MARIO MONTENEGRO AND DELIA RAZON: LVN'S TOP BOX-OFFICE DRAW

Still from the movie Pusong may Lason (1953)

Lucy May Gritz was a chubby teenager with pretty German-Spanish mestiza features when she went to the Sampaguita studios in the late 40s to seek out her favorite movie stars. There someone spotted her and was impressed enough with her youthful charm to give her a screen test.

A few assignments as an extra later, she was borrowed from Sampaguita by one of the Silos brothers to appear in a Mila Del Sol-Teddy Benavidez picture called Malaya. When Doña Sisang saw the rushes of the film, she was very excited. She has caught a glimpse of the young mestiza and was greatly interested in her. “Hanapin nga yan,” she ordered.

The girl was located and presented to the Old Lady. Reluctant at first because she wanted to be faithful to Sampaguita, Lucy May later changed her mind and signed an LVN contract. Under the terms of the contract, she was to appear in three films for which she would be paid php300 per picture; then three more for each of which she would received php500. She did not finish that contract. Within a year after her discovery, she became leading lady to Rogelio de la Rosa in the film Prinsipe Amante. “I got php3,000,” she recalls. No matter. Three thousand pesos in 1950 was a lot of money to a young girl.

Doña Sisang had already decided that her new discovery couldn’t possibly keep her name: it sounded too foreign, and besides, was difficult to pronounce. Why not a Spanish-sounding name, wondered the Old Lady. The girl had appeared in one film as a character named Delia Razon. Doña Sisang thought that was a lovely name--- and very apt.

At about the time Delia Razon got launched on a movie career, a young man from Pagsanjan, Laguna, was trying to get a job as an artist in the set making department of LVN. His name was Roger Colin Macalalag and he had dark good looks and remarkable profile. He had come to Manila after the Liberation to look for a job and at the same time to enroll in the fine arts course at the University of the Philippines.

His first job was a commercial painter; the second, he hoped, would be an LVN artist. He was taken in as a movie extra instead. He would have remained an extra and a stuntman had not Manuel Conde, then already an independent producer, cast him as one of the swashbuckling brothers in Siete Infantes de Lara (1950).

Doña Sisang was viewing the rushes with Conde in the LVN projection room when, so an account of the incident by movie columnist Jose A. Quirino goes, she asked Conde, “Who is that dusky and handsome Infante?” Told the young man’s name, the Old Lady is said to have asked, “Why did I not hear of him before? That fellow is star material. What is happening to our talent scouts?” She promptly ordered that Macalalag be given choice roles. Not long afterwards, she also chose for him a screen name--- Mario Montenegro--- which he has since formally taken as his legal name.

Source: Dona Sisang Filipino Movies/ 1977

Their love team was a huge box-office draw and their movies a sure hits at the box office. The fans of Mario and Delia hoped not only for their idols to fall in love but also to get married.

But that was not to be. Mario fell in love and married another LVN star, Letty Alonzo. Delia, on the other hand, chose to marry Rely Reyes, who was not in anyway connected with showbiz.

"Bohemio" (1952)- Stars Delia Razon and Mario Montenegro/ Directed by Dr. Gregorio Fernandez

"Rodrigo de Villa" (1952)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Alfonso Carvajal, Oscar Keesee, Nestor de Villa/ Directed by Dr. Gregorio Fernandez

"3 Labuyo" (1953)- Stars Delia Razon and Mario Montenegro/ Directed by Richard Abelardo

"12 Pares" (1954)- Stars Jaime de la Rosa, Lilia Dizon, Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro/ Directed by Lou Salvador

"Dambanang Putik" (1954)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Milagros Naval, Jose de Cordova, Emma Alegre/ Directed by Enrique Jarlego

"Lapu Lapu" (1955)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Priscilla Cellona/ Directed by Lamberto V. Avellana

"Banal O Makasalanan?" (1955)- Stars Delia Razon and Mario Montenegro/ Directed by Susana C de Guzman

"Among Tunay" (1956)- Stars Delia Razon and Mario Montenegro/ Directed by Susana C. De Guzman

"Higit sa Korona" (1956)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Rosa Rosal' Johnny Reyes, Alfonso Carvajal/ Directed by Richard Abelardo

"Ilaw sa Karimlan" (1956)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Milagros Naval/ Directed by Susana C. de Guzman

"Topo- Topo" (1957)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Carmencita Abad, Val Castelo, Willie Sotelo/ Directed by H. B. Katindig (Natoy Catindig)

"Balae" (1958)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Hector Reyes, Chona Sandoval/ Directed by Natoy Catindig

"Rebelde" (1958)- Stars Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Carlos Padilla, Jr., Rebecca Del Rio/ Directed by Artemio Marquez

They starred in 15 movies:

1. Bohemyo (1952)
2. Rodrigo de Villa (1952)
3. Tatlong Labuyo (1953)
4. Pusong May Lason (1953)
5. Dose Pares (1954)
6. Prinsepe Tiñoso (1954)
7. Dambanang Putik (1954)
8. Lapu-Lapu (1955)
9. Banal o Makasalanan (1955)
10. Ilaw sa Karimlan (1956)
11. Among Tunay (1956)
12. Higit sa Korona (1956)
13. Top-Topo (1957)
14. Balae (1958)
15. Rebelde (1958)