He was an operetta singer and owner of advertising and outdoor advertising agencies, such as Publirama (1960), RED and Placa. Barros Queirós was the grandson of a businessman, minister and prime minister. His parents expected him to complete his law degree. However, he did not finish it, since he devoted himself to singing, causing dissatisfaction among his family. In 1949, opera clips and dialogues were still on the radio and operetta singers, such as Tomé de Barros Queirós (1926-2015), were very popular.
His musical career ended in 1960, which is a marker of changing tastes, with the emergence of English language music such as the Beatles and the promotion of rock competitions. During the 1950s, Barros Queirós, a singer who made his debut in Porto with the operetta Púpilas do Senhor Reitor, performed alongside Mimi Gaspar (Maria Luísa Martins Gaspar), his wife, living in Portugal, Brazil and France. The couple performed many works, always with notable success. There was also time to participate in programmes such as Serões para Trabalhadores (Emissora Nacional) and those promoted by Robbialac. In advertising he won important clients, such as the promotion of the RTP programme Vamos Jogar no Totobola. Another client was Robbialac, with the message "So, what now? What now? Panel beater and Robbialac paint", written by Ary dos Santos. Sttau Monteiro was another writer who worked for Barros Queirós. In the early 1970s, he would be one of the owners of Rádio Ribatejo, with 30% of the capital, shared with Rádio Clube Português (also 30%) and the rest belonging to Artur Agostinho, Baptista Rosa and Damasceno Covão.
The businessman bought the rights to the soap opera Simplesmente Maria in March 1973, which lasted beyond the April 1974 revolution. It told the story of Maria Ramos, a 20-year-old girl, illiterate and with eight siblings, who came to Lisbon from a small village, to work as a maid (servant maid, as they were called at the time), sending all the money she earned back to her family. Maria (played by Francisca Maria) met a young man from a good family who was finishing medicine, Alberto (João Lourenço), with whom she became pregnant and had a son, Tony (Carlos Queiroz). Alberto's family, who condemned the romance between him and Maria, sent him to Africa. Other main characters would be Maria's mistress (Adelaide João), Teresa, the maid next door (Mimi Gaspar), and Carlos, Alberto's friend (Rui Mendes), who was dating Teresa.
João Lourenço had signed a contract to act in the show of almost 300 episodes. But, soon, the producer realised that the character disappeared after a few episodes. In exchange, the actor joined the team organising the Tour of Portugal by bicycle, which was then under the supervision of Tomé Barros Queirós himself. At Rádio Renascença, he also produced the programme Tic-Tac, which lasted 25 years. Tomé de Barros Queirós played an active role in the creation of the Casa do Artista and in the protection and support of animals.
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