THE FIFTIES # 188: CESAR RAMIREZ, MYRNA DELGADO, NORMA VALES, RIC RODRIGO, WITH ARURAY, BAYANI CASIMIRO, PRECY ORTEGA IN "TRES MUSKITERAS" (1954)/ UPDATED

"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 Casimiro, Precy Ortega

THE FIFTIES # 187: PANCHO MAGALONA, GLORIA ROMERO, WITH BOY ALANO, ROSA MIA, REBECCA DEL RIO, ETANG DISCHER, HORACIO MORALES IN "MUSIKONG BUMBONG" (1954)/ UPDATED

"Musikong Mumbong" (1954)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date February 3-12, 1954/ Center

Serialized in Bulaklak and Alimyon Magazines

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, ARMANDO GOYENA, WITH MILAGROS NAVAL, CECILIA LOPEZ, EUSEBIO GOMEZ, JOSE CRIS SOTO, FLORENTINO BALLECER, VICTOR BLANCO, PACITA CORRALES, BELEN VELASCO IN "TUCYDIDES" (1954)/ UPDATED

"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, WITH CARMENCITA PALMA, OSCAR OBLIGACION, CHITO NAVARRO, MIGUEL LOPEZ, ROGER NITE, NORA DY IN "DALAWANG PANATA" (1954)/ UPDATED

"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, PARALUMAN, WITH ELVIRA REYES, SONIA REYES, RESTIE SANDEL, BASILIO DE LUIS, NILDA BALMORI, LINDA MARTINEZ IN "SARAWAK" (1954)/ UPDATED

"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

THE FIFTIES # 179: NIDA BLANCA, NESTOR DE VILLA, WITH TONY SANTOS, GIL DE ELON, JOHNNY REYES, ARTURO MORAN, CARMENCITA ABAD, CASMOT, VIC SILAYAN, PRSCILLA RAMIREZ IN L.V. AVELLANA'S "HIYASMIN" (1953)/ UPDATED

"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 # 167: ARMI KUUSELA AND VIRGILIO HILARIO, WITH OSCAR KEESEE, RAMON OLMOS, BENJAMIN LAGMAY IN "NOW AND FOREVER" (1953)/ UPDATED

Real life couple, Armi Kuusela (the first Miss Universe, 1952) and Virgilio Hilario starred in "Now and Forever", the true-to-life story of  their romance. It opened December 30, 1953, almost 60 years ago.

"Now and Forever" (1953)

(The True-to Life Story of the Kuusela-Hilario Romance)

Deegar Cinema, Inc.

Release Date December 30, 1953- January 4, 1954/ Center

Music Miguel Velarde, Jr.

Direction Rolando del Mar

Cast Armi Kuusela, Virgilio Hilario, Oscar Keese, Ramon Olmos, Benjamin Lagmay/ Introducing Ricky Blake, Caviteno Ilano/ Guest Paraluman, Belle Gonzales, Manolo Valdez

Movie ad- From the collection of Celso Caparas

In 1952, Miss Finland Armi Kuusela was crowned Miss Universe, the first Miss Universe pageant held June 28, 1952 at Long Beach, USA. 

In 1953, some nine months after she won the Miss Universe title, Armi was invited by the Philippine International Fair Committee to crown that year’s Miss Philippines…in the course of her stay, she met Virgilio Hilario, a Filipino businessman, through a blind date in Baguio…the two were eventually married in Tokyo that year… luckily, Armi  was allowed to keep her title.

More on this, click here

Photos- from various sites

THE FIFTIES # 171: TITA DURAN, PANCHO MAGALONA, KATY DE LA CRUZ, WITH ROSA MIA, DOLPHY, REBECCA DEL RIO, PEDRO FAUSTINO, JOSE DE VILLA, BERT OLIVAR IN "VOD-A-VIL" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Vod-a-Vil" (1953)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date December 21-30, 1953/ Dalisay

Music Tirso Cruz and hid Manila Hotel Orchestra

Direction Olive La Torre

Cast Tita Duran, Pancho Magalona, Katy de la Cruz, Rosa Mia, Dolphy, Rebecca del Rio, Pedro Faustino, Jose de Villa, Bert Olivar, Priscilla Concepcion, Horacio Morelos, Armando Villamor, Pablo Raymundo, and Bayani (Guest Star)

THE FIFTIES # 156: JOSE PADILLA, JR., NENA CARDENAS, CAROL VARGA, AMADO CORTES, WITH NELLO NAYO, FRANCISCO CRUZ, SONYA REYES IN "HABANG BUHAY" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Habang Buhay" (1953)

Manuel Vistan, Jr.

Released thru Premiere Productions

Release Date December 11-20, 1953

Direction Teodorico C. Santos

Cast Jose Padilla, Jr., Nena Cardenas, Carol Varga, Amado Cortez, Nello Nayo, Francisco Cruz, Sonya Reyes, Nenita Bona, Vicente Liwanag, Angelina Razon

THE FIFTIES # 157: CESAR RAMIREZ, RITA GOMEZ, RIC RODRIGO, WITH GREGORIO TICMAN, MARTIN MARFIL, EDDIE GARCIA, CONRADO CONDE IN "REYNA BANDIDA" (1953)/ KOMIKS SERIAL AND MOVIE ADAPTATION/ UPDATED

"Reyna Bandida" (1953)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date December 6- 15, 1953/ Life

Direction Artemio B. Tecson

Cast Cesar Ramirez, Rita Gomez, Ric Rodrigo, Gregorio Ticman, Martin Marfil, Eddie Garcia, Conrado Conde

"Reyna Bandida"

Katha't Guhit ni Nestor Redondo

Serialized in Espesyal Komiks

 ---click images to enlarge---

THE FIFTIES # 141: MARIO MONTENEGRO, TESSIE QUINTANA, ROSA ROSAL, WITH TONY SANTOS, ALFONSO CARVAJAL, GIL DE LEON, JOSE DE CORDOVA, VEN MEDINA, FRANK GORDON, JOSE VERGARA, LEROY SALVADOR, ARTURO MORAN IN "DAGOHOY" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Dagohoy" (1953)

LVN Pictures

Release Date November 21-30, 1953/ Dalisay

Music F. Buencamino Jr.

Direction Dr. Gregorio Fernandez

Cast Mario Montenegro, Tessie Quintana, Rosa Rosal, Tony Santos, Alfonso Carvajal, Gil de Leon, Jose de Cordova, Ven Medina, Frank Gordon, Jose Vergara, Arturo Moran, Natoy Katindig, Mario Roldan, Casmot, Simplicio Pajarillo, Mario Taguibulos, Ezar Visenio, Nora Dy, Antonio Medina/ Introducing Lorna Mirasol

THE FIFTIES # 160: LEOPOLDO SALCEDO, ANITA LINDA, WITH ELVIRA REYES, RAMON D' SALVA, JOE RAMOS, PEDRO FAUSTINO, VICENTA FERNANDEZ, ELY NAKPIL, BATOTOY, CHUCHI IN "LOOBAN" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Looban" (1953)

Filmakers Productions

Release Date November 16-25, 1953/ Life

Story Pablo S. Gomez and Deo C. Gonzales

Direction Ben Calasanz

Cast Leopoldo Salcedo, Anita Linda, Elvira Reyes, Ramon D' Salva, Joe Ramos, Pedro faustino, Vicenta Fernandez, Ely Nakpil, Batotoy, Chuchi, Ric Valle, Blackie Francisco, Nita cayetano, Candida Valderrama, Dolores Pobre, Fred Ramirez, Bert Santos, Ruben Reyes, Benny Calananz

THE FIFTIES # 175: BOY ALANO (IN THE TITLE ROLE), PATRIA PLATA, VAN DE LEON, ROSA MIA, ARURAY, ETANG DISCHER, LEONORA RUIZ IN MARS RAVELO'S "KIKO" (1953)/ UPDATED

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 # 149: LILIA DIZON, MARIO MONTENEGRO, ROSA ROSAL, WITH JOHNNY REYES, JOSE CRIS SOTO, EUSEBIOGOMEZ, PRISCILLA RAMIREZ, ANGGE IN "MAKABUHAY" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Makabuhay" (1953)

LVN Pictures

Release Date September 27- October 6, 1953/ Life

Music F. Buencamino, Jr.

Direction Tony Arnaldo

Cast Lilia Dizon, Mario Montenegro, Rosa Rosal, Johnny Reyes, Jose Cris Soto, Eusebio Gomez, Priscilla Ramirez, Angge

THE FIFTIES # 147: FRED MONTILLA, GLORIA ROMERO, RAMON REVILLA, MYRNA DELGADO IN "RECUERDO" (1953)/ UPDATED

"Recuerdo" (1953)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date November 1- 10, 1953/ Dalisay

Story Carlos Gonda 

Music Constancio de Guzman

Direction Octavio Silos

Cast Fred Montilla, Gloria Romero, Ramon Revilla, Myna Delgado