Silvio Santos Brazilian television presenter and entrepreneur Date of Birth: 12.09.1930 Country: Brazil

1. Biography of Silvio Santos
2. From Street Vendor to Success
3. A Dual Life
4. Achievements in Television
5. Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy
6. Legacy and Family

Biography of Silvio Santos

Silvio Santos, a Brazilian television presenter and entrepreneur, is the owner of SBT, the third largest television network in the country. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a Greek father and a Turkish mother, and he comes from a Sephardic Jewish background.

From Street Vendor to Success

Silvio Santos had to start from the bottom and work his way up to success. He began his career in street vending and gradually started launching new projects. He dabbled in amateur advertising, organized street lotteries, and even organized performances in local bars.

A Dual Life

For a period of time, Santos served his country as a member of the Brazilian paratroopers when he turned 18. However, balancing his military service with his commercial activities proved to be challenging. Despite his involvement in commerce, Santos was more drawn to acting. He soon started looking for work on radio, television, and even in the circus. He regularly participated in auditions and rehearsals and even won a few times.

Achievements in Television

Santos eventually achieved remarkable success and became one of the most well-known television presenters in the country. His most significant achievement was the creation of SBT, where he still hosts a variety of different television programs. Santos's influence on Brazilian television development is undeniable. Thanks to him, local TV channels adopted a series of national versions of popular American shows such as "Celebrity Big Brother," "Candid Camera," "The Biggest Loser," "Wheel of Fortune," "Family Feud," "Deal or No Deal," "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?," and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?."

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy

Santos also engaged in entrepreneurship. His company, Grupo Silvio Santos, oversees various agricultural projects and hotels. At present, Silvio Santos is the largest individual taxpayer in Brazil. He uses the funds he earns to support local Jewish communities.

Legacy and Family

One of Santos's shows, the game show "Show do Milhão," is currently broadcast on the British channel ITV. This program was later turned into a computer game for the Sega Mega Drive 3 console and Microsoft Windows computers. Santos has six daughters and nineteen grandchildren.