THE CONTROVERSY BEHIND "MERRILL'S MARAUDERS" (1962)

"Merrill's Marauders" (1962)- Stars Jeff Chandler, Pancho Magalona, Luz Valdez, Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, Will Hutchins, Andre Duggan, Claude Akins/ Directed by Samuel Fuller

When Pasan Ko ang Daigdig (starring Sharon Cuneta as Lupe) was shown in 1987, many thought it was a remake of the 1956 movie, Gilda (starring Lolita Rodriguez in the title role). Both were written by prolific writer Pablo S. Gomez. Though it differed in many ways, the two novels use the basic rag-to-riches plot and the only striking similarity is that the daughter (Gilda or Lupe), living in abject poverty, carries her crippled mother (aling Andang- played by Maria Cristina or aling Metring- Loretta Marquez) on her back as they beg for alms. Gilda was serialized in Pilipino Komiks in 1955-56 while Pasan ko ang Daigdig appeared on the pages of Aliwan Komiks in the 80s.

Here's the first installment of the komiks novel of "Gilda" and the opening film clip of the movie, "Pasan..."

REMEMBERING JOHNNY DELGADO THROUGH HIS FILMS #3: "SALOME" (1981)

"Salome" (1981)- Stars Gina Alajar, Johnny Delgado and Dennis Roldan/ Directed by Laurice Guillen

My short tribute to honor the late actor Johnny Delgado, whom I considered as one of the finest actors in the movie industry, ends with Salome. Salome was one of the early successful collaboration efforts of husband-and-wife tandem of actor Johnny Delgado and director Laurice Guillen. It was hailed by critics and fans as one of the best movies of the decade. The movie went on to win the Urian Best Picture for that year including Best Director (Laurice Guillen); Best Actress (Gina Alajar); Best Editing (Efren Jarlego) and Best Screenplay (Ricky Lee). Johnny Delgado was nominated for both in the Famas and Urian Best Actor.

Salome is about the titular barrio girl (played with much versatility by a young Gina Alajar) who is married to a domineering man named Macario (Johnny Delgado). The film starts quite wonderfully with a pleasant montage of an early morning in a rural town, with roosters crowing, the bright sun glaring, and the waves steadily blanketing the glistening beach. Then comes Salome, dressed in white stained with red blood, running and screeching for help, finally saying that he has killed a man. The man (Dennis Roldan) is a mining engineer from Manila who finds himself drawn to Salome. Guillen and her screenwriter Ricardo Lee basically unravels Salome's story through a series of flashbacks of the man's murder. Some have claimed that Salome is a Filipino version of Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon and they are probably right as Guillen and Lee follows the same style. Yet while Kurosawa was interested in the multi-faceted aspect of truth, Guillen is more interested in the powerplay of the genders. (Source: : Oggs Cruz ([email protected]) and visit his site here)

Here's a short film clip of Delgado's riveting and forceful portrayal as the oppressive and dominant husband of Salome.

Courtesy of Bancom Audiovision

REMEMBERING JOHNNY DELGADO THROUGH HIS FILMS #2: "MGA UOD AT ROSAS" (1982)

"Mga Uod at Rosas" (1982)- Stars Nora Aunor, Lorna Tolentino and Johnny Delgado/ Directed by Romy Suzara

An ambitious painter, Ding (Johnny Delgado), dreams of conquering the art world with his creations. Socorro (Nora Aunor) is a woman whose world is built around Ding--- his needs, his desires and his art. But all his time and attention are for Nina (Lorna Tolentino), a stunning advertising model who loves his money.

Whom must Ding choose: the woman he loves or the woman who loves him?

The movie, from the story and screenplay by Edgardo Reyes, was directed by Romy Suzara

Delgado in another restrained yet powerful performance as seen in this short movie clip---

Courtesy of Ian Films

ACTOR BERNARD "PALOS" BONNIN DIES AT 71

The local entertainment industry has lost yet another of its veteran actors in Bernard Bonnin who passed away Saturday, Nov. 21. He was 71. Bonnin, whose death came two days after Johnny Delgado’s demise on Nov. 19, died of multiple organ failure due to diabetes. A week prior, Bonnin was confined due to a stroke.Concerns about the health of the former LVN star hit the headlines a few years back when he suffered a stroke that required him to use a wheel chair thereafter.

Bonnin, the half-Spanish father of beauty queen Charlene Gonzales-Muhlach and actor Richard Bonnin, catapulted to fame via the movie “Alyas Palos." The 1961 popular komiks serial of Virgilio and Nestor Redondo was serialized eight times with only Bonnin playing the lead character. ABS-CBN remade “Palos” into a TV series in 2008 starring Jake Cuenca and with Bonnin in a support role.

Dubbed the “Pretty Boy of the 60s,” Bonnin starred in over 170 movies in a career that spanned four decades. Some of these films were Bakas ng Gagamba, Sa Ilalim ng Bandila, Magnum, Pedrong Hunyango, Target: Captain Karate, and his first film, Ay Pepita.

Bonnin has a son with former love team Lourdes Medel, and two more with non-showbiz wife, Digna, whom he was living with at the time of his death. The actor’s remains lie at the Heritage Park in Taguig City.

More on Bernard Bonnin:
See: Bernard "Alyas Palos"Bonnin: Action Star of the 60s
See: Bernard Bonnin: The Original "Palos"
See: Bernard Bonnin As "Gagamba": The First Spiderman
See: Bernard Bonnin as Captain Karate
See: Gagamba at si Scorpio

Left- "Sparring Partner" (1959)- Stars Lou Salvador, Jr., Marita Zobel, Chona Sandoval, Bernard Bonnin, Oscar Obligacion, Lourdes Medel/ Directed by Artemio Marquez

Right- "Unos sa Laot" (1960)- Stars Nestor de Villa, Charito Solis, Bernard Bonnin, Lourdes Medel/ Directed by Susana C. de Guzman

Left- "Walang Pangalan" (1960)- Stars Lilia Dizon, Bernard Bonnin, Lourdes Medel, Hector Reyes, Robert Campos/ Directed by Fred Daluz

Right- "Tanglaw sa Dilim" (1961)- Stars Marita Zobel, Bernard Bonnin, Luz Valdez, Robert Campos/ Directed by Susana C. de Guzman

"Patsamba-tsamba" (1964)- Stars Nida Blanca, Mina Aragon and Bernard Bonnin/ Directed by Nemesio E. Caravana

"Simbangis ng Tigre" (1964)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Bernard Bonninm Van de Leon, Carol Varga, Chichay, Rodolfo 'Boy' Garcia, Apeng Daldal/ Directed by Tony Cayado


"Pedrong Hunyango" (1965)- Stars Bernard Bonnin, Lourdes Medel, Vic Silayan, Rosalinda, Jose Vergara and Malony Antonio/ Directed by Tony Santos

"Karate sa Karate" (1965)- Stars Bernard Bonnin, Alberto Alonzo, Lyn D'Amour, Bessie Barredo and Vic Silayan/ Directed by George Rowe


"Duwende sa Kampanaryo" (1965)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Bernard Bonnin, Lauro Delgado, Jose Garcia/ Directed by Nemesio E. Caravana

REMEMBERING JOHNNY DELGADO THROUGH HIS FILMS #1: "MISTERYO SA TUWA" (1984)

A small plane carrying a large sum of money crashed right in the middle of a poor village. The tragic event resulted into a series of human conflicts as villagers and the authorities were in the hunt for the missing money. Three friends, Ponsoy (Tony Santos Sr.), Mesiong (Johnny Delgado) and Jamin (Ronnie Lazaro) were able to recover the money and decided to hide it until the tension cools off. Their families were all excited of the fortunes they got and at last their dreams and ambitions will soon be realized and fulfilled. But not for long--- greed creeps as Castro (Lito Anzures), a resident who happened to be on the crash site was suspicious of the three. He divulged the information to the corrupt mayor and both devised a wicked plan.

A very memorable and noteworthy performances by the whole cast led by Tony Santos Sr. and Johnny Delgado.

The movie won the Gawad Urian award for Best Cinematography (Rody Lacap) and Best Production Design (Rodell Cruz and Don Escudero).

Read: Ang Misteryo sa Likod ng Tuwa,
a movie review by Jojo DeVera

"Misteryo sa Tuwa" (1984)- Stars Tony Santos Sr., Johnny Delgado, Ronnie Lazaro, Alicia Alonzo, Lito Anzures, Amable Quiambao, Maia Montes/ Directed by Abbo Q. dela Cruz

The three friends were in a very precarious dilemma and tried to discuss their next move--- watch the exciting film clip---

Courtesy of Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP)

DINA BONNEVIE: THE ORIGINAL "KATORSE" (1980)

Celebrity Magazine/ August 31, 1980
(click images to enlarge)

It was actor Alfie Anido who led Dina Bonnevie into the movies. They met in a pictorial for a magazine which paired them off for a cover story. Alfie was already in the movies the. He was just taking time out from the set of Nympha, a Regal movie which reestablished Alma Moreno’s reign as the country’s top sex symbol, a title which, as per publicity, she is about to lose to Dina. After the pictorial, Alfie invited Dina to the set where Alma was in shooting. “I like Alma because I’ve always found her sexy. I’ve always wanted to see her in person,” Dina explains.

At the set, Alfie introduced Dina to (Director) Joey Gosiengfiao who was directing the movie. And what do you know, the man who is known only for discovering beauty in men (Orestes Ojeda, Al Tantay and Alfie Anido were is “discoveries”) was bowled over by Dina’s pulchritude. He gave her a screen test, showed Lily Monteverde (better known as Mother Lily) the results, and even Mother Lily had probably wished at that time that Dina was her daughter. From then on, Dina became another Joey Gosiengfiao protégée, just like Alfie. (Source: Celebrity Magazine/ August 31, 1980)

Veteran actor Johnny Delgado (b.1948) passed away Thursday afternoon, November 19, after a long battle with lymphoma, or cancer of the lymph nodes. He died at his home in Quezon City with his wife, actress-filmmaker Laurice Guillen, daughters Anna and Ina, and his closest friends by his side. Delgado was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. Early this year, Delgado assured that he was responding well to chemotherapy. He underwent eight cycles of chemotherapy.

Delgado, Juan Marasigan Feleo in real life, was a noted actor and writer. He appeared in more than a hundred films starting in 1968 with Bawa't Kanto Basagulo and Ito ang Digmaan and was given his first starring role in One Man Army in 1969. He was best remembered in many memorable and notable movies like Angela Markado (1979), Salome (1981), Mga Uod at Rosas (1982), Misteryo sa Tuwa (1984) and Tanging Yaman (2000). He was nominated several times in different award giving bodies. Among his acting awards were best supporting actor for Ligalig in 2006 and best actor for Tanging Yaman in 2000.

"Bawa't Kanto Basagulo" (1968)- Stars Zaldy Zshornack, Bernard Belleza, Johnny Delgado, Max ALvarado and Liza Lorena/ Directed by Rizaldy


"Ito ang Digmaan" (1968)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Roberto Gonzales, Magna Gonzales, Roberto Gonzales, Johnny Delgado, Cora Varona/ Directed by Solano Gaudite


"Mali-Mali Meets Batangueno" (1968)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Zaldy Zshornack, Liza Lorena, Johnny Delgado, Max Alvarado/ Directed by Ben Feleo

"Professional 4 and the Sexy 24" (1969)- Stars Johnny Delgado, Dante Varona, Alvaro Muhlach and Ernie White/ with Verna Gaston, Eva Marie, Gina Stuart, Jessette/ Directed by Ben Feleo


"Pussy Cat" (1969)- Stars Divina Valencia, Bernard Belleza, Johnny Delgado and Max Alvarado/ Directed by Jose Miranda Cruz

"Santa Teresa de Avila" (1970)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Eddie Gutierrez, Pepito Rodriguez, Johnny Delgado and ALvaro Muhlach/ with Imelda Ilanan, Eva Darren & Tita Munoz/ Directed by Ben Feleo


"The Stripteaser"(1970)- Stars Rosanna Marquez, Johnny Delgado, Mel Francisco, Rico Roman/ Directed by Chito Tapawan


"The Young Idols" (1970)- Stars Vilma Santos, Edgar Mortiz, Reycard Duet, Johnny Delgado, Rosanna Ortiz, Alvaro Muhlach, Ernie White/ Directed by Ben Feleo

Left- "Europe Here We Come" (1971)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Eddie Gutierrez and Anna-Lissa/ with Dindo Fernando, Johnny Delgado, Alvaro Muhlach

Right- "Portrait of an Angel" (1971)- Stars Amalia Fuentes, Ric Rodrigo and Anna-Lissa/ with Johnny Delgado, Renato Robles & Norma Blancaflor/ Directed by Fely Crisostomo

"Madonna" (1971)- Stars Rosanna Ortiz, Johnny Delgado, Eddie Garcia, Jessica/ Directed by Jose Flores Sibal

Left- "Super Gee" (1973)- Stars Nora Aunor, Celia Rodriguez, Eddie Garcia, Paraluman, Fred Montilla, Bert Leroy, Jr., Johnny Delgado/ Directed by Armando Garces

Right- "Mrs. Teresa Abad...Ako si Bing" (1976)- Stars Charito Solis, Christopher de Leon, Tony Santos Sr., Anita Linda and Johnny Delgado/ Directed by Danilo Cabreira

Left- "Bergado:Terror ng Cavite" (1976)- Stars Ramon Revilla, Sr., Lotis Key, Marissa Delgado, Johnny Delgado, Max Alvarado, Nick Romano, Charlie Davao/ Directed by Jose Yandoc

Right- "Garrote: Jai-Alai King" (1977)- Stars Christopher de Leon, Dranreb, Marianne dela Riva and Johnny Delgado/ Directed by Manuel Cinco

Left- "Angela Markado" (1979)- Stars Hilda Koronel, Johnny Delgado, Rez Cortez, Ruel Vernal, Tonio Gutierrez, Dave Brodett, Celia Rodriguez & Raul Aragon/ Directed by Lino Brocka

Right- "Brutal" (1980)- Stars Amy Austria, Gina ALjar, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan, Johnny Delgado, Perla Bautista, Jonee Gamboa, Nello Nayo/ Directed by Marilou Diaz Abaya

"Kakaba-Kaba Ka Ba?" (1980)- Stars Christopher de Leon, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan, Sandy Andolong, Johnny Delgado, Boboy Garovillo & Armida Siguon-Reyna/ Directed by Mike de Leon


"Mga Uod at Rosas" (1982)- Stars Nora Aunor, Lorna Tolentino and Johnny Delgado/ Directed by Romy Suzara

Left- "Salome" (1981)- Stars Gina Alajar, Johnny Delgado and Dennis Roldan/ Directed by Laurice Guillen

Right- "Misteryo sa Tuwa" (1984)- Stars Tony Santos, Sr., Johnny Delgado, Ronnie Lazaro, Alicia Alonzo, Lito Anzures, Amable Quiambao, Maria Montes/ Directed by Abbo Q. dela Cruz

"Huwag Kang Papatay" (1984)- Stars Ace Vergel, Rio Locsin, Johnny Delgado, Angela Perez/ Directed by Pepe Marcos


"Somewhere" (1984)- Stars Rudy Fernandez and Lorna Tolentino, Johnny Delgado, Armida Siguon-Reyna and Leroy Salvador / Directed by Romy Suzara