POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 60: JAIME DE LA ROSA, LILIA DIZON, LILIAN VELEZ, WITH CECILIO JOAQUIN, GIL DE LEON, FRED DE LARA, JOSE DE CORDOVA IN "ENKANTADA (SA MAHIWAGANG PULO)" (1948)/ UPDATED

"Enkantada (Sa Mahiwagang Pulo)" (1948)
LVN Pictures
Release Date July 23, 1948/Dalisay
Story and Screenplay Hernando R. Ocampo
Direction Richard Abelardo

Cast Jaime de la Rosa, Lilia Dizon, Lilian Velez, Cecilio Joaquin, Gil de Leon, Fred de Lara, Jose de Cordova, Fred Gonzalez, Inday Jalandoni, Juan Urbano, Tony Dantis, Ramon Tello Jr. and Bayani Casimiro and Tony Navarro

Jaime de la Rosa and Lilian Velez

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 42: LILIAN VELEZ, NARDING ANZURES, FRED SANTOS, WITH TOLINDOY, ROMY, YOLANDA ORIA, LINA BLANCA, GUILLERMO CARLS IN "SA KABUKIRAN" (1947)

"Sa Kabukiran" (1947)
Philippine Pictures, Inc.
Release Date December 3-7, 1947/Dalisay
Music Manuel P. Velez
Director Joe Climaco

Cast Lilian Velez, Narding Anzures, Fred Santos, Tolindoy, Romy, Yolanda Oria, Lina Blanca, Guillermo Carls

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 140: LILIAN VELEZ, NARDING ANZURES, PUGO & TOGO, WITH ROSA AGUIRRE, MIGUEL ANZURES, ANGELO CASTRO, JOSE LUZ BERNARDO IN "ANG ESTUDYANTE" (1947)

"Ang Estudyante" (1947)

Philippine Pictures

Release Date February 12- 20, 1947

Story P. Y. Sulit

Photography and Sound Santos Brothers

In Charge of Production Miguel Anzures

Music Joe Climaco

Executive Producer Felipe L. Abel

Direction Fermin Barva

Cast Lilian Velez, Narding Anzures, Pugo & Togo/ Also Starring Rosa Aguirre, Miguel Anzures, Angelo Castro, Jose Luz Bernardo/ Introducing Amparo Velez

POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 137: LILIAN VELEZ, SERAFIN GARCIA, WITH ROMMY BRION, JOSE TRONI, AIDA VELEZ, CHUCHI HERNANDEZ, CASMOT, FRED GAYLOR, ORIN GUSTAFFSON, BABY VIVIAN IN "G.I. FEVER (AY KANO!)" (1946)

"G.I. Fever (Ay Kano!)" (1946)

Three- Star Films

(Monserrat Enterprises Co.)

Release Date December 1946

Direction Jose Climaco

Cast Lilian Velez, Serafin Garcia/ Also Starring Rommy Brion, Jose Troni, Aida Velez, Chuchi Hernandez, Casmot/ Featuring Baby Vivian/ Introducing Fred Gaylor, Orin Gustaffson

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: ELY RAMOS, NORMA BLANCAFLOR, NARDING ANZURES, LILIAN VELEZ, NATI RUBI, PUGO & TOGO WITH FLORENTINO BALLECER, EXEQUIEL SEGOVIA, PERLA GARCIA, LETTY PEREZ, ADRIANO CATOT IN "BINIBIRO LAMANG KITA" (1941)/ UPDATED

"Binibiro Lamang Kita (1941)"

Filippine Films

Release Date July 5, 1941/ Dalisay Theater

Musical Direction Serafin Payawal

Direction Carlos Vander Tololosa

Cast Ely Ramos, Norma Blancaflor, Narding Anzures, Lilian Velez, Nati Rubi/ Featuring Pugo and Togo/ with Florentino Ballecer, Exequiel Segovia, Perla Garcia, Letty Perez, Adriano Catot

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: ELSA ORIA, ERNESTO LA GUARDIA AND LILIAN VELEZ, WITH GREGORIO TICMAN, GUILLERMO CARLS, VICENTA FERNANDEZ, NATI RUBI, LETTY PEREZ, VICENTE OCAMPO, FIDEL DE CASTRO IN "INDAY" (1940)/ UPDATED

"Inday" (1940)

Filippine Films

Release Date June 29, 1940/ Fox Theater

Story Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana

Direction Lamberto V. Avellana 

Cast Elsa Oria, Ernesto La Guardia, Lilian Velez, Gregorio Ticman, Guilermo Carls, Vicenta Fernandez, Nati Rubi, Letty Perez, Vicente Ocampo, Fidel de Castro, Jerry & His Romancers, Socorro Campillos

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: ROSA DEL ROSARIO, JOSE PADILLA, JR., NATY BERNARDO, LILIAN VELEZ (THE NEW SINGING SENSATION) IN "NAGLAHONG DAMBANA" (1939)

"The stirring heart-story of an embittered woman whose love-vengeance did not spare even her own child!" says the ad in this 1939 movie, "Naglahong Dambana."

The movie, based from the prize-winning novel, "Anak Ko!" by Susana de Guzman, starred Rosa del Rosario, Jose Padilla, Jr., Naty Bernardo and Lilian Velez, the new singing sensation.

It was released and shown at Fox Theater, November 19, 1939.

"Naglahong Dambana" (1939)

Filippine Films

Release Date November 19, 1930/ Fox Theater

Story Susana de Guzman

Direction Guillermo J. Icasiano

Cast Rosa del Rosario, Jose Padilla, Jr., Naty Bernardo, Lilian Velez (the new singing sensation)

(Image, courtesy of Pinoy Kollektor)

JUNE 26, 1948: ACTRESS LILIAN VELEZ MURDERED

to read in full, click images to enlarge

Movie Confidenial / February 1956

Lilian Velez (March 3, 1924- June 26, 1948), a popular movie star in the 40s, first came into the limelight when she won an amateur radio singing contest in the mid 30s. Prior to the outbreak of World War II, her singing career thrived, and she popularized one of her father's songs, Sa Kabukiran. Velez also won the heart of Jose 'Joe' Climaco, the radio station manager which had sponsored the contest. They were soon married in 1942 and had one daughter, Vivian.

Ilang-Ilang/ December 1, 1946

After the war, Velez resumed her acting career. She joined LVN Pictures, and with her husband as director, starred in such films as G.I. Fever, Binibiro Lamang Kita, Ang Estudyante, and Sa Kabukiran, inspired by the song that had earlier earned her fame. Her leading man in some of these films was Bernardo “Narding” Anzures, a former child actor, and son of actor Miguel Anzures and actress Rosa Aguirre.

Sa Kabukiran (1947)- Stars Lilian Velez, Narding Anzures, Fred Santos, Tolindoy/ Directed by Joe Climaco

After the success of Sa Kabukiran, LVN Pictures decided to cast Jaime de la Rosa as Velez's leading man in her next film. The decision caused distress on the part of Anzures, who had seemingly become obsessed with the married Velez.

On the night of June 26, 1948, Anzures paid an unexpected visit to the Quezon City home of Velez. Upon his arrival, he stabbed Velez to death and a housemaid who had come to her mistress's assistance. The crime was committed within view of Velez's toddler-daughter, who was unharmed during the incident. Anzures was promptly arrested, tried and convicted for the murders. During his stay in Muntinglupa, Narding contracted tuberculosis and was later pardoned by then President Elpidio Quirino. About two months after his release, he died; his exact motives for the murder were never fully determined.

In 1995, the murder of Lilian Velez was the subject of a controversial film directed by Carlo J. Caparas. Topbilled by Sharon Cuneta as Velez and Cesar Montano as Anzures, the film was one of the series of true-to-life, crime and massacre films produced and directed by Caparas in the early 90s.