todos os SambasSelf
1991A Embaixatriz do SambaSelf
1991Nosso Amigo Radamés GnattaliSelf
1986Talking CinemaSelf
1981BrasilSelf (archive footage)
1979Caterina Valente presents Brazilian musicSelf
1974Na Casa de Rio VermelhoSelf
1972The Sandpit GeneralsJohn Adam
1972Le Grand ÉchiquierSelf
1972Dorival Caymmi: Programa EnsaioSelf
1969Bahia, For ExampleSelf
1967The Girl from IpanemaHomem no Carnaval
1950Estrela da Manhã
1939Banana-da-Terra
Credits
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2002LaraOrchestrator
2002LaraMusic
1989Jorge AmadoMusic
1985Tenda dos MilagresMusic
1967Dangerous GameMusic
1959Three Loves in RioMusic
1940PurezaMusic