MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: PURITA SANTAMARIA, GERARDO DE LEON, MONENG ILAGAN, PATSY MATEO, ESTELA MARI, HONOR ILAGAN, EDO NAGALI IN "RUISENOR" (1939)/ UPDATED

Did you know that National Artist for film Gerardo 'Gerry' de Leon started his movie career not as a director but as an actor? He started doing several uncredited roles, gradually appearing in supporting roles and finally the lead star in Parlatone's Ruisenor in 1939, opposite Purita Santamaria. The film ad describes Purita's character as "the girl with too much loneliness and too much meekness---not afraid to face the battle of earning a living for a huge family--- but scared as a mouse to struggle for the man she loves."

The movie, directed by Mar I. Esmeralda, also starred Moneng Ilagan, Patsy Mateo, Estela Mari, Honor Ilagan and Edo Nagali.

It was released and shown at Fox Theater, April 8, 1939.

"Ruisenor" (1939)
A Parlatone Production

Release Date: April 8- 21, 1939/ Fox Theater

Director Mar I. Esmeralda
Cast Purita Santamaria, Gerardo de Leon, Moneng Ilagan, Patsy Mateo, Estela Mari, Honor Ilagan, Edo Nagali

"Movie flyers have been used by theater owners as promotional ads to drum up business for movies. They would print them up from materials provided by the studio, adding information on local screening times and locations. Although they were cheaply produced, many of the flyers were quite nicely designed and are now considered highly collectibles. In many cases the original films have been lost, making the surviving flyers the only visual record of numerous movies."