Harman Patil (Editor)

Life Theater

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Former names
  
Life Theater

Country
  
Philippines

Completed
  
1941

Town or city
  
Manila

Renovated
  
1946

Status
  
Complete

Named for
  
Dr. Teofilo Villonco

Opened
  
1941

Architectural style
  
Art Deco

Architect
  
Pablo Antonio

Life Theater photoscinematreasuresorgproductionphotos14609

Location
  
Quezon Boulevard, Quiapo

Similar
  
Capitol Theater, Capitan Luis Gonzaga, Ocampo Pagoda Mansion, Manila Metropolitan Theater, White Cross Orphanage

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The Life Theater, currently the Teofilo Villonco Building is a building in Quiapo, Manila. The building used to be movie house. The building was designed by Pablo Antonio. During its operational years as a move house, the Life Theater was reserved for blockbuster movies due to its large audience capacity and the theater had an air-conditioning system. The building is owned Remy Villongco of Malabon, son of Dr. Teofilo Villonco, whose family is involved in the theater industry.

Contents

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History

Erected in 1941, Life Theater was designed in Art Deco style. The theater was meant to show only Tagalog films. Ang Maestra which wheres Rosa del Rosario and Rogelio dela Rosa starred, was the first movie showed upon the theater's opening. The theater was destroyed following the aftermath of World War II. It was rebuilt in 1946 with an upgraded seating capacity of 1,144. The Hollywood film, A Thousand and One Nights was the first movie showed when the theater reopened. The theater continues to feature several films, both in English and Tagalog until the mid-1950s when Sampaguita Pictures took over the theater.

The Life Theater was owned by Romeo Villonco, who continued his father, Dr. Teofilo Villonco's enterprise. The Palace Theater located along Ronquillo Street in Quiapo was owned by the Villoncos. The Villoncos, together with the De Leon and Navoa families originally runs the LVN Studios. The three letters of the studios represents the three families.

Premieres were held in this venue when movie stars were dressed by famous couturiers, sometimes dressed up the characters they were portrayed in the movie. The actors and actresses were transported to the theater by a new air-conditioned bus owned by Sampaguita pictures causing heavy traffic build-up on nearby roads.

Architecture

The white facade of the theater contains both elements of art deco and neoclassical architecture due to the building's streamlining and scaled round columns which each adorned with a conical finial. The theater was also adorned with aluminum buffles, consistent with its Art Deco design. Along with the Times Theater, the theater is found along Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo. It has since been converted to a shopping center.

Current Use

Life Theater had their operations cut off in the 1990s when moviegoers began shifting to malls for shopping and entertainment pleasures. It now houses booths selling cheap goods.

References

Life Theater Wikipedia