GLORIA ROMERO: THE ORIGINAL QUEEN OF PHILIPPINE MOVIES (Circa 1952-58)

Two of Gloria's comedy hits

Kurdapya (1954)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ramon Revilla, Ric Rodrigo, Dolphy/ Directed by Tony Cayado

Dalagang Ilocana (1954)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Rudy Francisco, Dolphy/ Directed by Olive la Torre/ Gloria won her first Famas Best Actress award in this movie.

Gloria Romero (Gloria Galla in real life) was born in 1933 in Denver Colorado, to a hardworking Filipino, Pedro Galla, and an American woman, Mary Borrego. Her elementary education was spent in Mabini Elementary School and she graduated from Riverview High School in Mabini, Pangasinan.

At the zenith of her illustrious career, Gloria Romero was the acknowledged Queen of Philippine Movies. Her popularity soared high in the local movie world and there were no questions as to who reigned supreme as the Queen of local movies that time. Gloria Romero was it. Gloria had the respect and affection of both fans and colleagues. She’s unique, as a beauty, an actress, a celebrity, and as a person.

Gloria started her movie career in the early 50’s doing small roles at Premiere Productions. Uncomplainingly, she went from one bit part to another, sometimes was no more than a faceless extra. Because her uncle, Nario Rosales, was Chief Editor at Sampaguita Studios, it was easy for Ms Romero to visit the movie sets. Then one day, while watching a shooting at Sampaguita studio, a talent scout noticed her and asked if she would like to be in the movies. She was given a small role in Kasintahan sa Pangarap (1951), starring Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. More bit roles followed in Bernardo Carpio, starring real-life couple Cesar Ramirez and Alicia Vergel; in Dugong Bughaw, with Norma Vales and Tessie Martinez; and Rebecca. Finally, in her fifth movie, Ramon Selga (starring Lilian Leonardo and Pancho Magalona), she got a speaking part as a nurse.

Palasig (1952)- Stars Cesar Ramirez, Gloria Romero, Aruray, Tony Cayado,Totoy Torrente, Pedro Faustino/ Directed by Artemio Tecson

Monghita (1952)- Stars Oscar Moreno, Gloria Romero, Norma Vales, Myrna Delgado, Van de Leon, Jose de Villa/ Directed by Artemio Marquez

It was in Madame X (1952) that she was given a new, more dramatic name: "Gloria Romero." She got her first memorable role in Palasig (1952) opposite heartthrob Cesar Ramirez, but it was her lead role in Monghita (1952), opposite Oscar Moreno that cemented her bankability and popularity. In 1953, she played the daughter of Carmen Rosales in May Umaga Pang Darating. Ms Romero played opposite many leading men: Ramon Revilla in Apat na Taga (1953); Fred Montilla in Recuerdo (1953); Pancho Magalona in Musikong Bumbong (1954); Ric Rodrigo and Luis Gonzales in Pilya (1954), and Dolphy in Dalagang Ilocana (1954), for which she won the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts & Sciences (FAMAS) Best Actress award.

But more than beauty, it was talent that catapulted her to the top. A natural actress, she refined her talents with study and discipline. From the start, her directors recognized that here was a born actress. For a while, the studio exploited her dramatic intensity by putting her in countless tear-jerkers. Gloria carried on gamely, squeezing out copious tears from her audiences. Then the studio decided to test her versatility and tried her out in comedy and musical pictures. She came through just as beautifully.

Recuerdo (1953)- Stars Fred Montilla, Gloria Romero, Ramon Revilla, Myrna Delgado/ Directed by Octavio Silos

Ang Biyenang Hindi Tumatawa (1954)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Chichay, Tolindoy, Etang Discher, Bella Flores/ Directed by Armando Garces

Romero's other memorable movies were Vacacionista (1956), Eternally (1957), and Alaalang Banal (1958). She tried other formula by appearing as characters popularized in comic strips: Her first two attempts, Mister Kasintahan (1953) and Kurdapya (1954), were so successful she immediately made Mariposa (1955) and Miss Tilapia (1956), where she played the original Facifica Falayfay. Afterwards, Ms Romero ventured into the dramatic format again, with Artista (1955), Teresa (1956), opposite her popular love-team partner Luis Gonzales; plus remakes of pre-war musical movies like Pagdating ng Takipsilim (1956), Colegiala (1957) and Paru-parong Bukid (1957). All these blockbusters made her Queen of Philippine Movies (her closest rival was Nida Blanca), and Sampaguita Pictures renewed her contract for another 8 years-- making her the studio's longest exclusive star. She made some 30 movies with her frequent screen partner, Luis Gonzales.

Source: Internet Movie Database

Pilya (1954)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Lolita Rodriguez, Roberto Gonzales/ Directed by Tony Cayado

Bim, Bam, Bum (1955)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ramon Revilla with an All-Star Cast/ Directed by Olive la Torre


Despatsadora (1955)- Stars Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Dolphy, Rosa Mia/ Directed by Tony Cayado

Hindi Basta- Basta (1955)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Dolphy, Daisy Romualdez, Eddie Arenas/ Directed by Tony Cayado



Hootsy Kootsy (1955)- Stars Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Dolphy, Zeny Zabala/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

Mariposa (1955)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Norma Vales, Rudy Francisco and Rosa Mia/ Directed by Mar S. Torres



Miss Tilapia (1956)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Susan Roces, Romeo Vasquez/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

Pagdating ng Takip-Silim (1956)- Stars Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Barbara Perez, Tony Marzan/ Directed by Rosa Mia



Senorita (1956)- Stars Gloria Romero and Ric Rodrigo/ Directed by Tony Cayado

Vacacionista (1956)- Stars Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Dolphy, Norma Vales/ Directed by Mar S. Torres



Eternally (1957)- Stars Gloria Romero, Juancho Gutierrez, Tony Marzan/ Directed by Armando Garces

Alaalang Banal (1958)- Stars Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Marlene Dauden, Carlos Salazar, Rosa Mia/ Directed by Armando Garces


Beloved (1958)- Stars Gloria Romero, Ric Rodrigo, Tito Galla/ Directed by Tony Cayado

Pagoda (1958)- Stars Gloria Romero, Dolphy, Juancho Gutierrez, Barbara Perez and Lee Mei