Romanian TV Producer Valeriu Lazarov Dies At 73

Valerio said his father died of natural causes and his body will be taken Tuesday to a funeral home in Tres Cantos, Spain.

Lazarov was born in Barlad, Romania, on December 20, 1935 and received Spanish citizenship in 1972. He made his debut at the Romanian public television, then went to Spain, where he worked as producer at the Spanish National Television, as well as general manager and delegate adviser to TV station Telcinco, between 1985 and 1994.

Lazarov revolutionized TV entertainment shows in Romania at the end of the 1990s. He also adapted several successful TV shows for the Romanian audience, such as "Surprize, surprize" (Surprises, Suprises) or "Din dragoste" (Pure Love). 

Lazarov also produced several soap operas, among which “Secretul Mariei” (Maria’s Secret), which shortly became a highly successful project.

Highly respected in Romania and Spain, Lazarov was nicknamed “Mister Zoom” for the way he maneuvered TV cameras.   

Lazarov also collaborated with Silvio Berlusconi in the 1980s when the latter was struggling to build his own TV Empire.