CARMEN ROSALES: THE ORIGINAL 'SUPERSTAR' OF PHILIPPINE MOVIES

Product endorser- Camay/1955

I was inspired to post this entry on Carmen Rosales upon reading a lengthy article on the actress by Jose Mari Lee titled “The Magic of Carmen Rosales” on his blog. He unravel the mystery and magic of Carmen Rosales --- “she was such a consummated actress, a singer, a dancer, but most of all, she was a master of improvisation and mime, a rara avis in the Philippine movie industry.”

Carmen Rosales with screen partner Rogelio de la Rosa- considered one of the popular and greatest 'love teams' in Philippine cinema history

Did you know that in 1939 Carmen Rosales ( March 3, 1917- December 11, 1991) was turned down when she applied for an acting job at LVN Pictures? “No Profile” was the answer. But Excelsior Production took her in and was given a big break in the movie Arimunding-Munding (1939) under Tor Villano direction. She soon became the toast of the local entertainment world.

Still from Camelia (1949)-
Stars Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa

In 1949, LVN Pictures, the film outfit which rejected Rosales for having “No Profile” offered her a staggering Php 40,000 to star in a movie, Kampanang Ginto, a romantic story about a novelist and a singer. The amount was said to be the highest ever paid to a local female star for a single picture. Of course, she accepted the offer.

Still from Batalyon XIII (1949)-
Stars Carmen Rosales and Jaime de la Rosa

Rosales was already a big star in the pre-war era but her career further blossomed during the post-war period, from 1946 to 1949 where great majority of her film successes were made --- Guerilyera (1946), Kaaway ng Bayan (1946), Si, Si Señorita (1947), Mameng, Iniibig Kita (1947), Hindi Kita Malimot (1948), Simpatika (1949), Kampanang Ginto (1949), Kaaway ng Diyos (1949), Batalyon XIII (1949), among others.

Her screen tandem with then matinee idol Rogelio de la Rosa, is considered one of the greatest ‘love teams’ in the history of Philippine movies. They did more than a dozen movies starting with Takipsilim in 1939 to Lydia in 1956. They were best remembered in the 1954 movie, Maalaala Mo Kaya, which broke all box-office records that time.

She won her first and only acting trophy, the 1953 Famas Best Actress for the movie, Inspirasiyon.

Rosales’ star started to fade in the late 50s until her retirement in mid 60s when younger stars, like Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes, started to rise. However, her name was still on top of the billing.

Carmen Rosales- Rogelio de la Rosa screen tandem:
1939- Takipsilim
1940- Señorita1940- Lambingan1940- Diwa ng Awit1940- Colegiala
1941- Panambitan1941- Tampuhan
1949- Kampanang Ginto1949- Camelia
1954- Maalaala Mo Kaya
1955- Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig
1955- Iyung-Iyo
1956- Lydia

Another trivia:
Did you know that Carmen Rosales was a guerrilla fighter during World War II? In a magazine article by Ceres Doyo, Rene Navales (eldest son of Carmen Rosales) claimed that “my mother‘s underground work took her to Santa Rosa, Laguna, where she was involved in the killing of a makapili (Japanese collaborator). She later fled to Silang, Cavite to evade capture by the Japanese. My mother was a sharpshooter who toted a .45 and sometimes wore a moustache in order to disguise herself…” “Carmen Rosales was taken to Pangasinan by an enamoured Japanese colonel named Yamamoto who wanted her to star in a propaganda movie--- or else he would kill Filipinos. Rosales gave in but the film was never finished because American troops arrived. For her act of sacrifice to save a community, the popular star earned the people’s gratitude and a barrio, Carmen, in Rosales town, Pangasinan, was supposedly named after her…”

A movie, titled Guerilyera was made in 1946.

References: "Carmen Rosales: The Original Superstar" by Ceres Doyo/Sunday Inquirer/ February 16, 1992; A Movie Album Quizbook by Jessie B. Garcia/2004

"Guerilyera" (1946)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Celso Baltazar, Oscar Moreno, Maria Ceisrina and Tita Duran/ Directed by Octavio Silos

"Si, Si, Senorito" (1947)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno, and Fred Montilla/ Directed by Lorenzo P. Tuells

"Carmencita Mia" (1948)- Stars Carmen Rosales and Fernando Poe/
Directed by Paquito Bolero

"24 na Pag-ibig" (1948)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno
and Danilo Montes/ Directed by Olive de la Torre

"Selosa" (1949)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Ely Ramos,
Lillian Leonardo/Written and Directed by Eddie Romero

"Simpatika" (1949)- Stars Carmen Rosales and Pancho Magalona/

Directed by Octavio Silos

"Inspirasiyon" (1953) -Stars Carmen Rosales, Norma Vales,
Van de Leon, Katy de la Cruz/ Directed by Armando Garces

"Luha ng Birhen" (1954)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Van de Leon, Norma Valesa and Luis Gonzales/ Directed by Octavio Silos

"Matandang Dalaga" (1954)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Jose 'Pempe' Padilla, Jr.,Ramon Revilla, Myrna Delgado/ Directed by Olive de la Torre

"Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig" (1955)- Stars Carmen Rosales,
Rogelio de la Rosa,Norma Vales, Luis Gonzales,
Rosa Mia/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

"Iyung-Iyo" (1955)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa, Eddie Arenas, Bella Flores, Edie Garcia/ Directed by Jose de Villa

"Lydia" (1956)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa,
Paraluman/Directed by Armando Garces

"Debutante" (1959)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno, Eddie Arenas, Romeo Vasquez, Daisy Romualdez and Susan Roces in the title role/ Directed by Rosa Mia

Estela Mondragon (1960)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Paraluman, Amalia Fuentes, Tito Galla, Liberty Ilagan, Eddie Gutierrez/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

"Dayukdok" (1961)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Luis Gonzales, Amalia Fuentes, Barbara Perez, Charlie Davao, Boy Alano/ Directed by Mar S. Torres