Cyl Farney

Farney studied Pharmacy in the United States and played the drums in a band called 'Swing Maníacos', in which his brother, crooner, composer and pianist Dick Farney, would eventually join. The band would accompany harmonica player Edu da Gaita in his first 78-rpm recording in 1939, with the titles "Violino Cigano" and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Canção da Índia" ("Song of the Indian Guest"). Later, he would adopt 'Farney' as his stage name, which was derived from 'Farnésio', his brother's birthname. In 1949, he would debut in films and become popular on Atlântida Cinematográfica's low-budget Brazilian-themed naïve musical comedy productions of the 1950s and early 60s. He would work for a short time on TV, appearing on a few telenovelas, leaving his acting career in 1978 to dedicate himself to his film studio company, where he produced 14 films, including a series of biographical documentaries focusing on such names as Francisco Alves, Orlando Silva, and other great of Brazilian musicians, protecting the legacy of artists of his generation.