Leonardo Simons

Leonardo Simón Wowe (Buenos Aires, September 1st, 1947 – Ibidem, October 15th, 1996) known as Leonardo Simons, was a television presenter and, occasional Argentinian actor.
==Biography and Career==
Raised in a humble family, in the Buenos Aires port side neighborhood of Villa Crespo, Simons began working as a street vendor at age 11, and later, gave free rein to his career with the production of school dances, during the weekends. 
After finishing secondary school at Otto Krause, he enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering and the Higher Institute of Radio Teaching (ISER), where he finally forged his career in 1968.
In the same year, two months after graduating as a national host, Simons began his television career with two series on Channel 13: La campana de cristal, with Nelly Raymond and Fernando Bravo.
After a while, he switched to Channel 9, where he became a consultant that oversaw entertainment programs, such as Música en Libertad , Rumbo a la fama , Sábados de la bondad , Domingos para la juventud and Finalísima 
He worked a short season in 1983 in ATC, overseeing the making of the omnibus program created for the television producer Roberto Fontana called Sábado de todos (Saturday for all), the producer was bound for more than 20 years to channel 9, owned by Alejandro Romay, where he remained until 1992 when he left the production of Finalísima. 
In 1993 he signed with Telefé to produce a season of Ta Te Show, that aired on Saturdays at 8:00 P.M. 
In addition to his career on the small screen, Simons produced radio and television for his local public agency, Prodiartel S.A., located at 1400 Córdoba Avene, Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose very offices he decided to commit suicide by jumping from the windows and falling to the patio within the building on October 15, 1996. He was married to Alicia Gorbato, with whom he had two daughters (Vanesa and Bárbara, and, finally, had a relationship with Ruth Kisielnicki.
==Death==
The morning of October 15th, 1996, without anyone realizing it, Simons sat himself on the edge of his office window on the 13th floor of the building located on 1400 Còrdoba Avenue, with his back turned, and without a single word, he was intent on jumping. Afterward, he only asked not to be grabbed (he was addressing his two secretaries who tried to avoid the tragedy, but the moment they took him by the pants he unbuttoned the belthttps://www.cronica.com.ar/amp/diarioshow/farandula/Las-tragedias-de-los-famosos-Leonardo-Simons-el-conductor-mas-recordado-por-el-publico-20220720-0030.html) and fell through the air, approximately 30 meters, to a roof protection grid on the bottom floor, losing his life instantly.
His pants remained 11 stories above, hooked to an air conditioner. Upon inspecting them, police found three letters that were delivered to the judge for cause, Eduardo Moumdijan. Simons allegedly explained the reasons for his suicide in those three letters.
The people in neighboring offices heard screams and looked out their windows. “He was hanging with half his body outside the window and struggling with two women,” said the building manager.
==The reasons==
Although it is unknown why Simons decided to commit suicide, his friends have some theories. Initially, everyone agrees that it was because of the indictment of his brother Carlos Wowe, at the time a civil and commercial judge had him distressed, especially because Simons was a “family man” and had a close relationship with Carlos. On the Sunday after the suicide, his colleague Fernando Bravo stated on his Telefé program Siglo XX Cambalache that Leonardo Simons "died of shame, because of shame" when referring to the judicial situation of the brother of the deceased host. Hinting that Simons may have taken his own life as a matter of personal honor.
Another topic that saddened him was his depression in the face of health problems. About two months earlier, Simons had an eye operation to avoid going blind. At the same time, his wife Ruth suffered from bone and vision problems. A rumor circulated that Simons committed suicide because he was involved in the same business as Guillermo Coppola. But this was denied by the secretary of Judge Hernán Bernasconi, Roberto Schlagel.
Everything seems to indicate that Leonardo Simons had planned to take his own life a few days earlier. In fact, he left his will and testament ready and, before jumping off the 13th floor, he wrote three farewell letters and kept them in his pocket.
After his death, up until 2013, he was buried in the Jardin de Paz de Pilar Cemetery; In that year his remains were moved to the Isrealita de La Tablada Cemetery. 
==Filmography==
* La muchacha del cuerpo de oro (1967)
* Pimienta (1966)
==Television==
* La campana de cristal
* Música en Libertad
* Ruidos
* Timoneles
* Rumbo a la fama
* Sábados de la bondad
* Domingos para la juventud
* Finalísima
* Ta Te Show
* Sábado de todos
* Trapitos al Sol
Category:1947 births
Category:People from Buenos Aires
Category:Argentinian people
Category:Television presenters
Category:Actors
Category:1996 deaths