Portuguese stage and screen icon Ruy de Carvalho, 98, has been hospitalized following a minor heart attack, his daughter announced Friday [[1]], [[2]]. The celebrated actor, considered the world’s oldest active performer, is reportedly in stable condition, but the hospitalization has prompted the cancellation of performances of “The mousetrap,” a play he’s revisited throughout his eight-decade career. Details regarding the hospitalization are being closely held by the family to protect de Carvalho’s privacy [[3]].
Portuguese stage and screen legend Ruy de Carvalho, considered the world’s oldest active actor, has been hospitalized, his daughter Paula Carvalho announced. No specific location or medical facility has been disclosed to protect his privacy.
According to Carvalho’s daughter, she will be the sole source of information regarding his health. The hospitalization has led to the cancellation of performances of “The Mousetrap,” the long-running Agatha Christie play he was starring in at the Centro Cultural Malaposta in Olival Basto (Odivelas).
“The Mousetrap,” a staple of the literary world and one of Agatha Christie’s most celebrated works, has been running for over 70 years and holds a Guinness World Record as the longest-running play in history. The production, which had been enjoying sold-out houses across Portugal, Madeira, and the Azores, resumed performances after a pandemic-related hiatus.
This wasn’t de Carvalho’s first time bringing Christie’s classic to life. He previously appeared in “The Mousetrap” in the 1960s, alongside actress Maria Dulce. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with notable performers including Armando Cortez, João Villaret, Rogério Paulo, and Lili Neves, who still resides at Casa do Artista.
His most recent return to the role, directed by Paulo Sousa Costa, began in 2020 as part of a production by Yelolowstar. Notably, he performed alongside his grandson, Henrique de Carvalho. The play’s continued success speaks to its enduring appeal and de Carvalho’s lasting presence in Portuguese theater.
The cast of “The Mousetrap” also includes Elsa Galvão, João Baptista, João Vilas, Luís Pacheco, Sara Cecília, Sérgio Moura Afonso, and Sofia de Portugal.
Born in Lisbon on March 1, 1927, Ruy de Carvalho boasts an impressive 83-year career spanning theater, film, radio, and television. He began his theatrical journey as an amateur at the age of 15, appearing in “O Jogo para o Natal de Cristo” at the Teatro da Trindade in Lisbon. His first performance dates back to July 1936, at the Teatro Municipal da Covilhã, when he was just nine years old.
Just days before the premiere of “Ruy, a história devida” on February 28, 2023, de Carvalho told Lusa news agency that he intends to continue working “until I die.” He famously stated, “I’ll only stop when I die, and that takes a second,” adding that only then would “the little watcher” leave him.
c/ Lusa
