Bayani Casimiro
Encyclopedia
Bayani Casimiro, Sr. was a Filipino
dancer who was among the leading stars of bodabil
(vaudeville) in the 1930s and 1940s. He also appeared in musical films and later in life, in comedic roles. A tap dancer, he was frequently dubbed as the "Fred Astaire
of the Philippines".
headlined by Atang de la Rama.
Upon the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, local film production was halted, allowing bodabil to thrive as the main source of public entertainment. Along with such actors as Rogelio de la Rosa
, Norma Blancaflor and the comic team of Tugo and Pugo, Casimiro would perform at the Life Theater in Manila for the duration of the war. He would form his own comic tandem with Jose Cris Soto, and the pair would be promoted as the "Laurel and Hardy
of the Philippines". Casimiro would also be paired with Dolphy
, then appearing under the stage name "Golay", to form a comic dance team.
As he aged, Casimiro became known to a younger generation primarily as a character actor
in film comedies. Often cast as a grandfather, a town sage, or even as a corpse in the Chiquito vehicle Estong Tutong (1983), his thin frame and befuddled look lent to easy ridicule. A notable exception to this trend was his role in Celso Ad. Castillo's Burlesk Queen (1977), where he again donned top hat and tails as he performed onstage with Vilma Santos
.
His most prominent role in later years was as the father of Enteng Kabisote (Vic Sotto) in the popular sitcom Okey Ka Fairy Ko!
. Casimiro died less than two years into the run of Okey Ka Fairy Ko. His son, Bayani Casimiro, Jr., soon joined the cast as Prinsipe ng Kahilingan. In obvious tribute to his father, Casimiro Jr.'s character would perform a brief tap dance upon his every entrance and exit.
Casimiro's widow, Nieves Manuel, would later marry Chiquito Pangan's brother, Rene Pangan. She died in 2006.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
dancer who was among the leading stars of bodabil
Bodabil
Bodabil was a popular genre of entertainment in the Philippines from the 1910s until the mid-1960s. For decades, it competed with film, radio and television as the dominant form of Filipino mass entertainment. It peaked in popularity during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines from 1941 to 1945...
(vaudeville) in the 1930s and 1940s. He also appeared in musical films and later in life, in comedic roles. A tap dancer, he was frequently dubbed as the "Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
of the Philippines".
Early years
Casimiro was born in Laguna. His parents were stage comedians, and at the age of 7, he would appear on stage, often dressed as a clown. By 1936, he would join a performing troupe in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
headlined by Atang de la Rama.
Bodabil star
By the late 1930s, Casimiro began headlining major bodabil productions in Manila. He made a name for himself as a tap dancer, often in top hat and tails, and was soon nicknamed as "The Fred Astaire of the Philippines". Casimiro also first appeared in film in 1938, when he was cast in Bayan at Pag-ibig, a production of Excelsior Pictures.Upon the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941, local film production was halted, allowing bodabil to thrive as the main source of public entertainment. Along with such actors as Rogelio de la Rosa
Rogelio de la Rosa
Regidor de la Rosa , better known as Rogelio de la Rosa, was one of the most popular Filipino matinee idols of the 20th century. He is also remembered for his statesmanship, in particular his accomplishments as a diplomat...
, Norma Blancaflor and the comic team of Tugo and Pugo, Casimiro would perform at the Life Theater in Manila for the duration of the war. He would form his own comic tandem with Jose Cris Soto, and the pair would be promoted as the "Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
of the Philippines". Casimiro would also be paired with Dolphy
Dolphy
Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr. , known by his screen name Dolphy, is a Filipino comedian-actor in the Philippines. He has appeared in a number of works on stage, radio, television and movies.-Biography:Dolphy was born on P. Herrera St...
, then appearing under the stage name "Golay", to form a comic dance team.
Film and television career
After the war, Casimiro restarted his film career, appearing in several popular musicals for the next two decades. His frequent onscreen dancing partner was the choreographer Nieves Manuel, whom he would marry. As in his stage performances, he would often appear in films in top hat and tails. Among his more notable musical roles were in Isang Sulyap mo Tita (1953), Tres Muskiteras (1954), and Botika sa Baryo (1960).As he aged, Casimiro became known to a younger generation primarily as a character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
in film comedies. Often cast as a grandfather, a town sage, or even as a corpse in the Chiquito vehicle Estong Tutong (1983), his thin frame and befuddled look lent to easy ridicule. A notable exception to this trend was his role in Celso Ad. Castillo's Burlesk Queen (1977), where he again donned top hat and tails as he performed onstage with Vilma Santos
Vilma Santos
Maria Rosa Vilma Tuazon Santos-Recto commonly known as Vilma Santos-Recto or Ate Vi is a multi-awarded actress and politician...
.
His most prominent role in later years was as the father of Enteng Kabisote (Vic Sotto) in the popular sitcom Okey Ka Fairy Ko!
Okey Ka Fairy Ko!
Okay ka, fairy ko! is a Filipino television comedy that premiered in 1987. This wasVic Sotto's first self-produced sitcom, which was followed later by 1 For 3.-Movie franchise:It also had released six spin-off movies to date....
. Casimiro died less than two years into the run of Okey Ka Fairy Ko. His son, Bayani Casimiro, Jr., soon joined the cast as Prinsipe ng Kahilingan. In obvious tribute to his father, Casimiro Jr.'s character would perform a brief tap dance upon his every entrance and exit.
Casimiro's widow, Nieves Manuel, would later marry Chiquito Pangan's brother, Rene Pangan. She died in 2006.
Filmography
- 1938 - Bayan at Pag-ibig (Excelsior)
- 1940 - Rosa Birhen (Del Monte)
- 1940 - SantaSanta (film)Santa is the first Mexican narrative sound film. It was directed by Antonio Moreno and starred Lupita Tovar, based on the novel of the same name by Federico Gamboa. In 1994, the Mexican magazine Somos published their list of "The 100 best movies of the cinema of Mexico" in its 100th edition and...
(Majestic) - 1941 - Manilena (X'Otic)
- 1941 - Halimaw (X'Otic)
- 1941 - Kung kita'y kapiling (Acuna-Zaldariaga)
- 1942 - Caballero (RDR)
- 1946 - So Long America (Sampaguita PicturesSampaguita PicturesSampaguita Pictures was a Philippine film production company. It was named for the Philippine National Flower, Sampaguita. The company has been long-defunct since the 1980s with Mike de Leon's classic "Batch '81" being the last film released...
) - 1947 - Maling Akala (Lvn)
- 1947 - Ikaw ay Akin (Lvn)
- 1947 - Oh, Salapi! (Lvn)
- 1948 - Malaya (Mutya sa Gubat) (Lvn)
- 1949 - Milyonarya (Lvn)
- 1949 - Maria Beles (Lvn)
- 1949 - Makabagong Pilipina (Lvn)
- 1949 - Hiyas ng Pamilihan (Lvn)
- 1949 - Kuba sa Quiapo (Lvn)
- 1949 - Lupang Pangako (Lvn)
- 1949 - Hen. Gregorio del Pilar (Lvn)
- 1950 - Sohrab at Rustum (Lvn)
- 1951 - Shalimar (Lvn)
- 1951 - Maria BonitaMaria BonitaMaria Bonita is a romance novel, one of a trilogy, based on the story of Maria, the wife of João Lopes da Costa Pinho. João Lopes da Costa Pinho emigrated to Brazil from Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. Some say he arrived barefoot but he went on to be immensely wealthy, owning some 32 cattle and...
(Royal) - 1951 - Amor mioAmor MíoAmor Mío is a Spanish language comedy telecomedy, produced in Argentina by Telefe and for Mexico by Televisa. This romantic comedy features Abril Juárez and Marcos Sinclair, two singles who are forced to share an apartment in Buenos Aires even though they cannot stand each other...
(Lvn) - 1953 - Vod-A-Vil (Sampaguita)
- 1954 - Tres Muskiteras (Sampaguita)
- 1954 - Sa Isang Halik mo Pancho (Sampaguita)
- 1955 - Dalagita't Binatilyo (Lvn)
- 1955 - Mariang Sinukuan (Lvn)
- 1955 - Banda UnoBanda Uno- Characters :*Miniong Alvarez*Alfonso Carvajal*Bayani Casimiro*Manding Claro*Nenita Vidal...
(Lvn) - 1955 - Karnabal (Lvn)
- 1955 - Pilipino Kostum No Touch (Lvn)
- 1957 - Lelong Mong Panot (Lvn)
- 1957 - Turista (Lvn)
- 1957 - 10,000 Pag-ibig (Lvn)
- 1958 - Tuloy ang LigayaTuloy ang LigayaTuloy ang Ligaya is the 6th studio album of the Filipino rock band Rivermaya. It was released in 2001 under Viva Records.This was the first Rivermaya album to feature guitarists Mike Elgar and Kakoi Legaspi, as well as bassist Japs Sergio. The three were recruited after original bassist Nathan...
(Lvn)