THE FIFTIES # 47: EFREN REYES & VIRGINIA MONTES IN "BANDIDO" (1950)

"Bandido"
Premiere Productions
Release Date November 28- December 7, 1950/ Dalisay
Direction Ramon A. Estela
Cast Efren Reyes, Virginia Montes, Enrico Pimentel, Fred Santos

THE FIFTIES # 46: PUGO & TOGO IN RICHARD ABELARDO'S "DOKTOR X" (1950)

"Doctor X"
LVN Pictures
Release Date September 21- 30, 1950/ Dalisay
Direction Richard Abelardo
Cast Pugo and Togo, Tony Santos, Lila Luna

THE FIFTIES # 45: JOSE PADILLA, JR. AND ANITA LINDA, WITH LOPITO, FRED SANTOS, PATRIA PLATA IN "PUNGLO AT PAG-IBIG" (1950)/ UPDATED

"Punglo at Pag-ibig"
Premiere Productions
Release Date October 2- 12, 1950/ Life
Music Ariston Avelino
Story Pedrito Reyes
Direction Ramon A. EstellaCast Jose Padilla, Jr., Anita Linda, Lopito, Fred Santos, Patria Plata, Ramon Di Salva, Lopita, Tessie Villamor, Tony Tolman, Larry Santiago, Tor Reyes

THE FIFTIES # 44: FERNANDO POE & PATRICIA MIJARES IN "BERTONG BALUTAN (A MIRACLE OF GOD)" (1950)

"Bertong Balutan (A Miracle of God)"
Associated Artists
Release Date April 11- 19, 1950/ Dalisay
Cast Fernando Poe, Patricia Mijares, Fred Penalosa, Salvador Zaragosa

THE FIFTIES # 43: MANUEL CONDE & ELVIRA REYES IN "GENGHIS KHAN" (1950)

"Genghis Khan"
Manuel Conde Productions
Release Date November 7- 12, 1950/ Times
Music Juan Silos, Jr.
Direction Lou Salvador
Cast Manuel Conde, Elvira Reyes, Inday Jalandoni, Jose Villafranca, Lou Salvador, Africa dela Rosa, Ric Bustamante, Ely Nakpil, Juan Monteiro, Andres Centenera

THE FIFTIES # 42: TONY ARNALDO, ROSA ROSAL & DELIA RAZON IN "MAHAL MO BA AKO?" (1950)

"Mahal Mo Ba Ako?"
LVN Pictures
Release Date January 31- February 10, 1950/ Dalisay
Story & Direction Susana C. de Guzman
Cast Tony Arnaldo, Rosa Rosal, Delia Razon

THE FIFTIES # 41: TITA DURAN & PANCHO MAGALONA IN "HUWAG KA NANG MAGTAMPO" (1950)

"Huwag Ka Nang Magtampo"
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date January 7- 18, 1950/ Dalisay
Direction Lorenzo Perez Tuells
Cast Tita Duran, Pancho Magalona, Teresita Martinez, Tito ARevalo, Spanky Boy And Chichay & Tolindoy

THE FIFTIES # 40: MANUEL CONDE & DELA RAZON IN "APAT NA ALAS" (1950)

"Apat na Alas"
LVN Pictures
Release Date December 20-28, 1950/ Dalisay
Music Francisco Buencamino, Jr.
Direction Prudencio Mariano
Cast Manuel Conde, Delia Razon, Mario Montenegro, Johnny Reyes, Juan Monteiro, Milagros Naval, Lou Salvador, Frankie Gordon, Jose de Cordova, Africa dela Rosa, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Jr., Andres Centenera, Mario Roldan, Herminio Alvarez

THE FIFTIES # 39: LEOPOLDO SALCEDO & MILA DEL SOL IN "TATLONG LIMBAS" (1950)

"Tatlong Limbas"
Royal Productions
Release Date December 25-31, 1950/ Center
Story H.R. Ocampo
Direction Carlos Vander Tolosa
Cast Leopoldo Salcedo, Mila del Sol, Ben Rubio, Ben Perez

THE FIFTIES # 38: LUNINGNING & REYNALDO DANTE IN "TUBIG NA HINUGASAN" (1950)

"Tubig na Hinugasan"
Quezon Memorial Pictures
Release Date: May 6-15, 1950/ Dalisay
Story Teodoro Virrey
Music Constancio de Guzman
Direction Paquito Bolero
Cast Luningning, Reynaldo Dante, Pacita Francisco, Domingo Principe, Sonia Reyes, Ben Rubio

THE FIFTIES # 37: ROGELIO DE LA ROSA & LEILA MORENA IN "TIGANG NA LUPA" (1950)

"Tigang na Lupa"
Premiere Production, Inc.
Release Date: October 12-21, 1950/ Dalisay
Music Ray Alinsod
Story & Direction Alex M. Sunga
Cast Rogelio de la Rosa, eila Morena, Fred Santos, Nati Rubi, Eddie Infante, Conrado Conde, Deleng Tinoco, Dadang Ortega, Fernando Santiago, Menggay, Kasupang

THE FIFTIES # 36: ROGELIO DE LA ROSA, LILIA DIZON & ARMANDO GOYENA IN "SOHRAB AT RUSTUM" (1950)

"Sohrab at Rustum"
LVN Pictures
Release Date: November 22- December 1, 1950/ Life
Direction Nemesio Caravana
Cast Rogelio de la Rosa, Lilia Dizon, Armando Goyena, Rosa Rosal, Evelyn Villar

THE FIFTIES # 35: FARA LIZARDO & RICARDO MONTES IN "SONG OF STO. TOMAS" (1950)

"Song of Sto. Tomas"
Lebran Productions
Release Date: May 26- June 5, 1950/ Life
Screenplay Robert Hill
Cast Fara Lizardo, Ricardo Montes (aka. Ric Rodrigo), Gerry Val, Charo de Oteyza, Lou Salvador, Roberto Castel, Lilia Alvarez, Gloria Belisario & Prof. Julio Esteban Anguita (guest artist)

THE FIFTIES # 34: NORMA BLANCAFLOR & FRED MONTILLA IN "TAKAS SA BATAAN" (1950)

"Takas sa Bataan"
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: April 5-15, 1950/ LifeDirection Olive La TorreCast Norma Blancaflor, Fred Montilla, Joan Page, Danilo Montes

COMICS ARTIST TONY DE ZUÑIGA PASSES AWAY AT AGE 79

MANILA, Philippines -- Legendary comics illustrator Tony de Zuniga, whose pen gave life to Jonah Hex and the superheroine Black Orchid, among others, died early Friday. He was 79.

Called simply “Mang Tony” in comics circles, Zuniga, the first Filipino to do illustrations for Marvel and DC, suffered heart and kidney failure after being rushed to the Las Pinas Doctors Hospital at 1:30 a.m. He suffered a stroke on April 10 that paralyzed his left side. Fans and friends had earlier rallied to raise financial support for his hospitalization.

Formerly based in California, Mang Tony had decided to return to the country for good. In 2010, Jonah Hex was turned into a multi-million dollar Hollywood film starring Josh Brolin and Megan Fox.

“He loves the Philippines. He wants to retire here,” Tina, his wife of 11 years, said.

Mang Tony is survived by two sons from his first marriage and three daughters from his second.

The wake is open to the public on Saturday at the Funeraria Paz in Sucat.

Mang Tony’s remains will be cremated on Wednesday.
(Internet source)

Tony DeZuniga was an avid comics reader as a child, Tony's favorites included Jack Kirby and Alex Toth, and he loved Alex Raymond's Rip Kirby and Flash Gordon. His love for comics inspired him to do comics on his own. He began his career as a letterer when he was 16 for a weekly magazine where he met Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo, artists who he counts as those who have inspired and encouraged him, and became his friends.

Maestro Federico / Nobela ni Mario Mijares Lopez/ Guhit ni Tony Zuniga/ Inilathala sa Marte Komiks, Blg. 1, Marso 5, 1952

Tony moved to the US in 1962 to study an advanced course in Graphic Design and went back home to the Philippines to work in the advertising industry while at the same time drawing for comics like Hiwaga Komiks and Caravana Klasiks, and Romansa Komiks. At the end of the 60's Tony moved back to New York and met with DC Editor Joe Orlando and immediately he was given an assignment inking Ric Estrada on a romance story for Girl's Love Stories #153. His first story he penciled and inked on his own was most likely a Dr. Thirteen story for Phantom Stranger, published in April, 1971, and work soon followed regularly.

He was soon given the chance to co-create a new character with writer John Albano, which eventually became Jonah Hex, one of the more enduring modern day characters in the DC Universe.

Jonah Hex / All-Star Western/ 1972

Tony then paved the way for other Filipino comics artists to enter the US industry when he convinced DC Editor in Chief Carmine Infantino and Joe Orlando to visit the Philippines in 1971. Artists like Alex Niño, Alfredo Alcala, Nestor Redondo, Fred Carrillo. Vicatan, Gerry Talaoc and so many more found a lot of work on DC's stable of Mystery and War titles as a result.

Tony went on to draw Black Orchid, X-Men, Punisher etc. Retired, Tony spends his time painting in oil, watercolor, acrylic, charcoal and entering competitions. He also does many portrait commissions and teaches portrait, drawing and a how to draw superheroes class at the Lodi Arts Commission.
Source: The Philippine Comics Art Museum

De Zuniga did most of the movie poster ads and layouts of most of FPJ movies in the 1960s. These original movie posters/ads are well preserved and can be viewed upon request at the FPJ studio/compound at Del Monte ave, Quezon City.

Visit Tony De Zuniga Site

THE FIFTIES # 32: MILA DEL SOL & JAIME DE LA ROSA IN "NUNO SA PUNSO" (1950)

"Nuno sa Punso"
LVN Pictures
Release Date: April 26, 1950/ Life
Direction Richard Abelardo
Cast Mila del Sol, Jaime de la Rosa, Gil de Leon, Eusebio Gomez, Lila Luna, Jose Cris Soto, Pamboy, Engracio Ibarra, Justina David, Florentino Ballecer, Tony Dantes, Jose de Castro, Jr., Amandita Llave

THE FIFTIES # 31: TITA DURAN & PANCHO MAGALONA IN "KAY GANDA MO, NENENG" (1950)

"Kay Ganda Mo, Neneng"
Sampaguita Pictures
Release Date: December 22- 31, 1950/ Life
Music Juan Silos, Jr.
Screenplay Mar S. Torres
Direction Octavio Silos
Cast Tita Duran, Pancho Magalona, Tessie Martinez, Tolindoy, Aruray, Pedro Faustino, Jose Luz Bernardo, Bart del Rosario, Rebecca del Rio, Aring Bautista, Dolores Criscini, Mely Lim, Jose Salameda, Pablo Raymundo

THE FIFTIES # 30: LOPITO & VIRGINIA MONTES IN "KENKOY" (1950)

"Kenkoy"
Premiere Productions
Release Date: July 15, 1950/ Life
Direction Ramon A. Estella
Cast Lopito, Virginia Montes, Eddie Infante, Lopita, Bob Padilla, Benny Mack, Dely Atay-Atayan, Tommy Weesom