Wednesday, April 30, 2008

CARMEN ROSALES: THE ORIGINAL 'SUPERSTAR' OF PHILIPPINE MOVIES

Product endorser- Camay/1955

I was inspired to post this entry on Carmen Rosales upon reading a lengthy article on the actress by Jose Mari Lee titled “The Magic of Carmen Rosales” on his blog. He unravel the mystery and magic of Carmen Rosales --- “she was such a consummated actress, a singer, a dancer, but most of all, she was a master of improvisation and mime, a rara avis in the Philippine movie industry.”


Carmen Rosales with screen partner Rogelio de la Rosa- considered one of the popular and greatest 'love teams' in Philippine cinema history

Did you know that in 1939 Carmen Rosales ( March 3, 1917- December 11, 1991) was turned down when she applied for an acting job at LVN Pictures? “No Profile” was the answer. But Excelsior Production took her in and was given a big break in the movie Arimunding-Munding (1939) under Tor Villano direction. She soon became the toast of the local entertainment world.

Still from Camelia (1949)-
Stars Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa

In 1949, LVN Pictures, the film outfit which rejected Rosales for having “No Profile” offered her a staggering Php 40,000 to star in a movie, Kampanang Ginto, a romantic story about a novelist and a singer. The amount was said to be the highest ever paid to a local female star for a single picture. Of course, she accepted the offer.

Still from Batalyon XIII (1949)-
Stars Carmen Rosales and Jaime de la Rosa

Rosales was already a big star in the pre-war era but her career further blossomed during the post-war period, from 1946 to 1949 where great majority of her film successes were made --- Guerilyera (1946), Kaaway ng Bayan (1946), Si, Si Señorita (1947), Mameng, Iniibig Kita (1947), Hindi Kita Malimot (1948), Simpatika (1949), Kampanang Ginto (1949), Kaaway ng Diyos (1949), Batalyon XIII (1949), among others.
Her screen tandem with then matinee idol Rogelio de la Rosa, is considered one of the greatest ‘love teams’ in the history of Philippine movies. They did more than a dozen movies starting with Takipsilim in 1939 to Lydia in 1956. They were best remembered in the 1954 movie, Maalaala Mo Kaya, which broke all box-office records that time.
She won her first and only acting trophy, the 1953 Famas Best Actress for the movie, Inspirasiyon.
Rosales’ star started to fade in the late 50s until her retirement in mid 60s when younger stars, like Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes, started to rise. However, her name was still on top of the billing.

Carmen Rosales- Rogelio de la Rosa screen tandem:
1939- Takipsilim
1940- Señorita
1940- Lambingan1940- Diwa ng Awit1940- Colegiala
1941- Panambitan
1941- Tampuhan
1949- Kampanang Ginto
1949- Camelia
1954- Maalaala Mo Kaya
1955- Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig
1955- Iyung-Iyo
1956- Lydia
Another trivia:
Did you know that Carmen Rosales was a guerrilla fighter during World War II? In a magazine article by Ceres Doyo, Rene Navales (eldest son of Carmen Rosales) claimed that “my mother‘s underground work took her to Santa Rosa, Laguna, where she was involved in the killing of a makapili (Japanese collaborator). She later fled to Silang, Cavite to evade capture by the Japanese. My mother was a sharpshooter who toted a .45 and sometimes wore a moustache in order to disguise herself…” “Carmen Rosales was taken to Pangasinan by an enamoured Japanese colonel named Yamamoto who wanted her to star in a propaganda movie--- or else he would kill Filipinos. Rosales gave in but the film was never finished because American troops arrived. For her act of sacrifice to save a community, the popular star earned the people’s gratitude and a barrio, Carmen, in Rosales town, Pangasinan, was supposedly named after her…”
A movie, titled Guerilyera was made in 1946.

References: "Carmen Rosales: The Original Superstar" by Ceres Doyo/Sunday Inquirer/ February 16, 1992; A Movie Album Quizbook by Jessie B. Garcia/2004

"Guerilyera" (1946)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Celso Baltazar, Oscar Moreno, Maria Ceisrina and Tita Duran/ Directed by Octavio Silos
"Si, Si, Senorito" (1947)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno, and Fred Montilla/ Directed by Lorenzo P. Tuells
"Carmencita Mia" (1948)- Stars Carmen Rosales and Fernando Poe/
Directed by Paquito Bolero

"24 na Pag-ibig" (1948)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno
and Danilo Montes/ Directed by Olive de la Torre

"Selosa" (1949)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Ely Ramos,
Lillian Leonardo/Written and Directed by Eddie Romero


"Simpatika" (1949)- Stars Carmen Rosales and Pancho Magalona/
Directed by Octavio Silos

"Inspirasiyon" (1953) -Stars Carmen Rosales, Norma Vales,
Van de Leon, Katy de la Cruz/ Directed by Armando Garce
s

"Luha ng Birhen" (1954)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Van de Leon, Norma Valesa and Luis Gonzales/ Directed by Octavio Silos
"Matandang Dalaga" (1954)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Jose 'Pempe' Padilla, Jr.,Ramon Revilla, Myrna Delgado/ Directed by Olive de la Torre

"Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig" (1955)- Stars Carmen Rosales,
Rogelio de la Rosa,Norma Vales, Luis Gonzales,
Rosa Mia/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

"Iyung-Iyo" (1955)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa, Eddie Arenas, Bella Flores, Edie Garcia/ Directed by Jose de Villa
"Lydia" (1956)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Rogelio de la Rosa,
Paraluman/Directed by Armando Garces
"Debutante" (1959)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Oscar Moreno, Eddie Arenas, Romeo Vasquez, Daisy Romualdez and Susan Roces in the title role/ Directed by Rosa Mia


Estela Mondragon (1960)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Paraluman, Amalia Fuentes, Tito Galla, Liberty Ilagan, Eddie Gutierrez/ Directed by Mar S. Torres


"Dayukdok" (1961)- Stars Carmen Rosales, Luis Gonzales, Amalia Fuentes, Barbara Perez, Charlie Davao, Boy Alano/ Directed by Mar S. Torres

14 comments:

  1. Wow. She actually made a lot of movies. What a pity that I only found one available.

    Though now that you have a good list here, I could search for them and might just get lucky.

    She was indeed a wonderful actress.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LIKE HER SA MOVIE NA"MATANDANG DALAGA"...KUNG SA MOVIES NA ANG TANGI KONG PAG-IBIG AT MAALAALA MO KAYA...MALADIYOSA ANG MGA ROLES NIYA...DITO NAMAN SA MATANDANG DALAGA..SIYAY BINABATUKAN AT PINAPALO...ITS A COMEDY ANG KWENTO NITO...SHE ONLY PROVES NA MAGALING SIYANG ARTISTA...I WATCH IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.


    6 NA MOVIES NIYA MERON AKO.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ITO YONG MGA MOVIES NA NAKASURVIVIE KAY CARMEN ROSALES...LVN PICTURES...CAMELIA,1949 BAT 10 MINS LAMANG ITO...


    AT 14 MOVIES NAMAN SA SAMPAGUITA

    ReplyDelete
  4. im making a tribute kay carmen rosales....sa lahat ng movies na nakasurvive sa kanya...13 sa sampaguita at 1 sa lvn

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  5. meron akong 6 na movies niya sa sampaguita....yong 8 bilhin ko pa sa sampaguita pics....ang galing niyang artista


    i watch her matandang dalaga ..over and over again

    binabatukan siyat pinapalo doon...mahirap na role yon

    ReplyDelete
  6. t nawala ang inipost ko don sa blogs for carmen rosales...mahaba pa naman yong isinulat ko


    remraf911@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow... Ngayon ko lang talaga nakilala si Ms. Carmen Rosales (dahil hindi ko na rin talaga siya naabutan. tsk). Pero amazed na amazed talaga ako sa kanya. Kumbaga, isa nga siyang "Rara avis"... Ang tindi pa niya, isa pala siyang guerrilla noon! Sharp shooter pa! Kaya pala iba din ang dating ni Carmen Rosales... ASTIG!

    ReplyDelete
  8. mga Sir at boss baka pwede naman nyo ishare sa masa yang mga collection nyo, e kung hinde naman e isama nyo nalang hukay pag ililibeng na kayo....

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  9. Does anybody have any information of her married life? To whom she was married? Her children? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes she married twice. When she started her career as actress, she was already a young widow, because her first husband who was a Navales, was killed by the Japanese. In latter part of her life, she got married to Jose “Peping” Puyat from the wealthy Puyat Clan. Brother of the late Senator Gil Puyat. He has one son with Peping named Cesar Puyat who is already dead. I personally got acquainted with his only surviving grandson from Cesar Puyat who is in his mid40’s now.

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  10. Has Carmen Rosales been married?
    If so, who was he married to?
    Does he have any children? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes she married twice. When she started her career as actress, she was already a young widow, because her first husband who was a Navales, was killed by the Japanese. In latter part of her life, she got married to Jose “Peping” Puyat from the wealthy Puyat Clan. Brother of the late Senator Gil Puyat. He has one son with Peping named Cesar Puyat who is already dead. I personally got acquainted with his only surviving grandson from Cesar Puyat who is in his mid40’s now.

      Delete
  11. kakamatay lang pala ni MS. LILIAN LEONARDO --- Dec. 10, 1923-Jan. 8, 2011


    ANOTEHR PREWAR ACTRESS JUST PASSED AWAY --

    ReplyDelete
  12. Adore -- YES --- mga lalake ang anak ni Ms. Carmen Rosales, dalawa ata - alam ko Rene pangalan nung isa at APO nya si TANYA GARCIA. two times sya nag asawa kasi na biyuda sya e. in fact bago pa siya mag artista married na sya at ang propersyon nya ay mananahi sa bandang tondo maynila-

    ReplyDelete