How Carmen Rosales became a movie star is a story often told in showbiz circles. In 1939, Carmen Rosales applied for an acting job at LVN Productions and was rather summarily turned down. The studio’s verdict: “No profile.”But Excelsior Productions took her in and, under the tutelage of director Tor Villano, she was given a big break in the musical extravaganza entitled Arimunding-Munding (1939)—and not too long thereafter became the rave of the local entertainment world.Sampaguita Productions’ top honcho Pedro Vera took notice of the overwhelming popularity of the instant star and cast her opposite handsome Rogelio de la Rosa (the leading matinee idol of the day) in the film outfit’s big musical production entitled Takipsilim (1939). The film proved to be what they call in the trades as a “box-office smasheroo.” At the time, little did anyone know that what would turn out to be one of the most durable love teams in the annals of Philippine cinema had just been launched.
The Carmen Rosales-Rogelio de la Rosa screen tandem proved to be such a potent combination at the takilya that in slightly more than two years’ time until the war intervened, this famous love team was reunited in six other Sampaguita releases which went under titles like Senorita (1940), Lambingan (1940), Diwa ng Awit (1940), Colegiala (1940), Panambitan (1941) and Tampuhan (1941). Indeed, so popular were those fluffy and romantic Carmen-Rogelio souffle with audiences of their time that two or three of these titles would easily make it in any oldtimer’s list of “Most Memorable Tagalog Movies Before The War.”
The Liberation period witnessed Carmen Rosales ’ movie career again skyrocketing to even greater heights, capped by the year 1948 which might as well be called her annus mirabilis when she was proclaimed as “Queen of Philippine Movies” in a popularity poll sponsored by a leading movie magazine of that time.
The great majority of her film successes of this period she did for her old studio, Sampaguita Pictures, like Guerilyera (1946), Si. Si. Senorita (1947), Hele-Hele (Bago Quiere) (1947), Mameng, Iniibig Kita (1947), 24 na Pag-[big (1948), Hindi Kita Malimot (1948), Simpatika (1949), Kaaway ng Bayan (1949), Kamay ng Diyos (1949), among others. As a fitting capstone to her glory days, LVN Pictures—the film studio which rejected Carmen Rosales for having “No Profile” ten years earlier—in early 1949 offered her the then whooping amount of P40,000 to star opposite Rogelio de la Rosa in its big production of Kampanang Ginto, a romantic story of a prize novelist and a singer. That amount was reportedly the highest ever paid to a local female star for one picture up to that time. Carmen Rosales of course accepted the offer. Success could not have tasted sweeter. (Source: A Movie Album Quizbook by Jessie B. Garcia)
"Senorita" (1940)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: February 14-21, 1940/ GrandDirection Gregorio FernandezCast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Jaime Castellvi, Gregorio Fernandez, Miguel Anzures, Rita Rica, Roberto Rosales, Maria Roberto, Nardo Vercudia, Engracio Ibarra
"Diwa ng Awit" (1940)Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: September 4- 13, 1940/ GrandDirection Manuel Silos
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Precioso Palma, Bert Le Roy, Jose Cris Soto, Africa de la Rosa, Franco Garcia
"Colegiala" (1940)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: October 29- November 6, 1940/ GrandDirection Gregorio Fernandez
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Lota Delgado, Octavio Romero, Gregorio Fernandez, Preciosa Palma, Juanita Angeles, Engracio Ibarra, Nardo Vercudia
"Tampuhan" (1941)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: September 19- October 1, 1941/ DalisayDirection Lorenzo P. Tuells
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Pacita del Rio, Teddy Benavides, Rosa Aguirre, Engracio Ibarra, Amelita Sol, Paco Zamora, Pedro Cruz, Franco Garcia, Narciso Limson
Kampanang Ginto was a triumph for Carmen Rosales who was earlier refused a screen test at LVN. She became a star in Sampaguita Pictures where she had a feud with Rogelio de la Rosa. She refused to speak with him for many years, during which he had become an LVN star. She agreed to make this film for LVN with Rogelio de la Rosa for a fee that made her the highest paid movie actress at that time. She turned in a shining performance and went on to make other films with the actor. (Source: Dona Sisang Filipino Movies)
"Kampanang Ginto"
LVN Pictures
Release Date: January 21-30, 1949/ Dalisay & CenterDirection Gregorio Fernandez
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa
"Camelia" (1949)
LVN Pictures
Release Date: July 28- August 8, 1949/ LifeCast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa
"Maalaala Mo Kaya?" (1954)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: January 22- February 2, 1954/ CenterDirection Mar S. Torres
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Patria Plata, Precy Ortega, Rosa Mia, Dolphy, Tony Cayado, Jose de Villa, Horacio Morelos
"Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig" (1955)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: January 20- 29, 1955/ LifeDirection Mar S. Torres
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ with Norma Vales, Luis Gonzales, Rosa Mia, Horacio Morelos, Bert Olivar, Pablo Raymundo
"Iyung-Iyo" (1955)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: September 17- 26, 1955/ Life
Music Constancio C. de Guzman
Direction Jose de Villa
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ Introducing Eddie Arenas/ with Bella Flores, Eddie Garcia, Imelda Concepcion, Manolo Noble
"Lydia" (1956)
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: February 4- 13, 1956/ Life
Music Constancio C. de Guzman
Direction Gregorio Fernandez
Cast Carmen Rosales and Rogelio de la Rosa/ Introducing Miss Number 1 and Mr. Number 1/ with Precy Ortega, Boy Planas, Jose de Villa
Carmen Rosales- Rogelio de la Rosa screen tandem:
1939- Takipsilim
1940- Señorita
1940- Lambingan
1940- Diwa ng Awit
1940- 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
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