THE FIFTIES # 188: CESAR RAMIREZ, MYRNA DELGADO, NORMA VALES, RIC RODRIGO IN "TRES MUSKITERAS" (1954)

"Tres Muskiteras" (1954)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date February 9- 18, 1954

Direction Nardo Vercudia

Cast Cesar Ramirez, Myrna Delgado, Norma Vales, Ric Rodrigo, Aruray, Bayani, Precy Ortega

THE FIFTIES # 187: PANCHO MAGALONA AND GLORIA ROMERO IN "MUSIKONG BUMBONG" (1954)

"Musikong Mumbong" (1954)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date February 3-12, 1954/ Center

Story Dr. Fausto J. Galauran

Music Juan Silos, Jr.

Direction Octavio Silos

Cast Pancho magalona, Gloria Romero, Boy Alano, Rosa Mia, Rebecca del Rio, Etang Discher, Horacio Morelos

THE FIFTIES # 186: LILIA DIZON AND ARMANDO GOYENA IN "TUCYDIDES" (1954)

"Tucydides" (1954)

LVN Pictures

Release Date January 30- February 8, 1954/ Dalisay

Story Dominador Ad Castillo

Music Juan Silos, Jr.

Direction Artemio Marquez

Cast Lilia Dizon, Armando Goyena, Milagros Naval, Cecilia Lopez, Eusebio Gomez, Jose Cris Soto, Florentino Ballecer, Victor Blanco, Pacita Corrales, Belen Velasco

Armando Goyena and Lilia Dizon in LVN Pictures' "Tucydides" (1954)

THE FIFTIES # 185: JAIME DE LA ROSA, TESSIE QUINTANA AND PRISCILLA CELLONA IN "DALAWANG PANATA" (1954)

"Dalawang Panata" (1954)

LVN Pictures

Release Date January 20-29, 1954/ Dalisay

Story A.C. Bagabaldo

Music S.S. Suarez

Direction Billy Icasiano

Cast Jaime dela Rosa, Tessie Quintana, Priscilla Cellona, Carmencita Palma, Oscar Obligacion, Chito Navarro, Miguel Lopez, Roger Nite, Zenny Garcia, Nora Dy, Baby Zenny

THE FIFTIES # 184: OSCAR MORENO AND PARALUMAN IN "SARAWAK" (1954)

"Sarawak" (1954)

Palanca Bros. Productions

Release Date January 8-13, 1954/ Times

Story Potenciano A. Palanca & Jesus Esguerra

Direction Tor Villano

Cast Oscar Moreno, Paraluman, Elvira Reyes, Sonia Reyes, Restie Sandel, Basilio de Luis, Nilda Balmori, Linda Martinez

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: ATANG DE LA RAMA IN "MAHIWAGANG BINIBINI (ANG KIRI)" (1939)

"Mahiwagang Binibini (Ang Kiri)" (1939)

Diwata Films

Release Date April 5-11, 1939/ Grand Theater

Cast Atang de la Rama, Precioso Palma, Carmen Rosales, Nilo Barredo, Gregorio Ticman, Flor Ballecer, Conrado Santiago

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: GERARDO DE LEON AND TITO AREVALO IN "AMA AT ANAK" (1939)

National Artist for Film, Gerardo 'Gerry' de Leon, both as Actor and Director---

"Ama at Anak" (1939)

Parlatone Productions

Release Date June 22- July 2, 1939/ Fox

Direction Gerardo de Leon 

Cast Gerardo de Leon, Tito Arevalo, Lilia Vizconde, Virginia Salcedo, Armando Cris, Eduardo Infante, Edy Nagali, Laling Talti

THE FIFTIES # 183: ARMANDO GOYENA AND EVELYN VILLAR IN "KAPITAN KIDLAT NGAYON!" (1953)

"Kapitan Kidlat Ngayon!" (1953)

Sequel to "Kapitan Kidlat"

LVN Pictures

Release Date December 1-10, 1953/ Dalisay

Direction Oscar del Rosario

Cast Armando Goyena, Evelyn Villar, Alfonso Carvajal, Oscar del Rosario, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Casmot, Carmencita Abad, Arturo Moran, Miguel Lopez, Florentino Garcia, Helen Nazario & Menandro Ramos

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 124: JOSE PADILLA, JR. AND AMPARO KARAGDAG IN "LIHIM NA BAYANI" (1949)

"Lihim na Bayani" (1949)

Premiere Productions

Release Date January 1- 10, 1949/ Life

Direction Ramon A. Estella

Cast Jose Padilla, Jr., Amparao Karagdag, Virginia Montes, Frankie Gordon, Ding Tello, Angel Suntay

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 123: NORMA BLANCAFLOR AND TONY ARNALDO IN "HULING DALANGIN" (1948)

"Huling Dalangin"

LVN Pictures

Release Date October 10-21, 1948/ Center

Music Constancio de Guzman

Direction Susana C. de Guzman

Cast Norma Blancaflor, Tony Arnaldo, Rosa Rosal, Victor Svilla, Eusebio Gomez, Jose Cris Soto, Engracio Ibarra, Justina David, Eliseo Carvajal, Mike Accion, Constancio de Guzman, Juanito Montes, Leonor Carmona, Pablo Virtuoso

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 122: ARSENIA FRANCISCO AND TEDDY BENAVIDEZ IN "DOLOROSA" (1948)

"Dolorosa" (1948)

Leyte Motion Pictures

Release Date June 11- 16, 1948/ Center

Music Josefino Cenizal

Direction Estrella Alfon- Rivera

Cast Arsenia Francisco, Teddy Benavidez, Pacita del Rio, Rafael Jimenez, Jose Cris Soto, Pedro Faustino, Billy Liliput, Jesse Fernandez, Africa dela Rosa

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 121: CARLOS PADILLA AND ERLINDA CORTES IN "ITANONG SA BULAKLAK" (1948)

"Itanong Mo sa Bulaklak" (1948)

Premiere Productions

Release Date June 8- 2, 1948/ Dalisay

Music Antonio Maiquez

Direction Paquito Bolero

Cast Carlos Padilla and Erlinda Cortes

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 120: ARSENIA FRANCISCO AND ANGEL ESMERALDA IN "PIPIT-PUSO" (1948)

"Pipit-Puso" (1948)

Mabuhay Pictures

Release Date July 15- 23, 1948/ Boulevard

Story Jesus Esguerra

Music Conrado Conde

Direction Col. Jacinto B. Chong

Cast Arsenia Francisco, Angel Esmeralda, Gil de Leon, Tito Arevalo, Tolindoy, Lily Miraflor, Jose Luz Bernardo, Africa dela Rosa, Candida Valderama, Florentino Lapus, Simeon Reyes, Rosario Gatmaitan

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 119: TEDDY DENAVIDEZ AND MONA LISA IN "PAG-IBIG AT PATALIM" (1948)

"Pag-ibig at Patalim" (1948)

GLM Prodyctions

Release Date June 14- 22, 1948/ Boulevard

Music Ray Alinsod

Direction Ernesto C. Lopez

Cast Teddy Benavidez, Mona Lisa, Amparo Aquino, Salvador Zaragosa, Luis Vizconde

THE FIFTIES # 182: DELIA RAZON AND MARIO MONTENEGRO IN "3 LABUYO" (1953)

"3 Labuyo" (1953)

LVN Pictures

Release Date April 5- 14, 1953/ Dalisay

Direction Richard Abelardo

Cast Delia razon, Mario Montenegro, Tony Santos, Alfonso Carvajal, Casmot, Letty Alonso, Jose Corazon de Jesus

THE FIFTIES # 181: TITA DURAN, PANCHO MAGALONA AND DOLPHY IN "SA ISANG SULYAP MO TITA" (1953)/ Re-posted

"Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita" (1953)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date August 8-17, 1953
Music Tirso Cruz and his Manila Hotel Orchestra
Direction Armano Garces
Cast Tita Duran, Pancho Magalona, Dolphy, Aruray, Tony Cayado, Jose de Villa, Aring Bautista, Consuelo P. Osorio, Bert Guinto, Eddie Garcia, Bert Olivar, Ricardo Mirasol, Artemio Tecson


Courtesy of Sampaguita Pictures

I finally got to see "Sa Isang Sulyap Mo Tita" (1953), dubbed as one of the biggest and spectacular musical movies in the 50s and starring the country's popular reel-and-real life sweetheart and husband-and-wife tandem in Philippine movies, Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. With the backdrop and setting in the life in the navy, it reminds me of two of my favorite Hollywood musical classics--- "Anchors Aweigh" (1945) and "On the Town" (1949)

. Pancho Magalona and Dolphy as the navy men or sailors, ala-Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, are in days off and they’re out to have lots of fun, singing, dancing and drinking. As they say, they're out to "paint the town red."

Dolphy, probably his first major movie role as Pancho’s buddy, exhibits his awesome dancing skills (see movie clip below).

Courtesy of Sampaguita Pictures

"Anchors Aweigh" (1945) / "On the Town" (1949)

THE FIFTIES # 180: OSCAR MORENO AND ERLINDA CORTES IN "MAY ISANG TSUPER NG TAXI" (1953)

"May Isang Tsuper ng Taxi" (1953)

Lebran Productions

Release Date July 14- 23, 1953/ Dalisay

Direction Eddie Romero

Cast Oscar Moreno, Erlinda Cortes, Oscar Keese, Conrado Conde, Juan Monteiro, Andres Iturbi, Etang Discher, Norma Buenaobra, Noemi de Leon, Paquito Legaspi, Ric Balmori, Ching Macabasco

THE FIFTIES # 179: NIDA BLANCA AND NESTOR DE VILLA IN L.V. AVELLANA'S "HIYASMIN" (1953)

"Hiyasmin" (1953)

LVN Pictures

Release Date December 31, 1953- January 9, 1954

Story Gemiliano Pineda

Music F. Buencamino, Jr.

Direction Lamberto V. Avellana

Cast Nida Blanca, Nestor de Villa, Tony Santos, Gil de Leon, Johnny Reyes, Arturo Moran, Carmencita Abad, Casmot, Vic Silayan, Priscilla Ramirez

Photo, courtesy of LVN Pictures

THE FIFTIES # 178: JAIME DE LA ROSA AND CELIA FLOR IN AVELLANA'S "LOIDA: ANG AKING PAG-IBIG" (1953)

"Loida: Ang Aking Pag-ibig" (1953)

LVN Pictures

Release Date May 5- 14, 1953/ Dalisay

Direction Lamberto V. Avellana

Cast Jaime de la Rosa and Celia Flor

THE FIFTIES # 177: JAIME DE LA ROSA AND EDNA LUNA IN MARS RAVELO'S "DYESEBEL" (1953)

 "Dyesebel"
Premiere Productions
Release Date July 4- 13, 1953/ Dalisay 
Story Mars Ravelo
Direction Gerardo de Leon
Cast Jaime de la Rosa, Carol Varga, Fernando Royo and Edna Luna in the title role

Dyesebel first appeared in the pages of Pilipino Komiks in the 50s. Created by renowned and prolific Filipino novelist Mars Ravelo and drawn by Elpidio Torres, the komiks novel has been adapted into movies in 1953, 1973, 1978, 1990 and 1996. A sequel was made in 1964, “Anak ni Dyesebel.” Here's the first and last installments of that original version of Dyesebel, as it made its memorable run in 1952 to 53.

Unang Labas/ Pilipino Komiks/ 1952

click images to enlarge

Katapusang Labas/ Pilipino Komiks/ 1953

click images to enlarge

Source: Komiks materials from

the collection of Steve Santos

THE FIFTIES # 176: JOSE PADILLA, JR. AND CELIA FLOR IN L.V. AVELLANA'S "HUK SA BAGONG PAMUMUHAY" (1953)/ Re-posted

Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay, a film by National Artist Lamberto Avellana tells of Carding (played by Jose Padilla, Jr.), a former guerrilla, who mortgages his mother's piece of land, thinking that his family could pay the usurer, a certain Mr. Fargas with the harvest or his backpay. Bad luck hounds Carding as the typhoon practically destroy most of the crops. The backpay likewise does not arrive. Mr Fargas forecloses the land. Push against the wall, Carding strikes the usurer with a shovel. Now a fugitive from justice, Carding is forced to join the burgeoning Hukbalahap, the local Communist movement.

The movie, produced by LVN Pictures as part of the government propaganda effort against the spread of communism in the country, received numerous awards from the FAMAS- Best Picture, Best Actor (Jose Padilla, Jr.), Best Supporting Actor (Leroy Salvador) and Best Director (Lamberto Avellana).

"Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay" (1953)- Stars Jose Padilla, Jr., Celia Flor, Leroy Salvador/ Directed by Lamberto V. Avellana

Here's a short absorbing clip of the movie that drove Carding (played by Jose Padilla, Jr.) to lose his temper and struck the usurer with a shovel---

Courtesy of LVN Pictures




lobby cards from internet sources

THE FIFTIES # 175: BOY ALANO AS MARS RAVELO'S "KIKO" (1953)

Did you know that Boy Alano had his share of stardom when he was just starting as a child star at Sampaguita Pictures? He made his debut movie in 1951 in "Roberta", as Roberta's (played by child wonder Tessie Agama) trusted and best friend. In 1953, Alano was given the lead role, in Mars Ravelo's "Kiko".

"Kiko" (1953)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date November 11-20, 1953/ Dalisay

Story Mars Ravelo

Direction Olive la Torre

Cast Boy Alano, Patria Plata, Van de Leon, Rosa Mia, Aruray, Etang Discher, Leonora Ruiz

THE FIFTIES # 174: CESAR RAMIREZ AND NENA CARDENAS IN F.V. COCHING'S "EL INDIO" (1952-53): KOMIKS SERIAL AND MOVIE ADAPTATION/ Re-posted

El Indio (1953)- Stars Cesar Ramirez, Nena Cardenas, Van de Leon, Tota Munoz, Boy Alano, Tony Cayado and Myrna Delgado / Directed by Enrique Moreno

Francisco V. Coching’s El Indio, serialized in Pilipino Komiks in 1952-53, is an adventure komiks novel which tells the story of Fernando, a handsome and dashing colored Spanish mestizo who went back to the Philippines to exact revenge on his father whom he believed abandoned him and his mother Blanquita. There, he discovered the cruel and oppressive colonial government, and joined the rebels in the fight against the oppressors as El Indio. El Indio is the sequel to Coching’s earlier series entitled Barbaro, and is one of most popular series in Philippine komiks history. (Komiklopedia)

El Indio was adapted into the big screen in 1953. Sampaguita Pictures was able to secure the movie right of the novel and signed up Cesar Ramirez to play the role of Fernando or El Indio. The movie also starred Nena Cardenas, Van de Leon, Tita Munoz, Boy Alano under Enrique Moreno direction. The movie had its grand opening at Life theater, May 20, 1953.

El Indio covers courtesy of Gerry Alanguilan

Comic book artist and writer Gerry Alanguilan, creator of Wasted and Elmer and a big fan of Francisco V. Coching, is in the forefront of digitally restoring Coching’s classic 50s komiks serial novel El Indio. For the past several years, Gerry, in between deadlines, was able to scan the original comic book pages and meticulously restored each page. He hopefully to see this on print next year.
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/724

Click images to enlarge