Rubens de Falco

Brazilian actor Rubens de Falco, who rose to stardom for his portrayal of a slave owner in the 1976 telenovela "The Slave Isaura," died Friday, local media reported. He was 76. De Falco died of heart failure at the CIAI Center for the Aged in Sao Paulo, Globo TV said on its Web site. The elegant, mustachioed actor became famous around the globe for his role as Leoncio Almeida in "Escrava Isaura," as the show is called in Portuguese. The story of a coffee-plantation owner's passion for one of his slaves, the show drew loyal followers across South America, Eastern Europe, Africa and China. Lucelia Santos, who starred alongside de Falco, said the Almeida character marked him as "the great villain of Brazilian television drama." De Falco landed roles in a number of other telenovelas, including a similar part in "The Landowner's Daughter," which depicted the 18th-century struggle against slavery. His last appearance was in the 1994 miniseries "The Memorial of Maria Moura," based on a novel by Brazilian author Rachel de Queiroz. De Falco was not married and left no children. He was to be buried Friday in Sao Paulo.