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Saturday, March 20, 2010

THE YOUNG MARICEL [SORIANO]: CHILD STAR OF THE 70s (Circa 1971-75)




Bahay-Bahayan (1972)- TV show/ Channel 5/ with Roderick Paulate, Joe ALvarez, Beth Manlogat, Zernan Manahan, Maricel/ Over-all director-Butch Bautista



"New Breeze" detergent ad (left) with Nida Blanca and the young Maricel Soriano; and Newton' Coco- Egg Spread (right), two of Maricel's early product endorsements/ 1974 and 1975
Dubbed as the Diamond Star of Philippine movies, Maricel Soriano, born February 25, 1965, started acting at the age of six using the single screen name of 'Maricel' with the 1971 movie My Heart Belongs to Daddy with fellow child actress Snooky [Serna]. She also appeared in a TV sitcom, Bahay-Bahayan in 1972, with child stars Roderick Paulate, Joe Alvarez, Beth Manlongat and Zernan Manahan. In 1974, she received her first award as Best Child Actress at the age of nine at the 9th Manila Film Festival for Virgo Film's Alaala mo, Daigdig ko. She won her second acting award in the 1974 Iloilo Film Festival for the movie version of John En Marsha, the longest-running and highly successful TV sitcom in the history of Philippine television.


"My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (1971)- Stars Tirso Cruz III, Auro Salve and Snooky/ with Norma Blancaflor, Romy Lapuz, Jigger Roces, Ven Medina, Evelyn Bonifacio, Naty Mallares, Tita de Villa and Maricel/ Directed by Mar S. Torres




Left- "Dalawang Mukha ng Tagumpay" (1973)- Stars Nora Aunor, Leo Angelo, Lotis Key, Tita Munoz, Tommy Abuel, Eddie Vilamayor, Maricel, Louie Acosta/ Directed by Jun Raquiza


Right- "Captain Barbell Boom" (1973)- Stars Dolphy, Lotis Key, Panchito, Babalu, Katy dela Cruz, Bayani Casimiro, Martin Marfil, Georgie Quizon, Rocco Montalban, Joaquin Fajardo/ Featuring Maricel Soriano / Directed by Ading Fernando

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1974)- Stars Nora Aunor and W
alter Navarro/ with Caridad Sanchez, Lorli Villanueva, German Moreno, Matimaman Cruz, Teroy de Guzman, Alice Mendez, Roderick Paulate, Jingle, Maricel/ Directed by Orlando Nadres


"Ala-ala Mo... Daigdig Ko" (1974)- Stars Eddie Rodriguez and Boots Anson-Roa/ with Renato Robles, Maricel Soriano, Mary Walter, Patricia Mijares, Andrea Santa, Dely Villanueva & Rosemarie Gil/ Directed by Luis Enriquez



The cast of "John & Marsha"- Dolphy, Nida Blanca, Rolly Quizon, Maricel Soriano, Matutina and Dely Atay-Atayan



Left- "John & Marsha" (1974)- Stars Dolphy, Nida Blanca, Rolly Quizon, Maricel Soriano, Matutina and Dely Atay-Atayan/with Rod Navarro,Panchito, Babalu/ Directed by Ading Fernando

Right- "John & Marsha sa Amerika" (1975)- Stars Dolphy, Nida Blanca, Rolly Quizon, Maricel Soriano, Matutina and Dely Atay-Atayan/with Panchito, Georgie Quizon, Edie Mercado/ Directed by Ading Fernando



16 comments:

Rodolfo Samonte said...

Simon,
What happened to Snooky? She's billed way up there in Maricel's first picture. I personally thought Snooky was cuter. Maricel however, seem to have had a longer career.

TheCoolCanadian said...

What really surprised me about Maricel when she was a child – was her awareness of the importance of work. Like Romnick Sarmenta, she was one of the busiest child actors of the 1970s.

Funny how every time I would go down the basement of Broadcast City (where the network's bank was) to cash in my talent fee, Maricel would be there as well, asking the teller: "Ilan ba ang tseke ko?"

When the teller would say: "Apat!"

Maricel would say in exasperation: "Ay, apat lang?"

To which, I would reply: "Mabuti ka pa, apat. Ako tatlo lang!"

Incidents like this happened many times, and while other child actors would go to the bank with their guardians, I was truly impressed by a young girl who was so responsible enough to take care of her own business dealings – alone. She was an amazing girl, being so good of an actress and being business savvy as well. This is how she truly differed from other children in showbiz that time.

While Snooky was rather shy and timid as a child (I also worked with her in a Sci-fi TV show called Infinitus), Maricel was determined and was never afraid of facing anyone. She's indeed one in a million.

Rodolfo Samonte said...

JM,
I if I know how much they paid writers in the Philippines, I would venture a guess, (hehehe) that each of Maricel's checks were 10 times bigger than yours, am I right?

TheCoolCanadian said...

Actually, three times.
He-he. And considering that you're show is a money maker. In those days, that was already lucrative.

Nowadays I heard that the networks use pool of writers. One episode, in involved 10-20 writers.

The pay is not enough to buy you a cup of Starbucks coffee. In my time, there was only one writer in every episode. But what's good about being a writer is that you do your job at home. Hence, in my case, I write my scripts at home, I worked full time in Imelda's PR office and I drew and write komiks as well. Yep, in my youth, I've never wasted any time. I worked, I played, I loved, and enjoyed every minute of it.

:)

Rodolfo Samonte said...

JM,
What's important is you loved what you were doing. I just checked your blog (which I haven't seen in a while) and saw your illustrations. You're an excellent illustrator.
Rod

TheCoolCanadian said...

Excellent? Not really. My drawings were better in 1970s.

The ones I posted were the first ones I drew after 30 years of not drawing anything. And as you know, drawing has to be done daily to keep the skill going, or else. I think it goes the same with writing. Both should be done constantly to keep the work up to par.

Anonymous said...

mr. simon...the maricel manlongat is a different child actress it seems with the same maricel soriano we knew...can you verify this?

Video 48 said...

The name Manlongat referred to in the movie, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" is Beth Manlongat, another child actress. Well, I guess there's a mix-up in the ad layout, since Maricel was then using a single name.

James DR said...

Simon, I think iba pa rin yung Maricel Manlongat sa Beth Manlongat, di ba? Si Beth Manlongat yung gumanap na batang pamangkin ni Susan Roces sa "Patayin Mo Sa Sindak Si Barbara".

Video 48 said...

James, I don't remember a star with the name of Maricel Manlongat. Siguro napagdikit lang ang Maricel sa Manlongat sa layout. That time, Maricel was using a single screen name of Maricel.

James DR said...

Simon, merong Maricel Manlongat. Siya yung sinasabi ni Maricel Soriano na madalas na mapagkamaliang siya yun nung child stars pa sila. Pero di naman nagtagal din yung Maricel Manlongat.

James DR said...

Meron pang mga childstars noon na gusto ko makita ngayon, nasaan na kaya sina Marifi (young Maruja)? Melissa Sarosario (Araw-Araw, Gabi-Gabi)? Zernan Manahan, Jingle?

Video 48 said...

This clarifies things. Thanks, Master James, hehehe.

Anonymous said...

Das endeOshimai.

Unknown said...

are there no existing clips of bahay bahayan,mis it so much

Anonymous said...

I can still remember and sing the tune of the bahay-bahayan theme song in my head. 😁

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