What made show business so profitable during the Japanese occupation? It may be because this was an abnormal period. People had a compulsion to live and enjoy, as if any moment would bring death. They needed entertainment. At the same time the streets were full of movie stars and directors who were deprived of work with the closing down of the film studios. They also had to earn a living, and many formed their own theater groups. The fact that big name movie stars made personal appearances on the stage was one of the strongest reasons for the popular acceptance of stage shows.
It was not until the middle of 1942 that the new stage groups began to organize. One of the first to emerge was the Filipinas Revue headed by Joe Climaco which opened on 23 May 1942. They had regular shows at the Life Theater and its featured stars were Katy de la Cruz, Tugo, Pugo, Lilian Velez, and Bimbo Danao. Later, many big name stars, such as Rogelio de la Rosa and Norma Blancaflor, joined them. It was called "Filipinas Revue" because it was a subtle reminder to the audience that the
Philippines was for the Filipino.
Others followed: The Sampaguita Revue headed by Lou Salvador at the Dalisay with its stars, Al Johnson, Angel Esmeralda, and Vicente Ocampo. At the Avenue, the Silos Follies headed by Manuel Silos presented music and comedy until Lamberto Avellana's Philippine Artists League took over in September and presented their first show "Tropicana." They had Dianna Prieto, Leopoldo Salcedo, and Mystery Singer as regular artists. The Lyric started with Thelma's Stage Show in September with Rosario Moreno, Ben Rubio, Martha Dizon, and Ruth Reyes. A few months later United Artists, headed by Ramon Estella, took over.
(Source: Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints Volume 29 Number 1 Article 6 10-24-2018 Philippine Stage Performances During the Japanese Occupation by Motoe Terami Wada)
( The Tribune, October 10, 1942)
(The Tribune, October 17, 1942)
(The Tribune, October 24, 1942)
(The Tribune, October 25, 1942)
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