The Brazilian writer and humorist Luis Fernando Verissimo passed away on Saturday at the age of 88 in Porto Alegre, the family has confirmed.
The cartoonist, screenwriter, and playwright had been hospitalized for about three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit at Moinhos de Vento Hospital due to early signs of pneumonia. He passed away on Saturday, leaving behind his wife, Lúcia Helena Massa, three children, and two grandchildren.
Additionally, the Brazilian novelist suffered from Parkinson’s disease and heart problems. In 2021, he experienced a stroke and had since struggled with motor and communication difficulties.
Born in Porto Alegre on September 26, 1936, Luis Fernando Verissimo was the son of renowned writer Erico Verissimo. He spent part of his childhood in the United States.
His first book, ‘O Popular’, was published in 1973. In total, he published more than 70 works and sold 5.6 million copies.
He worked as a proofreader, a translator, and had columns in the newspapers ‘O Estado de S.Paulo’, ‘O Globo’, and ‘Zero Hora’.
Among his most famous characters are those from ‘Ed Mort e outras histórias’, published in 1979, and ‘O analista de Bagé’, from 1981. He also created ‘Comédias da vida privada’, from 1994, which inspired a series of the same name on Rede Globo. Moreover, he was one of the screenwriters for the humor program ‘TV Pirata’.
[Updated at 11:39 AM]
