A gallery of LVN stars

You can’t help shedding a tear over the final closing of LVN Studios which, after ceasing to produce movies in the early ’60s, operated as a film laboratory. It has recently been sold to PLDT’s Butch Jimenez and Unitel Pictures’ Tony Gloria.

According to Funfare’s "other beauty expert" and avid movie fan Celso de Guzman Caparas, LVN Pictures started making movies (mostly with local-color themes) in 1939, with Giliw Ko, starring Fernando Poe, Sr., Mila del Sol, Ely Ramos and Fleur de Lis (a.k.a. Mona Lisa) as its maiden venture. The company was established by Doña Narcisa "Sisang" de Leon, Carmen Villonco and Eleuterio Navoa.

During its more than two decades of operation, LVN produced around 360 films, including such classics as Ibong Adarna (1941), Anak Dalita (1956), Badjao (1957) and Biyaya ng Lupa (1959).

"My heart bled for the closing of LVN," said Celso, and so did the hearts of thousands of other movie fans (this one included).

Trivia: Did you know that Doña Aurora Avancena vda. de Quezon and Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. wrote the stories of two LVN movies, Prinsipeng Hindi Tumatawa (1946) and Korea (l952) respectively... and that Rudy Fernandez (whose father, Dr. Gregorio Fernandez, directed some of LVN’s memorable films) and Ike Jarlego Jr. started at LVN as child actors in the ’50s?

As his way of saying goodbye to LVN Pictures, Celso sent Funfare a gallery of 23 of the company’s brightest stars (with some of their unforgettable starrers). Take one more loving, lingering look at them:

• Mila del Sol – Sawing Gantimpala, 1940

• Rosa del Rosario – Ilang-ilang, 1941

• Arsenia Francisco – Tagumpay, 1946

• Norma Blancaflor – Huling Dalangin, 1948

• Carmen Rosales – Camelia, 1949

• Nida Blanca - First FAMAS Best Supporting Actress, Korea, 1952

• Tessie Quintana – Krus na Bakal, 1954

• Lilia Dizon – 1954 Cambodia Film Festival Best Actress, Kandelerong Pilak

• Delia Razon –Dakilang Pagpapasakit, 1954

• Celia Flor – Pasiya ng Langit, 1954

• Rosa Rosal –FAMAS Best Actress, Sonny Boy, 1955

• Charito Solis –FAMAS Best Actress, Kundiman ng Lahi, 1959 and Emily, 1960

• Fernando Poe, Sr. – Giliw Ko, 1939

• Leopoldo Salcedo - Ararong Ginto, 1941

• Jaime dela Rosa – Tanikalang Papel, 1948

• Armando Goyena – Harana sa Karagatan, 1951

• Gil de Leon – First FAMAS Best Supporting Actor, Korea, 1952

• Leroy Salvador – FAMAS Best Supporting Actor, Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay, 1953

• Nestor de Villa – Hijo de Familia, 1953

• Mario Montenegro - Dambanang Putik, 1954

• Rogelio dela Rosa – 1955 FAMAS and 1956 Asian Film Festival Best Actor, Higit sa Lahat

• Eddie Rodriguez – Luksang Tagumpay, 1956

• Joseph Estrada – Used the name Jose Ejercito in Sampung Libong Pisong Pag-ibig, 1957

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