Dolphy

Early life and education

Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. was born at Calle Padre Herrera (now P. Herrera St.) in Tondo, Manila on July 25, 1928. His father from Bulacan, Melencio Quizon (d. May 14, 1972), was a ship engine worker of the Atlantic Gulf. The elder Quizon was the son of Modesto Quizon and Adorable Espinoza, whose great-great grandfather was a friar, and mother a vendor of rice cakes. His mother, Salud Vera (d. September 12, 1986), was a seamstress, and the daughter of Máximo de Vera y Limtico and Lucila de la Rosa y Cordero. He had four brothers and five sisters. Quizon addressed his father and mother as "Papang" and "Mamang", respectively—as did his siblings.

Quizon began studying at the age of six, and was enrolled into public schools. He attended the Magat Salamat Elementary School and Isabelo de los Reyes Elementary School until the seventh grade. For his primary education, he studied at the Florentino Torres High School until his sophomore year. He was an averaged student, although his grades fluctuated from time to time.

Quizon sold peanuts and watermelon seeds at movie theaters as a boy, which enabled him to watch movies for free. He was about thirteen when World War II started. He did odd jobs including shining shoes; attaching buttons at a pants factory; sorting bottles by size; working as a stevedore at the pier; trading; and driving calesas. In his free time he regularly watched stage shows at the Life Theater and the Avenue Theater. His favorite performers included the comedy duo Pugo and Togo, and the dancers Benny Mack and Bayani Casimiro.

Quizon started performing onstage during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Dolphy was turning 17 when Benny Mack got him a job as a chorus dancer for a month at the Avenue Theater and subsequently on the Lyric Theater. He also appeared in shows at the Orient Theater. Golay was his first stage name. During air raids, they would interrupt the show and run for the air-raid shelter in the orchestra section together with the audience. If no bombs exploded, the show resumed.

Film and radio career

He had his first movie when he was 19 with Fernando Poe, Sr. in Dugo at Bayan (I Remember Bataan), billed as Rodolfo Quizon. It was the father of his future friend actor Fernando Poe, Jr., who first paved the way and gave him a break in films playing bit roles as a character actor. On a DZMM radio interview, he revealed his first talent fee was 5 pesos.

In the late 1940s, Dolphy also got into radio through Conde Ubaldo, a popular radio writer, director and producer. He joined the program Wag Naman which starred Pancho Magalona, Tessie Quintana and Baby Jane. His comedy duo with Panchito also started on radio on Conde Ubaldo shows.

Pancho Magalona recommended Dolphy to Dr. Jose “Doc” Perez, the owner of Sampaguita Pictures in 1952. His first movie with Sampaguita was Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita, with Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. It was also in Sampaguita were the comedy duo of Dolphy and Panchito became popular.

Dolphy became famous for playing roles after he was typecasted in Jack en Jill with Rogelio de la Rosa and Lolita Rodriguez in 1954. He was not the first choice for the role but Batotoy and Bayani Casimiro. Jack en Jill was a Philippine komiks serial by Mars Ravelo. This was followed with other movies adapted from komiks by the same author like Silveria, Captain Barbell and Facifica Falayfay.

The first time Dolphy played a serious role was in a 4-in-1 drama movie, with Barbara Perez who played a blind girl in the segment inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s movie City Lights.

After his contract with Sampaguita expired, he left the company. When he joined the production studio, his talent fee was P1,000 per movie. By the time he left, he was earning P7,000 per picture.

Television career

After leaving Sampaguita, Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr. got him into television on Channel 3. His first TV show was with ABS-CBN on "Buhay Artista" (Actor's Life), a concept by Geny Lopez and Ading Fernando. While doing radio, his talent fee was P250-P300 per program; when he did TV, he was at P500 per show.

He left ABS-CBN due to Martial Law. However, also moved to GMA Network since Buhay Artista moved to RBS-7 (former branding name of GMA) from December 1972 to early 1974.

While on television, he also started doing movies for independent studios like LEA Productions, Balatbat Productions, Filipinas Productions, Zultana Productions and Fernando Poe, Jr.'s D’Lanor Productions. He starred on two of his movies in 1964, Captain Barbell and Daigdig ng Fantasia (Fantasy World) with Nova Villa, both directed by Herminio “Butch” Bautista.

RVQ Productions

Dolphy established RVQ Productions in 1965. His first venture was Buhay Artista (Actor's Life), released in 1967, with Panchito, Susan Roces and Ronaldo Valdez whom he discovered. For Pepe en Pilar (1966), his film with Roces, they wanted a new face as Roces' partner. Dolphy first met Valdez in a basketball court and brought him to the press conference so Roces could see him. Roces' initial response was "Wala bang iba?" ("Isn't there anyone else?"). Dolphy brought Ronaldo to a barber shop, bought him a pair of boots at Glenmore and lent him his suit. When Dolphy presented him to Roces again, she said, "Iyan pa." ("I prefer him more"), not realizing that he was the same guy introduced earlier. Dolphy later gave him the stage name Ronaldo Valdez (from Ronald James Gibbs).

Dolphy also made spy film parodies when it became a fad, beginning with Dolpinger (1965) as Agent 1-2-3 (a parody of the James Bond movie Goldfinger). Chiquito, another Filipino comedian, played the recurring role of Agent 0-2-10 in these films.

In 1969, one of his biggest hits was Facifica Falayfay, where he starred as the gay lead character. It was directed by Luciano “Chaning” Carlos, with whom he worked in 23 of his movies. It was followed by Fefita Fofongay viuda de Falayfay in 1973 and Sarhento Fofongay: A... ewan! in 1974.

John en Marsha

John en Marsha started in 1971, a year before Martial Law, on RPN Channel 9. It was written, and directed by Ading Fernando. Boots Anson-Roa and Helen Gamboa were considered for the role of Marsha, his wife in the show before Nida, who was doing Wala Kang Paki with Nestor de Villa, eventually got the part. Before Dely Atay-Atayan, Chichay was also considered for the role of Doña Delilah, his wealthy and condescending mother-in-law. His real son Rolly Quizon and then-child actress Maricel Soriano played their kids. John en Marsha was such a hit that movie versions of the show were made eight times.

In 1978, he returned to gay roles in the movie Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (My Father the Mother), directed by respected Lino Brocka. With him in the movie was Niño Muhlach, dubbed as the "child wonder of the Philippines", as the son of his boyfriend, played by Phillip Salvador.

Home Along Da Riles

His next successful TV venture after John en Marsha was Home Along Da Riles in 1992 with Nova Villa, as his wife and real son Vandolph, as one of his children. The show continued in 2003 as Home Along Da Airport.

Later career

In 2001, Dolphy played another gay character, this time with his sons Eric Quizon and Jeffrey Quizon playing the same character at three different stages in life. They all won the Prix de la Meilleure Interpretation in Brussels, Belgium for playing Walterina Markova, a transvestite in the movie Markova: Comfort Gay.

In 2008, Dolphy made a movie with Comedy Box Office King Vic Sotto in a comedy movie, Dobol Trobol, a movie where Dolphy played a chef and Vic a hotel resident manager. This was the first time a film was produced through joint ventures of RVQ Productions (Dolphy's Film Outfit) & M-Zet Films (Vic Sotto's Film Outfit) and APT Entertainment. The film also featured stars Carmi Martin, Riza Santos, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Ricky Davao and more.

In 2009, Dolphy was cast as a retired senior citizen in Chicago who wanted to watch Wowowee in Manila entitled Nobody Nobody But... Juan, and co-starred with Eddie "Manoy" Garcia, Gloria Romero, Joe Aldeguer, Pokwang, Giselle "G" Toengi, Heart Evangelista, Ya Chang, real life sons Eric Quizon, Jeffrey "Epi" Quizon & Vandolph Quizon.

In 2010, Dolphy's last movie played a priest in Father Jejemon, with his co-stars Cherrie Gil, Roy Alvarez, Maja Salvador, EJ Falcon, singer Ralph Salazar & YouTube singing duo Moymoy Palaboy, .

National Artist Award

The Order of National Artists recognition is given to Filipino individuals who have "made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. The national artists award could be given to Dolphy in 2013 according to the National Commission on the Culture and Arts (NCCA) Frances Alincastre, planning officer III of the National artist Award-NCCA, said that the commission's hands are tied with the procedure in approving and granting the prestigious award to an individual. She said Dolphy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. in real life, has already been in the list of the nominees since he was nominated in 2009. However, he did not pass the second deliberation of the screening committee that time. Alincaster added that after a month of research, the NCCA will start the deliberation process. A list of seven experts for each category will be included in the initial deliberation and the list is trimmed down to three experts for each category in the second deliberation. She said the whole process may take until 2013.

President Benigno Aquino III said he believes the late Comedy King deserves to be conferred the National Artist award, but stressed he cannot shortcut the process for legal reasons. Since there is a temporary restraining order on the granting of National Artist awards issued during the past administration, the Aquino administration gave Dolphy the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart in 2010.

Relationship

Quizon never married and was public with his relationships and family. He has 18 children from 6 serious relationships. For more than 20 years, he was on a domestic partnership with Filipina singer, actress and model Zsa Zsa Padilla. They resided in the Marina Bay Village in the city of Parañaque. In his latest book, he mentioned that he had five serious relationships before Padilla who bore him offspring. The last was with actress Alma Moreno, who gave him a son: Vandolph. Some of his children are in the business just like their father.

He considers his children his pride and joy, claiming that he could easily name all of them from the oldest to the youngest.

Religion

Quizon was a devoted Catholic throughout his life, although he occasionally attended Mass. Nevertheless, he had practiced Catholic rituals—praying the rosary, observing Holy Week (i.e. Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday and abstaining from eating meat on Good Friday), and would make the sign of the cross, when he came across a Catholic church. Two of Quizon's children are born-again Christian who unsuccessfully persuaded him to convert; he did not, however, show lack of respect for Evangelicals.

Politics

Quizon was quite involved into politics throughout his acting career, but had tried to distance himself from it. He had said that he would likely start a blog if only he were literate in browsing the Internet. He had high regards with the presidency of Corazon Aquino, referring to her as an "asset" for the Filipinos. Many times he refused when he was persuaded to enter politics.

He supported Fernando Poe, Jr. (1939–2004) during his presidential campaign in 2004, whose father, Fernando Poe, Sr. (d. 1951), was a close friend of his. After Poe had suffered a stroke (which would later claim his life), he visited him during confinement and reassured him and his wife, Susan Roces, that he indeed had won the presidential race, despite losing it to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Health

In 2009, Dolphy was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. As a result, his public appearances were reduced, and he was frequently admitted to the intensive care unit.

Death

Dolphy died on July 10, 2012, 20:34 (Philippine time, 01:34 UTC), at the age of 83, just 15 days before his 84th Birthday due to multiple organ failure, secondary to complications brought about by pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure.

President Benigno Aquino III declared July 13, 2012 as "National Day of Remembrance" in honor of Dolphy's contributions to the Philippine showbiz industry.

Book and foundation

On July 25, 2008, Quizon celebrated his 80th birthday, with the launching of a biographical book, Dolphy, Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa (Dolphy, I Didn't Get Here All By Myself). ABS-CBN President Charo Santos-Concio stated, Nagbigay siya ng mga ngiti at halakhak sa gitna ng mga problema (He gave us joy and laughter in times of trouble). Bibeth Orteza was commissioned to complete the book, amid the creation of "Dolphy Aid Para sa Pinoy Foundation, Inc.", a non-profit and non-stock organization.

Legacy

A monument honoring Quizon was erected in front of the Museo Pambata near the US Embassy in April 2013.

Dolphy was awarded as Outstanding Manilan in 2010 and received the Diwa ng Lahi award in 2012, given by City Hall in celebration of the city’s founding anniversary.

Araneta also noted that Dolphy grew up in Manila, where he began his showbiz career as a dancer at the Avenue, Lyric and Orient theaters.

ABS-CBN Studio 1, one of the oldest studio of ABS-CBN was transformed into a proscenium theater and was named in honor of Dolphy.

On November 23, 2013, Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) released a limited edition ‘Dolphy Stamp.’

A mobile app entitled Dolphy's Cleanup was released in honor of Quizon in December 2013 for the iOS platform, with a port for Android devices to be released in January 2014. The edutainment game, developed by iGen Technologies, puts players in the role of Dolphy as he helps clean up the neighborhood, with part of the revenue from the game's sales to be donated to charity.

1970s

John en Marsha Part Two sa Amerika|| John H. Purúntong

Special Awards

Awards for acting

He is also the only Artist in the country awarded with Best Actor and Actress for a single role in the film Markova: The Comfort Gay.