Édgar J. Anzola

Edgar Jaín Anzola (27 March 1893, Villa de Cura – 14 December 1981, Caracas) was a Venezuelan pioneering engineer, filmmaker, radio broadcaster, writer, journalist and cartoonist. He is credited with several firsts: bringing the first automobile to Venezuela; engineering Venezuela's first aeroplane flight; starring in Venezuela's first feature film; starting Venezuela's first commercial radio station; and producing Venezuela's first scientific documentary. His son, filmmaker Alfredo Anzola, created the 1993 film El misterio de los ojos escarlata about his father's life.

For services to Venezuela, he was made a Commander of the Order of Francisco de Miranda at the age of 70. He had one brother, César Virgilio, who did not become a writer like his family and was instead a successful dentist. After working in the United States, Edgar Anzola returned to Venezuela in 1911.

Engineering

Anzola was sent to Detroit, in the United States, by William Henry Phelps at the age of sixteen to train as a car mechanic, specializing in Ford Model T automobiles.

In 1912, he helped with the first airplane flight in Venezuela, of the plane "Sin Cola" flown by Frank Boland, an opportunity he says was only given him because of his engineering background and English skills. During the first flight, on 6 October 1912, he followed the path of the plane on motorcycle. The route was from El Paraíso to Antímano. He worked as an engineer and translator for all three plane builds for Boland in Venezuela, one of which was a hydroplane; for this, he is considered Venezuela's first aeronautical engineer.

Cinema In 1913 he participated in the production of the silent film La dama de las cayenas by Lucas Manzano and Enrique Zimmerman. the pair producing the feature films La trepadora and Amor, tú eres la vida.

Radio When studying and working in the United States, Anzola acquired a knowledge of electronics, which allowed him to start the radio station One Broadcasting Caracas (later Radio Caracas), first broadcasting in 1930. He brought one of the first phonographs to Venezuela. and produced by Edgar Anzola.

Anzola has also helped write music, included on a record released in 1966.

Other work A lot of Anzola's work was writing stories and plays. He was also a contributor to the magazines and newspapers Élite, Billiken, Ahora, El Nacional and La Esfera, and occasionally publishing cartoons in the weekly magazine Fantoches.

Anzola was a member of Rotary International, serving on the Vocational Services committee in 1961-62 :55 and 1964–65, :59 the Service to Youth committee in 1963–64, :54 and the Interact committee in 1965–66. :62 He was once the District Governor of Rotary International in Caracas. :21

He was on the Foreign Advisory Committee of the World Calendar Association.

Personal life Anzola's son, Alfredo Anzola, was born to Margot Golding.

In a Rotary International writing competition, about the "book that changed me most", Anzola wrote on William H. Prescott's History of the Conquest of Mexico and Conquest of Peru, earning an honorable mention. 1921 El tripanosoma venezolano producer first Venezuelan scientific documentary; with Capriles and Juan Iturbe 1924 El italiano y los zancudos performer, writer radio 1930 El pulpero bregador performer, writer radio 1930 Los arrieros performer, writer radio; performed with Guinand 1930 En familia performer, writer radio; performed with Guinand 1930 Fritz en la estación performer, writer radio; performed with Guinand 1930 Viaje A Riviera director film; 30 minutes 1932 Corazón de mujer producer, writer feature film; based on story by Anzola; 35 mm black-and-white; 95 minutes 1934 Cerebro mágico performer radio 1934 Cerebro mágico performer radio 1936 La Voz Mágica performer radio 1936 La Voz Mágica performer radio 1966 Canta, Canta, Llanerito writer, performer music