Trivia

His parents are German Jews who escaped from a concentration camp and later escaped Germany and found a safe haven in Chile during the height of World War II.

Don Quixote Award presented by the Council of Hispanic Heritage in Miami, Florida.

On April Fool's Day, 2003, a rumor arose that Kreutzberger had died, the rumor appearing around the New York and New Jersey area. The rumor proved false, but distressed many of his fans before this was revealed as an April Fool's joke.

In 2010, the United States Social Service Administration enlisted him to appear in a series of public service announcements to reach out to American Hispanics about the benefits of Social Service.

Convinced that his name would be hard to recall and pronounce, Mario Kreutzberger adopted the name of "Don Francisco" which came from one of the characters he had created and impersonated.

Kreutzberger promoted and hosted the Teleton, a television charity show for disabled Chilean children between 1978 and 2021; there have been 22 telethons over 30 years. He is also the Hispanic spokesperson for the US Muscular Dystrophy Association, in which he also appears in a pre-recorded piece on its annual telethon, to appeal to Hispanics to donate. He retired from hosting the show in 2021, at the end of that year's airing of the program.

On September 8, 2015, the city of New York named a street in the Washington Heights district in honor of Mario Kreutzberger, named "Don Francisco Boulevard".

Mario Kreutzberger has visited more than 140 countries and has interviewed more than 50,000 people in through the world.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on June 8, 2001.

Sábado Gigante is transmitted to 42 countries: USA, Latin America and Europe. Three different versions are recorded: one in Chile (aka Sábado gigante (1962)) and two in Miami (aka Sábado gigante (1986)) (one for USA and the other for the rest of the world).

Television variety show with longest continuity in the Americas, according to the Guinness Book of World Records (1993).

First Latin Ambassador to UNICEF for six years. Conducts telemarathon "Sociedad Pro-Ayuda del Niño Lisiado" in Chile that has resulted in donations of millions of dollars to assist with the rehabilitation programs of these children. Hosts the telemarathon "Los Hispanos Dan La Mano" to assist the victims of Hurricane Andrew.

Sábado Gigante reaches over 90% of Hispanic television households in the United States and it is one of the most viewed programs of Univision Network.

Kreutzberger was also the first host of the Teleton USA telethon, which was introduced in December 2012 on the Univision network; the event and charity is based on the popular Teleton (Chile) the Chilean Teleton.

Inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame on March 1, 2012.