THE ORIGINAL KING. Fernando Poe Sr., one of the
early male superstars of the local silver screen. At his peak, he also became a
director, producer and a short career as a military man. Alex R. Castro
Collection.
At the peak of his fame, he was hailed as the King of All Stars—“Hari ng mga Bituin”. He was in the top triumvirate of 1930s-50s male screen legends that included Rogelio de la Rosa and Leopoldo Salcedo.
As an actor, he appeared in a South Sea epic that was the first Philippine film to be shown worldwide. He went on to blaze trails by starting his own production company—producing his own films which he himself wrote, directed and also starred in, to great acclaim.
As a director, he megged the first Darna film starring Rosa del Rosario that became a blockbuster hit here, and across the seas.
But his achievements went beyond films—he was also a distinguished soldier who served in the military and was a decorated veteran of the war.
When he met his untimely death, half a million people turn up for the long, sad march to his final rest.
Perhaps, his best-known legacy is having fathered “Da King”—Fernando Poe Jr.,--who, just like him was once known as the King of the Philippine Movies.
Yet, today, Fernando Poe Sr.’s life and works are hardly remembered because few of his films survived. His influences, however, still resonate in varying degrees in today’s Philippine filmcraft, thanks largely to the efforts of his eldest son and namesake.
A Catalan in Pangasinan.
Fernando Pou y Reyes was born on 27 November 1916, in San Carlos, Pangasinan, the son of Catalan Lorenzo Pou, a dramatist, originally from the island of Mallorca, Spain, and local woman Marta Reyes. The elder Pou sought his fortune in the Philippines by establishing a mining business in north Luzon. “Pou” was later Anglicized to “Poe” , a surname deemed more fitting to carry, in the years of the American rule.
PROFILING POE: Poe’s father, Lorenzo Pou, was a
Spanish playwright, while his mother, Marta Reyes, was a Pangasinan belle who
was previously married to a Samson. The chemistry graduate was also taking up a
dentistry course when showbiz beckoned. Photo: Alex R. Castro Collection.
Poe grew up in Manila, and as a young boy, he was affectionately called “Brick”, and later, Nanding. When he came of school-age, he went to the premiere Meisic Primary School. He went through his elementary grades at the Sampaloc Intermediate School, then to Araullo High School, where he got his secondary school diploma in 1931.
Then, it was off to the University of the Philippines where he finished his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry course in 1935. (Note: An urban legend has it that Poe, Sr. served as a model for the iconic statue of U.P., the Oblation, but this has never been proven.)
From 1937 to 1938, he worked as a chemist for the Blue Star Products, Co. During this time, he was already dabbling in movies—he shot the love story drama, “Birheng Walang Dambana” topbilled by Rosa del Rosario in 1936.
He felt, though, that acting was an unstable profession, he enrolled at the famed Philippine Dental College and earned a degree in Dental Medicine in 1942. He, however, did not take the licensure exams. (It is interesting to note that the acclaimed actor/director Gregorio Fernandez, who was 12 years’ his senior, was also a dentistry graduate from the said school. )
Saga of a star.
ZAMBOANGA. Thefilm that Poe starred in was the first Filipno film shown worldwide. With his dark, handsome features and lean physique, he was perfect for the role of the island boy who cavorted on the sand and surf of Sulu with Rosa del Rosario. Photo: http://petersmovieposters.com/
But a movie he shot in 1936 and released in 1937 would change Poe’s career path forever. That movie was Filippine Film’s “Zamboanga”, a lush adventure saga about native islanders down south, which paired him again with Rosa del Rosario, then the country’s most popular female star.
The lithe, 20 year old Nanding, with his muscular frame, long legs, firm jaw and smoldering eyes was the perfect choice to portray Del Rosario’s love interest. Clad only in loin cloth, the athletic Poe climbed coconut trees, frolicked in the tropical paradise and traded underwater kisses with her leading lady.
He made such a deep impression on the moviegoers, and the film, released in 1937, would go on to be subtitled and exhibited all over Europe, in countries such as Spain, Finland and France. In the U.S.,”Zamboanga” was exhibited at the Embassy Newsreel Theater at the New York Times Square under the title “Native Bride”.
In no time at all, Poe was being snapped by producers to star in their films. But he decided to sign up with the newly-founded X’Otic Films put up by Jose Nepomuceno, Julian Salgado and Jesus Cacho in 1938.
The hunky Poe was first groomed into a well-rounded, dashing matinee idol who can do a bit of everything—from light drama, period movies, a bit of action and musical romance. He became the biggest box-office star of the company in such films as ”Giliw Ko”, “Datu Talim”and “Bayani ng Buhay” (1940).
PUNIT NA BANDILA. Poe teamed with Lucita Goyena in
this 1939 classic movie set against the backdrop of war. It was the first of 6
consecutive smash hits for the love team. Photo: Alex R. Castro Collection.
With the lovely Lucita Goyena as her leading lady, Poe completed 6 movies in succession—“Punit na Bandila”, “Leron-Leron Sinta” (1939), “Biyak na Bato” (1939), “Ala-alang Banal” (1940) , “Dilim at Liwanag”, and “Dalagang Pilipina” –all smash hits. For this feat, Goyena and Poe were acclaimed as the “1940 Queen and King of Philippine Movies”.
It was in the mega-blockbuster hit “Palaris” (1941) that his star shone the brightest. As the fabled hero of the Philippine jungles who fought against Spanish oppression, Poe captivated movie fans with his inspired performance opposite Mona Lisa.
An officer and a leading man.
Unfortunately, World War II intervened. Twelve days after the war officially started in the Philippines, Poe , who was a member of the Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was called to active duty on 20 December 1941 as 1st Lieutenant. His first assignment was as assistant Provost Marshall of the 59th Provisionary Brigade under Gen. Simeon de Jesus, from the December 1941 to January 1942.
HANDSOMEST
MAN ALIVE. Fernando Poe Sr. at the zenith of his popularity. Alex R. Castro
Collection
He rose to become a Platoon Leader, then the Morale Officer of the Lamao Combat Team Regiment. He saw action in Bataan—where he saved residents from a house that was bombed by the Japanese, carrying children and the wounded to safety. He stayed in his position till Bataan fell on 9 April 1942. With the surrender of the American-Filipino forces, Lt. Poe joined the dreaded Death March.
“Oh. the Death March”, he would recall after the War, “it was a veritable journey to the grave. It was gruesome!’. Nonetheless, he survived the march and was released from the camp, as he was recognized as a famous Filipino movie star by the Japanese officers.
During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese imposed strict censorship on Filipino and American films, so Poe bided his time by staging plays, often directing and starring in them. Little did the enemies know that Poe had secretly joined the Panay Guerrilas under Col. Macario Peralta. He became an undercover man of the Llanes Intelligence and Information Corps. These, he revealed, during his inquisition by the post-war Loyalty Status Board.
Family, fame, fortune.
HIS GIRL, BESSIE. Poe’s wife, Elizabeth Kelley Poe,
was a schoolmate at the University of the Philippines. The American-Kapampangan
mestiza is the mother of Ronald Allan
(FPJ), Andy Jr. and Freddie Poe, who all
became movie stars. Motion Pictures in the Philippines. by Vicente
Salumbides. © 1952., Alex R. Castro Collection.
Poe rose to become a captain, but there came a point when he had to leave his military career. In 1940, he had married Pampangueña beauty, Elizabeth “Bessie” Gatbonton Kelley (b. 8 Nov. 1918) the daughter of Marta Reyes Gatbonton and Irish-American Arthur Kelley, who had settled in Lubao. They had met at the state university, college mates, in fact, as Bessie had also taken up Chemistry.
By 1943, he had a growing family of three children—daughter Elizabeth, sons Ronald Allan and Fernando Jr. or Andy. (Ronald would later borrow the full name of his younger sibling Andy. as his screen name: Fernando Poe Jr.). Poe, thus, made the painful decision to go full-time into movie making, which he deemed more lucrative.
DUGO NG BAYAN. Produced by Palaris Films, Starring
Fernando Poe Sr. and Priscilla Mijares. Mijrae would have a child with Poe Sr.
who also became an occasional actor,
Conrad Poe. Photo: The Golden Years: Memorable Tagalog Movie Ads
1946-1956, ed. By Cnstantio, Ronald K., Lo, Ricardp. Published by Danny Dolor.(c)
1994. p. 80
In 1946, he put up his production company, Palaris Films, named after his hit pre-war movie, using the defunct Manila Pictures in San Francico del Monte, Quezon City. His first offering for 1946 “Dugo ng Bayan (I Remember Bataan)” was a huge hit, and provided more capital to produce a string of hits like “Awit ni Palaris”, “Hanggang Pier” (1946) , and ”Intramuros: The Rage of a City”, “Limbas” (1947).
FERNANDO POE PRODUCTIONS INC., at San Francisco del
Monte, Quezon City. Photo: Motion
Pictures in the Philippines. by Vicente Salumbides. © 1952., Alex R. Castro
Collection.
In 1949, Poe built his own state-of-the art studio, with equipment ordered from the U.S., and renamed his outfit as Fernando Poe Productions, Inc. A subsidiary, Royal Films, was set up in 1951.
It was also in that year that Poe directed a barrier-breaking movie featuring the country’s first female comics superhero. Created by comics legends Mars Ravelo and Nestor Redodo, the 1951 film was “Darna”, with Rosa del Rosario in the lead role as Darna, who saves a town from the snake-headed woman, Valentina, played by Cristina Aragon.
DING,ANG BATO! The first Darna film, shown in 1951,
featured Rosa del Rosario as the high- flying heroine and her nemesis,
Valentina, the snake-woman played by Cristina Aragon. Photo: Motion Pictures in the Philippines. by
Vicente Salumbides. © 1952
The 1951 film featured some of the most mesmerizing visual effects ever seen on the celluloid screen—from high-flying scenes, magical transformations of the cripple Narda into Darna, and special prosthetics and make-up that included real, live snakes.
“Darna” was such a spectacular hit not only in the Philippines, but was also shown in Thailand and Indonesia where it set unprecedented box-office records. The original movie would spawned more hit sequels, and no other version is as loved and remembered as the 1951 “Darna” classic.
Fallen star.
Riding on the crest of his directorial success, Poe began work on a new melodrama, “Basag na Manika”, a story about a maltreated child of a leper, Nene, played by Mila Nimfa, who had been in the “Darna” movie, as the young “Narda”. He had just wrapped up the film when a tragedy befell him, that left the movie industry in shock and in tears.
BASAG NA MANIKA. The last film directed by Poe Sr.,
starred Mila Nimfa, as the maltreated waif in this super-tearker of a drama.
Its premiere was postponed in deference to the death of the director. Photo:
Alex R. Castro Collection.
On Monday night, October 21, 1951, Poe went to the Family Clinic on Maria Clara St., Sampaloc, to have himself admitted to seek treatment for a severe pain on the hip area that he couldn’t shake. He thought it was the result of a hip injury he sustained a few days before, after a pillow fight with actor Fred Peñalosa, at a party.
Eight doctor-specialists attended to him from an orthopedist, neurologist to contagious disease and cardiovascular specialist. They gave him several medications, to which Poe did not respond. The next day, Poe complained of difficulties in breathing and stiffness of muscles, especially in the neck.
It was at this point that Dr. Eliodoro Congco, owner of the clinic and Poe’s family friend, suspected something, so she took Mrs. Bessie Poe aside and asked her if her husband had any incident with a dog. She then revealed that in August, Poe was bitten by a puppy, but brushed this aside and did not underdo anti-rabies injections. (Years later, son FPJ clarified that his father had a dog lick his wounds that he accidentally sustained, in the belief that it will hasten its healing.)
The end.
By early the next morning, all doctors confirmed that Poe had contracted rabies, and had reached a point where nothing could be done. His condition took a turn for the worse, and he was given the last sacraments.
POE SIBLINGS, led by Ronald Allan (age 12) take a
final look at their father, while their mother, Bessie Kelley-Poe, also looks
on. Photo: Literary Song- Movie Magazine/ November 1951, Alex R.
Castro Collection
Shortly before midnight on 23 October 1951, Fernando Poe Sr., just 35 years old passed away, leaving behind his widow, Bessie , their six children, Elizabeth, 13; Ronald Allan, 11; Fernando Jr. (Andy), 9; Martha Genevieve (Jenny), 7; Frederick (Freddie), 4; and Evangeline Ida, 1, and his mother, Marta Reyes. He also left behind his legion of sorrowing movie fans, and colleagues in the industry who could not believe his early demise.
His body was laid in state at the large studio of Royal Productions, to accommodate an endless stream of visitors who had come to pay their last respects who had done much for the Philippine film industry. The presence of beautiful movie stars at his wake—like Delia Razon, Patria Plata, Diana Recto, Corazon Rivas, and the sobbing Rita Gomez, certainly contributed to the spike in the number of movie fan, industry attendees, and gawkers.
STARGAZERS. Grieving artists like Mila Nimfa, Oscar Keesee, Delia Razon and Patria Plata pay their last respects to their fallen colleague. Photo: Literary Song- Movie Magazine/ November 1951, Alex R. Castro Collection
At the requiem mass in Quiapo Church, 10,000 people were packed like sardines; 50,00 more were outside unable to squeeze in.
Over half a million Filipinos showed up at his funeral procession, bigger than the crowds that came to the funeral of Pres. Manuel Roxas in 1947. From Quezon Boulevard to the North Cemetery, the sides of the roads were lined with thousands of people who braved the heat to catch a final glimpse of their idol’s bier.
Three hundred thousand waiting people were massed at the cemetery grounds to witness his interment. In life, and in death. Fernando Poe Sr. was admired by all who knew him as a fine actor and a gallant soldier, a great director-producer, kind and upright, a pride not only to his profession, but to his race as well.
The King is dead, long live Da King.
He left behind much unfinished business—his last film as a director, “Basag na Manika”, was scheduled to premiere at Clover Theater on the day before he died, and had to be postponed.
FINAL PAGE. Five months after shooting this print
ad for Glo-Co Tonix, Fernando Poe Sr. succumbed to rabies infection. Photo:
Literary Song- Movie Magazine/ May 1951, Alex R. Castro Collection
Elder half-brother Jose Reyes Samson, the company treasurer, took over the helm of Poe’s production outfit which had been renamed Royal Productions. Eventually, he would be elected president and Royal would go on to produce many more films as well as act as distributor for other movies.
Ronald Allan, Poe’s eldest son, would take over the mantle of his father as an actor, a responsibility that certainly seemed heavy for a 12 year old. He would stop schooling at age 15 to earn a few bucks as a movie extra. He was billed as ‘Fernando Poe Jr.’, a name borrowed from his younger sibling, Andy, to ride on the crest of his father’s popularity
THE SON ALSO RISES. The Fernando Poe name lives on
in the showbiz success of eldest son Ronald Allan (aka Fernando Poe Jr.) would
be known as the Da King of Philippine Movies, just like his father before him. Alex
R. Castro Collection
In 1955, the sixteen year old finally came of age and was chosen to play the lead in “Anak ni Palaris”, a tribute to his father who had starred as the swashbuckling hero more than a decade before. Heralded as the “sensational new, teenage heart throb”, he had big shoes to fill but he acquitted himself well for a first-timer. Though the movie did not do so well, the movie crowd took note of the promising, dreamy-eyed lead star.
But it was his next movie that would catapult Poe’s eldest to national fame—“Lo’Waist Gang”, a timely story about rebel teen-age gangs from Premiere Productions. The young Poe was paired with rising star Corazon Rivas, and the result was a smash movie hit that also earned rave reviews from local critics.
SOURCES:
Literary Song- Movie Magazine/ May, December 1951 issues, Alex R. Castro Collection
Motion Pictures in the Philippines. by Vicente Salumbides. © 1952.
The Golden Years: Memorable Tagalog Movie Ads 1946-1956, ed. By Cnstantio, Rinald K., Lo, Ricardp. Published by Danny Dolor.(c) 1994.
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