PROFILE
| Full name: Antún Efrén Castro Urrutia. |
| Place of birth: Riosucio, Choco, Colombia. |
| Birthdate: February 28, 1946. |
| Date of death: January 14, 2021. |
BIOGRAPHY
Anthony Castro He was a Colombian actor, singer and composer. He was one of the first black actors to participate on Colombian television and is considered one of the greatest references of Afro culture on national television.
(Also read Biography of Leonor González Mina, the great Black woman of Colombia)
Antun Castro was born on February 28, 1946 in Riosucio, Choco; eldest son of the teacher María Ezequiela Urrutia and the apothecary Luis Efrén Castro Machado, once he finished his studies at the Carrasquilla school in Quibdó He traveled to Bogotá at the age of 19 to continue his higher studies; At first he intended to study medicine but decided to pursue a degree in philology and languages at the free UniversityDuring that time he dedicated himself to playing percussion in orchestras to help himself financially and was part of the maestro's Chocó folk dance and singing group. Antero Agualimpia Mosquera, of the National university of Colombia.
The artistic experience he gained on these stages led him to face television personalities of that time such as Fernando González Pacheco managing to obtain a space on Colombian television. Which led him to establish himself as one of the greatest references of Afro culture on national television, not only in the 70s and 80s but also in future generations.
In addition to the great presence he had on television, he cultivated a fruitful musical career, he was a singer of the Tropibomba orchestra (1972), founded the Los Astros orchestra, which was later renamed The Nothing to See (1977) and, among other participations in musical bands in the 70s and 80s, he composed well-known songs such as “Por qué me lo das (1990)”, “Maquerule (2000)”, “Nuna cries el negro”, “La negra que más amor” , “This is Colombia”, among other great hits. He would later create his own group called “The Chirimía by Antún Castro (1981)”, with which he paid tribute to the instruments of his land.
In 1992 he co-wrote the book “Notes on geography and history of Chocó” co-authored with his sister Arminda Castro and his mother.
(Lea También Biografía de la actriz Carmen Marina Torres)
In his final years, Castro dedicated himself to teaching languages at various universities and colleges in Bogotá where he earned his degree in philology. Castro had 10 children, one of whom is dedicated to music in a shawm orchestra.
Antun Castro died on January 14, 2021 in the city of Bogotá after being in a delicate state of health for a few weeks. The cause of his death is unknown with certainty; some sources indicate that he had suffered from COVID-19 in the days before his death.
TELEVISION
- The Useless (2001)
- Hard Times (1997)
- Let's Relive Our History: Saint Peter Claver the Slave of Slaves (1980)
- Let's Relive Our History: Bolívar the Man of Difficulties (1980)
- The Pérez We Are Like This (1978)
- Me and You (1976)
- The Royal Ensign (1974)
- The Inheritance (1973)
- Paths of Glory (1973)
- The City Screams (1971)
- Court Case (1972)
- The Mary (1972)
MUSIC
Discs
- The Chirimía of Antún Castro
LPs
- I bring a little bit of everything
- Trunk of Flavor
BOOKS
- Notes on geography and history of Chocó (1992)
