Editing Luis Vigoreaux

{{short description|Puerto Rican radio and television show host}}
{{more footnotes|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name                  = Luis Vigoreaux
| image                 =
| caption               =
| birth_name             = Luis Vigoreaux Rivera
| birth_date             = {{Birth date|1928|4|12}}
| birth_place            = [[Ceiba, Puerto Rico]]
| death_date             = {{Death date and age|1983|1|17|1928|4|12}}
| death_place            = [[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
| other_names             =
| occupation            = actor, host, producer
| years_active           =
| spouse                = Rosaura Lorenzana<br>[[Lydia Echevarría]] (1960-1983)
| partner               =
| children = [[Luisito Vigoreaux]]<br>Jorge Enrique Vigoreaux (deceased)
<br>[[Roberto Vigoreaux]]<br>Glendalys Vigoreaux (deceased)<br>Vanessa Vigoreaux
| website               =
}}

'''Luis Vigoreaux Rivera''' (April 12, 1928 – January 17, 1983) was a [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]] radio and [[television host|television show host]], announcer, [[comedian]] and producer. Vigoreaux was considered a pioneer in the television business in Puerto Rico, and enjoyed success with several radio and television shows throughout his career.

Vigoreaux was brutally murdered on January 17, 1983. His wife, [[Lydia Echevarría]], was convicted in 1986 of planning the murder, along with hitmen [[Papo Newman]] and [[David López-Watts]].

==Early years==

Vigoreaux was born on April 12, 1928, in the Chupacallos ward of [[Ceiba, Puerto Rico]]. He was one of the eight children of Eulalia Rivera and Enrique Vigoreaux, a [[sugarcane]] worker at Fajardo Sugar Company. His father died when he was young, forcing Eulalia to take charge of the family. When Vigoreaux was 14 years old, they moved to [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], specifically [[Río Piedras, Puerto Rico|Río Piedras]]. Vigoreaux studied at the Vila Mayo High School.

As a teenager, Vigoreaux found work in a radio station named [[WIAC (AM)]], which was managed by [[Tomás Muñiz]] (father of [[Tommy Muñiz]]).<ref name="EPRL 2016">{{cite web | publisher=Editorial Group | title=Muñiz, Tommy - Medios y Comunicaciones | website=EnciclopediaPR | date=10 June 2016 | url=https://enciclopediapr.org/encyclopedia/muniz-tommy/ | language=es | access-date=25 August 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> There, Vigoreaux worked on a show called ''Alma Estudiantil''. With the beginning of [[World War II]], most of the professional hosts were enlisted for war, which led to Vigoreaux having the opportunity to work at the station.

During that period, Vigoreaux worked in various areas of entertainment and show business. He served as host, presenter, commentator, among other jobs. He also became the [[spokesperson]] for Sello Rojo rice in Puerto Rico, which he did for 30 years.

==First years in comedy==
Vigoreaux joined [[Ramón Rivero (Diplo)|Ramón Rivero "Diplo"]] and José Luis Torregrosa for the radio comedy ''El Tremendo Hotel''. This radio slot enjoyed a large audience for years, and Vigoreaux continued to work as a comedian.

Between 1954 and 1955, he joined fellow comedian [[José Miguel Agrelot]] in a theater show that took them to many [[Latin Americans|Latin American]] communities in the United States. The theater show eventually led to a radio program named ''Torito and Company'', after ''Torito'', the character that Agrelot played. Vigoreaux himself played the character of Don Toribio.

==Arrival of television==
With the arrival of [[television]] to Puerto Rico in 1954, Vigoreaux began his transition hosting a show called ''El Show Libby's'', sponsored by the [[Libby's|company of its namesake]]. He then hosted the show ''El tren de la alegría''.

Vigoreaux later moved to [[WAPA-TV]], motivated by the possibility of working with actor [[Mario Pabón]]. They wrote the story for a [[soap opera]], but the project fell through. However, Vigoreaux moved on when he and his second wife, [[Lydia Echevarria]], began hosting the show named ''La Hora Cero''. The show presented many local and international singers, including [[Celia Cruz]], [[José Feliciano]] and [[Marco Antonio Muñiz]].

==Success in television==
The Vigoreaux family became one of the most famous families in Puerto Rico. Some{{who|date=February 2013}} even referred to the Vigoreaux-Echevarria couple as the ''Lucy and Desi'' of Puerto Rico, in reference to the marriage of American comedians [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Desi Arnaz]].

In 1970, Vigoreaux developed a [[game show]] named ''Sube Nene, Sube''. Hosted by Vigoreaux it became one of the most seen shows in Puerto Rican television history. Due to this success, WAPA-TV asked Vigoreaux to produce and host a few more game shows. Vigoreaux responded by creating ''Pa'rriba, Papi, Pa'rriba'', which was a variation of ''Sube Nene, Sube'', and ''Dale que Dale en Domingo''.

With the production and hosting of all those shows at the same time, the Vigoreaux family opened a studio, which they named ''Estudio CVC''. They were also responsible for the transmission of the [[Muscular Dystrophy Association|MDA]] television marathon in Puerto Rico.

==Brief change to Channel 11 and return to WAPA==
Vigoreaux later jumped to Channel 11, then named the [[Perez-Perry Network]]. He bought the ''Teatro Nuevo San Juan'', from where he started transmitting his new show. But this show was not as successful, and soon Vigoreaux found himself off the air.

In 1980, Vigoreaux went back to WAPA-TV and all his shows were rescheduled. He also became the show host of that station's lunch hour variety show, ''El Show Del Mediodia'', and began playing the role of [[Pedro Navaja]] in a play ''La Verdadera Historia de Pedro Navaja''. He would act in that play many times, as well as in a play named ''Angeles Caidos''.

In addition, he returned to the radio with a program named ''Buenos Dias, Puerto Rico'', on radio station [[WBMJ]]-AM, Radio Rock, and worked, for a short period of time, as a [[List of television reporters|television reporter]] for ''[[Noticentro 4]]''.

==Murder and aftermath==
On the morning of January 18, 1983, Vigoreaux didn't show up to work at the radio station or at WAPA-TV, causing his co-workers to worry. When his [[Mercedes-Benz]] was found with a burned body inside, it was taken to the medical examiner's office, where it was confirmed it was Vigoreaux.

His death launched a wave of rumors and speculations, and led to one of the biggest trials in Puerto Rico's history. His wife, Lydia Echevarría, was accused formally of his murder, along with Papo Newman and David López-Watts. Allegedly, Echevarría had become jealous of a relationship Vigoreaux had started with actress Nydia Castillo, and had paid Newman and López-Watts to either beat him or murder him. Vigoreaux's body was found gagged, stabbed, and burned inside the car's trunk.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=660907&t=3|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122005212/http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=660907&t=3|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2013|title=Roberto Vigoreaux no perdonará a Lydia Echevarría|work=[[El Nuevo Día]]|date=January 17, 2010}}</ref>

Echevarría has maintained her innocence, but she was convicted to a [[life sentence]] in [[Vega Alta, Puerto Rico]]. Newman and López-Watts received similar sentences. However, Echevarría and López-Watts only served roughly 12 years in jail. Papo Newman received immunity from the Department of Justice of Puerto Rico to testify in court what happened the night of the murder. Newman did not serve time in prison as an agreement.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.primerahora.com/147presospodriansalirlibres-386897.html|title=147 presos podrían salir libres [147 prisoners could be freed]|work=[[Primera Hora (Puerto Rico)|Primera Hora]]|author=Andreu, Leila|date=May 13, 2010|access-date=April 17, 2012|archive-date=September 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915021425/http://www.primerahora.com/147presospodriansalirlibres-386897.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In January 2000, Governor [[Pedro Rosselló]] granted Echevarría a pardon, which was largely criticized by the people.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=852139&t=3|title=López Watts fue víctima de 'carjacking'|work=[[El Nuevo Día]]|date=December 29, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103004804/http://www.elnuevodia.com/Xstatic/endi/template/imprimir.aspx?id=852139&t=3|archivedate=January 3, 2011}}</ref>

At the time of his death, Vigoreaux was about to begin another game show, ''[[A Millón (Puerto Rican show)|A Millon]]'', which eventually became one of the most popular shows in Puerto Rican television history, under the hosting of [[Hector Marcano]] and produced by Vigoreaux's son, [[Luisito Vigoreaux]].

==Personal life==
Vigoreaux was married twice. He married Rosaura Lorenzana, with whom he had three sons, [[Luisito Vigoreaux|Luisito]], Jorge Enrique and [[Roberto Vigoreaux]]. Jorge died in 1962 of leukemia. Luisito has followed his father's footsteps as an actor, comedian, producer, and host. Roberto also worked as an actor, host, producer, and singer. He also served as a member of both the House and the [[Senate of Puerto Rico]].

In 1958, Vigoreaux met actress [[Lydia Echevarría]], while still married to his first wife. After divorcing, they married on February 10, 1960. He and Echevarria had two daughters, Vanessa and Glendalys Vigoreaux. Glendalys committed suicide on July 15, 2008.

==See also==
{{Portal|Puerto Rico}}
*[[French immigration to Puerto Rico]]
*[[List of Puerto Ricans]]
*[[List of television presenters|List of television presenters P.R.]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vigoreaux, Luis}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:Mariticides]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican male actors]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican comedians]]
[[Category:Television pioneers]]
[[Category:People from Ceiba, Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican people of French descent]]
[[Category:People murdered in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican murder victims]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican television hosts]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican television producers]]
[[Category:1980s murders in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:1983 crimes in Puerto Rico]]
[[Category:1983 murders in North America]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican television journalists]]