THE FIFTIES # 270: JOSE PADILLA, JR., VIRGINIA MONTES, TESSIE AGANA, AMADO CORTES, CRISING ALIGADA, JOSE SISON, AMELITA SOL, ENGRACIO IBARRA IN "BARIL O' ARARO? (GUN OR PLOW?)" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Baril O' Araro? (Gun or Plow?)" (1955)

Filipinana Pictures, Inc.

Release Date February 24 to March 5, 1955/ Dalisay

Direction Alex Sunga and Pedro S. Vera

Cast Jose Padilla, Jr., Virginia Montes, Tessie Agana, Amado Cortes, Crising Aligada, Jose Sison, Amelita Sol, Engracio Ibarra, Deleng Tinoco, Roger Cardinal, Ric Bustamante

THE FIFTIES # 269: JOSE ROMULO (IN THE TITLE ROLE), ARSENIA FRANCISCO, ROSITA NOBLE, LOPITO, RAMON D' SALVA IN "ADVENTURES OF DI-13" (1955)/ UPDATED

Pinoy viewers were introduced to James Bond in 1962 in the movie "Dr. No." But did you know that 7 years earlier, in 1955, Premiere Productions produced a similar type of movie---ala-James Bond? The film was Adventures of DI-13, with Jose Romulo playing the intrepid Filipino sleuth. The blurb says "You'll be gasping for breath as you follow the dangerous, romantic, hilarious adventures of DI-13" --- a typical James Bond formula---

"The Adventures of DI-13" (1955)

Premiere Productions/ Larry Santiago Productions

Release Date February 14- 23, 1955/ Dalisay

Story Damy Velasquez

Direction Cesar Gallardo

Cast Jose Romulo, Arsenia Francisco, Rosita Noble, Lopito, Ramon D'Salva

 "The Adventures of DI-13"

Story by Damy Velasquez

Artwork by Jesse Santos

Serialized in Pilipino Komiks/ 1953

THE FIFTIES # 268: FRED MONTILLA, MYRNA DELGADO, NORMA VALES, DOLPHY, WITH CHICHAY, TOLINDOY, GREGORIO TICMAN, EDDIE GARCIA, JOSE DE VILLA IN MARS RAVELO'S "TATAY NA SI BONDYING" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Tatay na si Bondying" (1955)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date February 9-18, 1955/ Life

Story Mars Ravelo

Music Tirso Cruz

Direction Armando Garces

Cast Fred Montilla, Myrna Delgado, Norma Vales, Dolphy, Chichay, Tolindoy, Gregorio Ticman, Eddie Garcia, Jose de Villa, Leonara Ruiz, Teroy de Guzman, Carding Cruz

THE FIFTIES # 267: JOSE PADILLA, JR., JUAN MONTEIRO, OLIVIA CENIZAL IN "MINERA" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Minera" (1955)

People's Pictures/ Premiere Productions, Inc.

Release Date January 30- February 8, 1955/ Life

Story J.D. Karasig and Nemesio E. Caravana

Direction Nemesio E. Caravana

Cast Jose Padilla, Jr., Juan Monteiro, Olivia Cenizal

THE FIFTIES # 266: CARMEN ROSALES, ROGELIO DE LA ROSA, NORMA VALES, LUIS GONZALES, WITH ROSA MIA, HORACIO MORELOS, BERT OLIVAR, PABLO RAYMUNDO IN "ANG TANGI KONG PAGIBIG" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Ang Tangi Kong Pagibig" (1955)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date January 20- 29, 1955/ Life

Story Dr. Fausto J. Galauran

Music Constancio C. de Guzman

Direction Mar S. Torres

Cast Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa, Norma Vales, Luis Gonzales, Rosa Mia, Horacio Morelos, Bert Olivar, Pablo Raymundo

THE FIFTIES # 265: DANILO MONTES, GLORIA SEVILLA, RICKY BLAKE, CRIS DE VERA, LOU SALVADOR, WITH TONY DE LA MOGUEIS, VERONICA PALILIEO IN "PAPA LOVES MAMBO" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Papa Loves Mambo" (1955)

Deegar Cinema, Inc.

Release Date January 16- 25, 1955/ Center

Serialized over DZPI

Music Pepe Villarente

Direction Rolando del Mar

Cast Danilo Montes, Gloria Sevilla, Ricky Blake, Cris de Vera, Lou Salvador, Tony de la Mogueis, Veronica Palileo

THE FIFTIES # 264: DELIA RAZON, MARIO MONTENEGRO, PRISCILLA CELLONA, WITH OSCAR KEESEE, JOHNNY REYES, VEN MEDINA, VIC SILAYAN IN LAMBERTO AVELLANA'S "LAPU-LAPU "(1954-55): KOMIKS SERIAL AND MOVIE ADAPTATION /UPDATED

"Lapu-Lapu" (1955)

LVN Pictures
Release Date January 15- 24, 1955/Dalisay
Story Francisco V. Coching
Music F. Buencamino
Direction Lamberto Avellana
Cast Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Priscilla Cellona, Oscar Keese, Johnny Reyes, Ven Medina, Vic Silayan, Jose Vergara, Eusebio Gomez, Oscar Obligacion

LVN's top stars Mario Montenegro and Delia Razon were reunited for the nth time in this 1955 Lamberto Avellana's monumental epic, Lapu-Lapu. Based from the celebrated Francisco V. Coching's Pilipino Komiks serial novel, the movie tells of the courageous and fierce stand put up by Lapu-Lapu and his men against the Spanish invaders led by Ferdinand Magellan in what was dubbed as the 'Battle of Mactan'.

Courtesy of LVN Pictures

Lapu-Lapu - Story and penned by Francisco V. Coching/ serialized in Pilipino Komiks/ 1954/ Komiks covers courtesy of Gerry Alanguilan

Ika-6-na labas

click images to enlarge

Ika-7-na labas

click images to enlarge

THE FIFTIES # 576: NENITAL VIDAL, MANDING CLARO, NORA DY, WITH BAYANI CASIMIRO, MILANI VILLONGCO, HECTOR REYES, ARTURO SISON, ANTONIO DE LOS ANGELES IN " DALAGITA'T BINATILYO" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Dalagita't Binatilyo" (1955)

LVN Pictures

Release Date January 10- 19, 1955/ Life

Story Susana C. de Guzman

Music Juan Silos, Jr.

Direction Armando Canseco

Cast Nenita Vidal, Manding Claro, Nora Dy, Bayani Casimiro, Milani Villongco, Hector Reyes, Arturo Sison, Romeo Flores, Antonio de los Angeles, Mervin Silva, Dolores Fabian, Antonio Medina, Menandro Ramos, Fernando Nangan

THE FIFTIES # 274: FRED MONTILLA, PARALUMAN, WITH MARIA CRISTINA, PAT ILANO, BEN COSCA, METRING DAVID, MENGGAY IN "SINTU-SINTO" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Sintu-Sinto" (1955)

Freedom Pictures

Release Date January 9-17, 1955/ Center

Music Danny Holmsen

Direction Artemio B. Tecson

Cast Fred Montilla, Paraluman, Maria Cristina, Pat Ilano, Ben Cosca, Metring David, Menggay, Roger Cardinal, Banding Javier, Lulu Santos, Ric Gutierrez, Sabas San Juan, Helen Nazario/ Guests- Eddie San Jose, Danny Holmsen/ Featuring the voices of Ruben Tagalog, Paquito Toledo, Bobby Gonzales

THE FIFTIES # 263: JOSE PADILLA, JR., LEILA MORENA, CAROL VARGA, LAURO DELGADO AND INTRODUCING OLIVIA CENIZAL IN "PALAHAMAK" (1955)/ UPDATED

"Palahamak" (1954)

Premiere Productions, Inc./ People's Picture

Release Date January 5-14, 1955/ Dalisay

Story and Direction Artemio Marquez

Cast Jose Padilla, Jr., Leila Morena, Carol Varga, Lauro Delgado/ Introducing Olivia Cenizal

THE FIFTIES # 262: FERNANDO POE, JR., ROSITA NOBLE, WITH RAMON D' SALVA, RUBEN RUSTIA, PEDRO FAUSTINO, CECILIO JOAQUIN, PURITA ALMA IN "ANAK NI PALARIS" (1955)/ UPDATED

The first film of Fernando Poe, Jr. He did the movie when he was only 15 years old. 

"Anak ni Palaris" (1955)
Fernando Poe Productions/ Deegar Cinema, Inc.
Release Date January 2-8, 1955/ Center
Direction Mario T, Barri
Cast Fernando Poe, Jr., Rosita Noble, Ramon D'Salva, Ruben Rustia, Purita Alma, Pedro Faustino, Cecilio Joaquin

One of Poe Senior’s big hits was Palaris, a cloak-and-dagger historical romance. Poe senior had made his fame on such films, an extension into the cinema of the moro-moro tradition. In late 1954, Mario Barri, who had worked for the elder Poe, thought of doing Anak ni Palaris and he cast Ronnie in it, making the boy assume his father’s name to emphasize the picture’s relation with the old Palaris. For his first movie role, Ronnie got a thousand bucks and co-starring billing with Rosita Noble and Mario Escudero---but this picture proved disappointing. “One thing I know, it didn’t make money,” Ronnie recalled.

Excerpts from "Batang Taquila" by Quijano De Manila (Nick Joaquin)Philippine Free Press / June 01, 1968

Original 1955 lobby card of 'Anak ni Palaris'

THE FIFTIES # 261: GLORIA ROMERO, RAMON REVILLA, RIC RODRIGO AND DOLPHY, WITH ARURAY, EDDIE GARCIA, REBECCA DEL RIO, ETANG DISCHER, HERMINIA CARRANZA IN "KURDAPYA" (1954)/ UPDATED

"Kurdapya" (1954)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date December 31, 1954- January 9, 1955/ Life

Story Pablo S. Gomez

Direction Tony Cayado

Cast Gloria Romero, Ramon Revilla, Ric Rodrigo, Dolphy, Aruray, Eddie Garcia, Rebecca del Rio, Etang Discher, Herminia Carranza

THE FIFTIES # 260: TESSIE QUINTANA, NESTOR DE VILLA, WITH TONY SANTOS, ALFONSO CARVAJAL, LEROY SALVADOR IN "SINGSING NA TANSO" (1954)/ UPDATED

"Singsing na Tanso" (1954)

LVN Pictures

Release Date December 26, 1954- January 4, 1955/ Dalisay

Music Lt.Col. A. Buenaventura

Direction Dr. Gregorio Fernandez

Cast Tessie Quintana, Nestor de Villa, Tony Santos, Alfonso Carvajal, Leroy Salvador

THE FIFTIES # 259: LEOPOLDO SALCEDO, LEILA MORENA, PUGO, WITH TEROY DE GUZMAN, TONY DE LA MOGUEIS, LILY MIRAFLOR, LYDIA ANTONIO IN MARS RAVELO'S "GOLPE DE GULAT" (1954)/ UPDATED

"Golpe de Gulat" (1954)

Deegar Cinema, Inc.

Release Date December 24, 1954- January 1, 1955/ Center

Story Mars Ravelo

Music Leopoldo Silos

Direction Eddie Romero

Cast Leopoldo Salcedo, Leila Morena, Pugo, Teroy de Guzman, Tony de la Moguies, Lily Miraflor, Lydia Antonio

THE FIFTIES # 258: EFREN REYES, EDNA LUNA, LOPITO, WITH RAMON D'SALVA, RUBEN RUSTIA, LITO ANZURES, PURITA ALMA IN F.V. COCHING'S "PEDRO PENDUKO" (1954)/ UPDATED

 "Pedro Penduko" (1954)

Premiere Productions/ People's Picture

Release Date December 21-30, 1954/ Life

Story Francisco V. Coching

Direction Gerardo de Leon

Cast Efren Reyes, Edna Luna, Lopito, Ramon D'Salva, Ruben Rustia, Lito Anzures, Purita Alma/ Introducing Nina Morales, Renato Robles

Efren Reyes and Lopito

Efren Reyes and Edna Luna

"Pedro Penduko" ni Francisco v. Coching

(Photos and Komiks- via Cesar Hernando)