Two big pictures from Nolasco Bros.

One of the more active movie productions after World War II was Nolasco Bros. Pictures, headed by Luis F. Nolasco, Ateneo-educated and writer in English and Spanish. Two of the movies he produced were Mga Busabos ng Palad and Pista ng Bayan, shown in July 1948.

Other films produced by Nolasco Bros. included Ginoong Patay Gutom, Siete Dolores, Amoritis, Kamagong, Apat na Dalangin, Ginang Takaichi, Ronquillo, Muntinlupa and the remake of Ang Lumang Simbahan.

Luis Nolasco discovered such strs as Leila Morena, Rosa Rosal, Vida Florante, Norma Blancaflor, Lilia Dizon, Eddie del Mar, Rodolfo Ruiz and Ernesto La Guardia.

In the ’50s, Nolasco worked as assistant to LVN matriarch Doña Narcisa vda. de Leon. In the ’70s, he won the Zobel Prize for his writings in Spanish.

Even before the war, Nolasco was already active in the movies. He worked for Malayan Pictures and Parlatone Hispano-Filipino Pictures and helped put up Sampaguita Pictures, X’Otic Films, Excelsior Pictures and Filippine Films. He wrote the screenplays of Nasaan Ka Irog, Milagro ng Nazareno sa Quiapo, Bituing Marikit, Madaling Araw, Pakiusap and Ibong Sawi — big hits all. — RKC