THE TERRIFIC TANDEM OF NIDA BLANCA AND NESTOR DE VILLA

Nida-Nestor --- Favorite Product Endorsers during their time

Dorothy Jones was not quite fourteen when she was presented to the LVN matriarch. She had always dreamed of becoming a star. Ever since she was a little girl in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, she graced all the school vedalas and delighted the nuns in school with her singing and dancing. When she was thirteen she moved to Manila and did the amateur singing circuit, finally becoming part of an entertainment troupe that performed in the suburbs.

Sometime in 1951, she found herself sharing the stage with Delia Razon, then already hot LVN property, in a town fiesta show. A plucky girl, Dorothy found the chance she had been waiting for. She went up to the actress and said she wanted to be in the movies. Ms. Razon offered to take her to Doña Sisang.

It was not Dorothy Jones’ first try at fulfilling a childhood dream. She had been to LVN but the Old Lady had been out. Then a lawyer friend of her mother brought her to Sampaguita, while she was given a screen test and later told that she was too young, that she should finish her studies first. She had also tried Premiere but the answer had been the same.

She was not thinking of a career in the movies. Not yet, anyway. All she wanted was to be able to earn enough money so she could buy some school uniforms, School was opening in a month and she badly wanted to study in a colegio even if she had to be an agraciada to pay her way through.

The day after that chance meeting with Delia Razon, Dorothy and her mother were at the actress’ house for the promised audience with Doña Sisang. Ms. Razon did not think the girl was dressed properly. For one thing she was wearing low heeled shoes; for anther, a big ribbon on her hair gave her age away.

The actress gave her platform-heeled pumps and a long dress that somehow made the eager young girl look much older. On their way to see Doña Sisang, Ms. Razon thought it would be better for Dorothy to tell the Old Lady she wasn’t quite fifteen, that she was actually almost seventeen.

Doña Sisang was pleased with Dorothy, more so when told that the girl was sixteen. Here, the LVN starmaker enthused, was another Mila del Sol in the making for she had discovered Mila also at the age of 16. That little white lie proved to be Dorothy Jones’ ticket to recognition from the Old Lady. It was not too difficult to find a name for the new starlet- she was very fair, hence the surname Blanca, and Nida was short and easy to remember and somehow flowed easily, the way Mila, Delia and Lilia did. (Lilia Dizon was also a big star at LVN at this time.)

Happy though she was with her unexpected luck, 

Nida Blanca refused to forget about getting an education . She enrolled in night school at Adamson University where she did so well that the university president offered her a scholarship upon her graduation from high school two years later. She couldn’t accept the offer. By that time, there was too much to give up. In 1952, just a year after she joined LVN, she won the FAMAS award as best supporting actress for her portrayal of a Korean girl in the film Korea.

Then Nestor de Villa came along. The rest is they say movie history.

Nestor was in third year medicine at the University Of Santo Tomas, the son of hacendero from Gapan, Nueva Ecija, with a growing reputation since high school as an excellent dancer.

He belonged to a group of a young people who included LVN actress Celia Flor. On a May Day early in the Fifties, he and his group decided to watch the shooting of their friend’s right in her home. Director Susana C. de Guzman took one look at him and exclaimed, “You should be in the movies.” He had never thought about that possibility, but he begun to.

A few days later his gang paid a visit to the LVN studios, where the filming of Celia Flor’s movie continued. On their way home, they dropped by the house of scriptwriter Nemesio B. Caravana who was seated at his typewriter finishing a story. On seeing him, Caravana said he needed someone just like this young man, who was named Gines Soriano, to play a character in the story he was working on. It was called Dimas and it was to star Rogelio dela Rosa and Lilia Dizon.

Soriano was flattered enough to consider a visit to the Old Lady. She wanted him to sign a contract immediately. “We won’t have a difficult time building him up,” she is supposed to have said.

Source: Doña Sisang Filipino Movies/ @1977

In 1952, Nida Blanca and Nestor De Villa teamed up for the first time in Romansa sa Nayon. The film's success popularized the Nestor-Nida "love team" and their tandem was born. They did long list of successful and box-office hits: Dalawang Sundalong Kanin (with Pugo and Togo), Hijo de Familia, Tumbalik na Daigdig, Iskwater, Hiyasmin, Waray-Waray, Luneta, Tinedyer, Darling Ko, Ibong Adarna, Handang Matodas, Talusaling, Ikaw Kasi, Easy Ka Lang Padre, Bahala Na, Sebya, Mahal Kita, Kalyehera, Wala Kang Paki, Turista, Baguio Fever, Tingnan Natin, Ganyan Ka Pala, Medalyong Perlas, Anak ni Waray and My Serenade, among others.

Tumbalik na Daigdig (1953)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa and Pugo/ Directed by Tony Arnaldo

Hiyasmin (1954)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestore De Villa, Tony Santos, Gil De Leon/ Directed by Lamberto Avellana

Ikaw Kasi (1955)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Nenita Vidal, Manding Claro/ Directed by Manuel Conde

Handang Matodas (1956)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Nita Javier, Val Castelo/ Directed by Manuel Conde

Easy Ka Lang, Padre! (1956)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Lita Gutierrez, Willie Sotelo/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Ganyan Ka Pala (1956)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Lita Gutierrez, Willie Sotelo/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Tingnan Natin (1957)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Emma ALegre, Carlos Salazar/ Directed by Manuel Conde

Bahala Na (1957)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Leroy Salvador, Nita Javier/ Directed bu Manuel Conde


Baguio Fever (1959)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Liza Moreno, Bayani Casimiro/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Sikat Na, Siga Pa (1961)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Diomedes Maturan, Marita Zobel, Luz Valdez, Robert Campos/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Oy...Akin Yata 'Yan (1962)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Lita Gutierrez, Willie Sotelo and Diomedes Maturan/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Magtiis Ka, Darling (1963)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Caridad Sanchez, Oscar Obligacion/ Directed by Armando De Guzman

Naku... Yabang! (1963)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Marietta Sanz, Popoy and Caridad Sanchez/ Directed by F.H. Constantino
Asyang ng Laloma (1963)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Marietta Sanz, Rod Navarro, Caridad Sanchez, Malony Antonio/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Yeba!!! Chi! Qui! Cha! (1963)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Lita Gutierrez, Diomedes Maturan, Marietta Sanz, Malony Antonio/ Directed by F.H. Constantino


Everybody Dance (1964)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Reycard Duet, Von Serna, Malony ANtonio and Lou Salvador, Sr./ Directed by F.H. Constantino
Mabilis...Paa at Kamay (1964)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Chiquito, Daisy Romualdez/ Directed by F.H. Constantino

Si Doray Naman... (1964)- Stars Nida Blanca, Nestor De Villa, Lourdes Medel, Renato Robles/ Directed by Armando De Guzman