Philippine Comedy
Sa Bawat Pahina ng Literatura
The Last Leaf
by aLfie vera mella
John, Tumawa Ka Naman!
(A Tribute to Some Pioneering Comedians of Philippine Showbusiness)
Laughter is the best medicine; and for many decades, Philippine cinema has been healing the masses with its share of remarkable comedians. Since the 1950s, a great number of Filipino actors and actresses have etched their names in the annals of Philippine comedy. The following are among the most notable.
John, Tumawa Ka Naman!
(A Tribute to Some Pioneering Comedians of Philippine Showbusiness)
Laughter is the best medicine; and for many decades, Philippine cinema has been healing the masses with its share of remarkable comedians. Since the 1950s, a great number of Filipino actors and actresses have etched their names in the annals of Philippine comedy. The following are among the most notable.
Dolphy: King
of Comedy
In real life, Dolphy was Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (1928–2012). He was
born in Pampanga and grew up in Tondo, Manila. Started as a struggling stage
performer, he was soon discovered by the late actor Fernando Poe Sr. He first
appeared in the movie Dugo at Bayan (I
Remember Bataan) (1946, Palaris Films), starring Fernando Poe and Patricia
Mijares; but the movie in which his comedic talent finally stood out was Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita (1953,
Sampaguita Pictures), starring Pancho Magalona and Tita Durán. Soon after,
Dolphy was starring in an average of eight films per year, the earliest and
most memorable of which included Jack and
Jill (1953, Sampaguita Pictures), with Rogelio de la Rosa and Lolita
Rodriguez; Captain Barbell (1964,
D’Lanor / FPJ Productions), with Bob Soler; The
7 Faces of Dr. Sibago (1966, Paraiso Productions); Pepe en Pilar (1966, RR Productions), with Susan Roces; Facifica Falayfay (1969, RVQ
Productions), with Panchito, Pilar Pilapil, and Rod Navarro; Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (1978, Lotus
Films), with Niño Muhlach; and Facundo
Alitaftaf (1978, Regal Films), with Lotis Key and Trixia Gomez. Dolphy has
also been prolific as a television star—he was John Puruntong in John en Marsha (1973–1990, RPN), the
longest-running comedy sitcom in the Philippines in the 1980s; and Kevin Cosme
in Home along da Riles (1992–2003,
ABS-CBN). Dolphy’s having acted in hundreds of movies, one of the last of which was 2010's Father Jejemon, had shown his impressive longevity and prolificacy as an actor.
In 2009, Dolphy was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, resulting to the slowing down of his acting career and the deterioration of his health and frequent admission to the hospital. He finally succumbed to the complications of the disease on July 10, 2012. He was 83.
In 2009, Dolphy was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, resulting to the slowing down of his acting career and the deterioration of his health and frequent admission to the hospital. He finally succumbed to the complications of the disease on July 10, 2012. He was 83.
My late maternal grandfather, Conrado Lanuza Vera Sr., used to tell me that Dolphy was a distant relative of ours on the Vera side of our clan; I am yet to confirm if this is true. In 2008, I'm glad that I was able to meet Dolphy and many of his children and grandchildren—whom included Eric, Jeffrey, Ronnie, Boy2, and Vandolph—when they staged a show in Winnipeg,Manitoba, Canada, where I live. As the associate editor of Filipino Journal—a Filipino community newspaper—I was a part of the production/sponsorship team. My personal favorite among Dolphy's movies remains to be 1978's Ang Tatay Kong Nanay, which paired him with my other favorite Filipino actor.
Panchito:
The King’s Sidekick
Alfonso D. Tagle Sr. in real life (1925–1995),
Panchito was best known as Dolphy’s sidekick especially during the latter’s
early acting days. Panchito was a son of the Filipina actress Etang Discher. His
prominent big nose was his trademark. His career in showbusiness started in
1942 when he joined a ‘bodabil’ troupe (Philippine version of vaudeville). Panchito’s
first movie appearance was—like Dolphy’s—in Sa
Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita. His tandem with Dolphy became a massive hit that the
pair went on to team up in over 50 movies—which extended to television sitcoms.
Perhaps the most memorable of these Dolphy-Panchito movies were Kalabog en Bosyo (1959, Sampaguita
Pictures), Beatnik (1960, Sampaguita Pictures), Si Lucio at si Miguel
(1962, Sampaguita Pictures), Pepe en Pilar (1966), Fefita Fofonggay
(1973, RVQ Productions), Bugoy (1979, Hemisphere Pictures), Max en Jess (1980, Four-N Films), and Bakit
Kinagat ni Adan ang Mansanas ni Eba? (1988, RVQ Productions). In November
1995, Panchito suffered a stroke which left him comatose until his demise in
the month that followed.
Chiquito:
Prince of Spoofs
Chiquito was Augusto V. Pangan Sr. in real life (1932–1997). He started
his career in entertainment at the age of 13, appearing in a major musical
production at Manila Grand Opera House—the center of Philippine culture and the
venue for plays, movies, and musicals prior to the construction of Cultural
Center of the Philippines in 1969. Chiquito also became popular in the bodabil circuit
for his dancing skills. His friend Fernando Poe Sr. was the one who helped him
start a career in movie, the first of which was Sanggano (1947, Palaris Films). Chiquito eventually starred in over
a hundred of films in the decades that followed. He became popularly associated
with the characters that he portrayed, like Mr. Wong, Barok, Tacio, Mang
Kepweng, Asyong Aksaya, Pete Matipid, and Estong Tutong. He was known also for
having starred in countless spoof movies, which included Sinbad the Tailor (1973, HPS Film Productions), spoof of Ray
Harryhausen’s Sinbad
movies; Lasing Master (1980, Emperor
Films), spoof of Jacky Chan’s The Drunken
Master; Rocky Tu-log (1981,
Emperor Films) and Rocky Four-ma
(1986, Bo-Mel Films), spoofs of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky movies; E.T. Is Estong
Tutong (1983, Archer Productions), spoof of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.; and High Blood (1985, GP Films), spoof of Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood. Chiquito’s last movie
appearance was in Strict ang Parents Ko (1997,
Neo Films), with Amanda Page. He died of liver cancer in the same year.
The Last Leaf
No matter how sad or difficult our lives are unfolding in some
stages, we must still try to laugh. In such cases, nothing is perhaps more
therapeutic than a dose of laughter. So, if you ever have the chance to get
hold of a copy of any of the movies of such talented comedians and comediennes of
Philippine cinema, take time to watch it. To those like me who grew up in the
Philippines, our very own comedy films will surely be effective in curing us of
our sadness and most especially of our homesickness. But, of course, we may
also watch them even in happy times.
Note:
This article will be published in the second issue for July 2012 of Filipino Journal, the leading Filipino community newspaper in Manitoba.
Note:
This article will be published in the second issue for July 2012 of Filipino Journal, the leading Filipino community newspaper in Manitoba.
3 Comments:
At Tuesday, July 10, 2012 7:30:00 PM, Anonymous said…
I am also one of those who have grown up with Dolphy's remarkable performances as a Comedian. Indeed, laughter is a part in every Filipino's home. As they say, we are Happy people... and we live to that!!!
* I would like to congratulate Kuya Alfie for this wonderful piece... very-well said.
At Tuesday, July 10, 2012 10:45:00 PM, eLf ideas said…
Thanks for appreciating this article of mine. Yes, Dolphy's movies were really my favorites when I was a kid.
At Tuesday, January 22, 2013 9:48:00 PM, daydreamer said…
Alf, you look like Jeffrey Quizon
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