Sunday, December 30, 2012

THE FIFTIES # 167: ARMI KUUSELA AND VIRGILIO HILARIO IN "NOW AND FOREVER" (1953)

Real life couple, Armi Kuusela (the first Miss Universe, 1952) and Virgilio Hilario starred in "Now and Forever", the true-to-life story of  their romance. It opened December 30, 1953, almost 60 years ago.

"Now and Forever" (1953)
(The True-to Life Story of the Kuusela-Hilario Romance)
Deegar Cinema, Inc.
Release Date December 30, 1953- January 4, 1954/ Center
Music Miguel Velarde, Jr.
Direction Rolando del Mar
Cast Armi Kuusela, Virgilio Hilario, Oscar Keese, Ramon Olmos, Benjamin Lagmay/ Introducing Ricky Blake, Caviteno Ilano/ Guest Paraluman, Belle Gonzales, Manolo Valdez
Movie ad- From the collection of Celso Caparas



In 1952, Miss Finland Armi Kuusela was crowned Miss Universe, the first Miss Universe pageant held June 28, 1952 at Long Beach, USA. 

In 1953, some nine months after she won the Miss Universe title, Armi was invited by the Philippine International Fair Committee to crown that year’s Miss Philippines…in the course of her stay, she met Virgilio Hilario, a Filipino businessman, through a blind date in Baguio…the two were eventually married in Tokyo that year… luckily, Armi  was allowed to keep her title.
More on this, click here






Photos- from various sites


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