Manuel Perez Rodriguez

Vocation

One of the most famous cubans in the 40's and 50's. He owned a popular restaurant. Known by his nickname Bigote Gato, he was a Spanish merchant considered by some as a madman, and as a successful businessman by some others. He arrived in Havana on board the ship Christopher Columbus in 1914. On 1 March 1947 he opened the doors of his coterie Bar in Street Teniente Rey 308 , between Aguacate and Compostela , in Havana, whose propaganda at the entrance announced: "Know Cuba first visit Cat Whisker after " His cheerful life, his act around a cosmopolitan city also known open arms, his playfulness, his charm, his big mustache, his red beret, his joyful walk in the streets, inspired more than one composer to extract some that another melody, so for example we find sones, guarachas, plays and many other cultural events enriched taking as inspiration the life and work of this singular character. "Moustache Cat is a great guy" and "the disgust Moustache". He died 12 July 2003 Havana. Its fame was immortalized by the Puerto Rican singer Daniel Santos, in interpreting a song about Bigote, composed by Cuban Jesús Guerra.