THE SIXTIES # 1149: GLORIA ROMERO, LUIS GONZALES, EDDIE GARCIA, BELLA FLORES AND ROGER CALVIN/ INTRODUCING GINA ALAJAR AND RODERICK PAULATE IN "KAIBIGAN KO'NG STO. NIÑO" (1967)/ THE CONTROVERSY BEHIND THE MOVIE/ Re-posted

"Kaibigan Ko'ng Sto. Nino" (1967)
Lea Productions
Release Date December 30, 1967/ Dalisay
Screenplay Jose Floes Sibal
Cinematography Conrado baltazar
Music Tony Maiquez
Direction Armando de Guzman
Cast Gloria Romero, Luis Gonzales, Eddie Garcia, Tony Cayado, Renato Robles, Caridad Sanchez, Bessie Barredo, Merci Molina and Bella Flores/ with Roger Calvin/ Introducing Gina Alajar, Roderick (Paulate), Raquel Alarcon, Ador Villena, Jr.

 

When the movie Kaibigan Ko’ng Sto. Niño was first advertised and promoted in 1967, the name Mars Ravelo was being peddled to the moviegoers as the author of this popular komiks serial. Ravelo’s name was prominently placed above the title and I was duped to believing that it was really Ravelo’s masterpiece and was based from his story, till my blog-friend Jose Mari Lee took note of this in one of my blog posts---

“Kaibigan Ko’ng Sto. Niño was actually written by A.S. Tenorio, but Mrs. Emilia 'Miling' Blas, producer of Lea Productions, struck a deal with Tenorio and Ravelo. Mrs. Blas had smash hit films after smash hit films – especially the ones based on Mars Ravelo's komiks serials. She wanted to use Ravelo's name as the author of the series and that was what happened. Tenorio agreed to receive the payment because he was supporting his family. What was so ridiculous was: the komiks readers who were also the moviegoers, knew who exactly wrote the story, and the film became a hit anyway, because it was already pre-sold to the reading public.

Not a very good PR move for Lea Productions and the public felt cheated.

Lea had produced some of the best Filipino films, yet they had sort of tarnished their reputation because of this kafuffle.”

Kaibigan Ko'ng Sto Nino
Nobela ni A. S. Tenorio
Guhit ni Nestor Malgapo

Pilipino Komiks/ 1967-68

(Click images to enlarge)