LVN Pictures
Encyclopedia
LVN Pictures, Inc. is one of the biggest film studios in the history of Philippine cinema and its foremost establishment in motion picture post-production until 2005. In its heyday of motion picture production, LVN Pictures has been compared to that of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Studios (MGM) of Hollywood because it had, under contract, the biggest stars and film craftsmen of the period.
in 1938. At that time, the American
-occupied Philippines was a ready market for American films, which further influenced various filmmakers like Jose Nepomuceno
(the Father of Philippine Movies) to set up various film production companies to produce Tagalog movies.
With its creation, LVN Pictures offered a rival to then-newly established Sampaguita Pictures
of the Vera-Perez family. LVN chose the big piece of land in P. Tuazon Boulevard, C. Benitez and St. Peter Street in Cubao, Quezon City
as its home, and for the next seven decades, the lot would become the backlot and administration location of the studio. The LVN Gate, with the initials of the studio emblazoned in red letters and set in white beams, became as famous as the Paramount Pictures gate, and the big LVN Studios logo atop the Main Building became as famous as the MGM logo atop its main building. To oversee its production facilities, Doña Narcisa de Leon
of the De Leon family took over the company as its president and "Executive Producer". She was the first Filipina film mogul. Eventually, due to the uninvolvement of the Villonco and Naboa families, she bought their shares, which made LVN a De Leon family company.
The studio's first offering was the musical Giliw Ko(one of the very few Pre-War Filipino Films still extant today), which starred the three biggest stars of the era (Ely Ramos, Fernando Poe, Sr.
and Fleur de Lis [who subsequently became Mona Lisa]) and introduced Mila del Sol
. The movie, released in 1939, was a box-office success. In 1941, LVN introduced another trend. The first Filipino film in color (utilizing the "Varicolor" process), Ibong Adarna, was produced by LVN and was directed by Vicente Salumbides. The color sequence of the film, which was the singing of the bird, was painstakingly hand-colored. The film also starred Mila del Sol, Fred Cortes
and Manuel Conde
and was a box-office success. Nevertheless, the growth of the studio was hampered due to World War II and the Japanese Occupation, which ravaged Manila and the rest of the Philippines from January 2, 1942 to February 1945. Due to the hardships of the war and to avoid being used as Japanese propaganda center, LVN closed shop.
During this period, LVN Pictures has discovered and developed the following stars: Rogelio de la Rosa
, Jaime de la Rosa
, Mila del Sol
, Fred Cortes
, Norma Blancaflor, Lilia Dizon
, Rosa Rosal
, and Vicente Alberto to name a few.
, all of which pertain to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. In the 1950s, at the height of the Communist threat in the Philippines, LVN Pictures collaborated with the Philippine government in vilifying communism by producing three films that were against Communism, namely Kontrabando (1950), FAMAS Award-winner Korea (1952) and FAMAS Best Picture Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953). Aside from these, LVN also produced its specialty, the musicals, namely Sarung Banggi (1947) and Mutya ng Pasig (1950), to name a few.
, Lebran International and Premiere Productions, with each studio specializing in different genres. Sampaguita Pictures specialized in high-glossed society pictures and musicals. Premiere Productions and Lebran International specialized in action pictures. LVN, on the other hand, became known for its "superproductions," the Hollywood equivalent of "epic" films that was complemented by the LVN superstars that starred in these films. The various superproductions of LVN were Ibong Adarna (1955), Lapu-Lapu (1955) and the movie classics Badjao (1956), Anak Dalita (1957) and Biyaya ng Lupa (1959). At this time, LVN Pictures emerged as the biggest film studio of the Philippines, releasing 2 to 3 films a month in 1955-1956.
Indeed, during this time, LVN Pictures housed the biggest and most popular stars of the period. With Narcisa de Leon still helming LVN Pictures, the studio managed to maintain its resident female contravida (antagonist) FAMAS-winner Rosa Rosal, the then undisputed King of Philippine Movies and FAMAS-winner Rogelio de la Rosa, FAMAS-nominee Lilia Dizon, FAMAS-winner Jose Padilla, Jr., Jaime de la Rosa, Celia Flor, Mila del Sol, Corazon Noble, Norma Blancaflor and a handful of other stars. In addition, LVN added FAMAS winners Charito Solis
(introduced in Niña Bonita in 1955), Nida Blanca
, Leroy Salvador, Armando Goyena
, Tony Santos, Sr., Oscar Keesee, Gil de Leon
, Eddie Rodriguez
and a handful of other stars to its roster. Delia Razon, Daisy Romualdez
, Nestor de Villa
, Mario Montenegro
, Norma Vales, Lou Salvador, Jr.
, Marita Zobel
and Sylvia La Torre
are the other stars added to LVN during this period. In addition to stars, LVN also prided itself in the film artisans that it had on contract. The make-up legend Manahan Sisters, directors Lamberto Avellana and Gerardo de Leon
(who became FAMAS winners), musician Tito Arevalo and editor Ike Jarlego were few of the many talented film artisans that were, one year or another, in contract with the studio.
LVN Pictures prided itself on the creation of what was perhaps the most popular love team of all time, the Nida Blanca-Nestor de Villa love team. The two stars, who were also gifted in the field of dancing and singing, gave LVN a boost on the box-office with their films Waray-Waray (1954), Kalyehera (1957) and Talusaling (1958). The love team gave Sampaguita Pictures a competition, which led them to build up their number-one star, Gloria Romero
, with the dashing Luis Gonzales
. Nevertheless, the Nida-Nestor love team had one thing that the Gloria-Luis lacked: the gift of dance. Nida-Nestor danced their way to the box-office, and even later to television with their own show.
In addition, LVN's desire to equal Sampaguita Pictures' drama excellence was also answered. By the 1950s, Sampaguita drama empresses Lolita Rodriguez, Marlene Dauden
and Rita Gomez were already held in check by LVN's very own drama empress Charito Solis
. Charito Solis starred in the blockbuster films Malvarosa (1958), Kundiman ng Lahi (1959) and Emily (1960). To answer for the hugely popular action films of Premiere Productions and Lebran International, LVN also developed its resident hunk Mario Montenegro
, Jaime de la Rosa and Jose Padilla, Jr., to do action films like Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953) and Lapu-Lapu (1955). LVN also featured its own roster of antagonists or contravidas which brought "hell" to Filipino screens like Eusebio Gomez, Oscar Keesee, Jr., Rosa Rosal
, Gil de Leon
, Rebecca del Rio
and Rosa Aguirre
to name a few. LVN also had under contract the brightest singing stars of the period like Diomedes Maturan
, Sylvia La Torre and Marita Zobel
. La Torre later teamed up with Eddie San Jose in LVN's series of comedies starring the team of Pugo
and Bentot
.
In 1955, LVN Pictures again set another landmark by remaking Ibong Adarna in 1955, starring the then-popular love team of Nida Blanca and Nestor de Villa. The movie became the first Filipino film to ever grossed one million pesos and hugely promoted the love team of Blanca and de Villa. In 1956, LVN brough international fame to the Philippines when its superproduction Badjao (1956) starring Rosa Rosal won the Golden Harvest Award (Best Picture) at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival. From this point on, LVN's superproductions figured in various film festivals and competitions all over the world, winning Best Picture Awards and acting awards in the process.
In the local scene, LVN Pictures also dominated the Awards of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS Awards) by amassing a total of 11 nominations for Best Picture. In total, it won 4 Best Picture awards, 1 Best Short Film Award and 1 Best Featurette Award. In addition, LVN Pictures holds the record for the most FAMAS International Prestige Awards of Merit, the award of the FAMAS that gives recognition to productions which were recognized internationally. At a time when movie studios were only receiving one or two of these in a decade, LVN has managed to collect four of them for the films Anak Dalita (1957), Malvarosa (1958), Bayanihan and My Serenade (both 1961).
Nevertheless, due to the heavy competition that LVN Pictures experienced from Hollywood films and even local television, the Golden Age of Philippine cinema was the only boost it needed to survive as a corporation.
The stars of LVN Pictures became freelancers when LVN stopped its production of films, many of whom went to its sister company, Dalisay Pictures. The remaining moviemaking equipment of LVN such as cameras, lights and others were loaned to various movie outfits and independent producers such as Cirio Santiago, Larry Santiago Productions, Dalisay Pictures, People's Pictures and other at P13,000 per picture. In the meantime, LVN Pictures moved to post-production, which specialized in color processing and editing of films for Philippine cinema and advertising. For the next forty years, LVN engaged in post-production, which was said to be the best in Asia.
In 1980, LVN Pictures made one more attempt at movie production with the release of the hugely-successful comedy Kakabakaba Ka Ba? (1980) starring Christopher de Leon
, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan
and Sandy Andolong
. The movie earned LVN Pictures its last nomination for Best Picture at the FAMAS Awards.
45 million.
Its glorious impact, not only in the movie industry, but also to the millions and legions of fans that watched its films had an indelible and unwavering contribution to the development of Filipino culture as whole. From the FAMAS Best Picture Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay, which told its viewers that no matter how bad a person may be, he could still redeem himself; to the FAMAS honoree Anak Dalita (1957), which chronicled human perseverance in the face of war, LVN Pictures has definitely influenced the Filipino of the 1950s, which still echoes into the Philippines' subconscious up to the present. And still more fans were added when these pictures were later shown in Philippine television in the 1960s and 1970s.
To maintain the legacy of LVN Pictures and the films it made, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
, the Philippines' largest media network, bought LVN Pictures productions shortly after its closure and showcased them from time to time in its television film arm, Cinema One, which is aired not only in the Philippines but also in many parts of the world. The films are now also being archived in the state-of-the art facilities of ABS-CBN Network.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
Studios (MGM) of Hollywood because it had, under contract, the biggest stars and film craftsmen of the period.
Establishment and World War Two (From 1938 to 1945)
LVN Pictures was formed by the De Leon ["L"], Villonco ["V"] and Naboa ["N"] families before the onset of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1938. At that time, the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-occupied Philippines was a ready market for American films, which further influenced various filmmakers like Jose Nepomuceno
José Nepomuceno
José Nepomuceno was one of the pioneering directors of the cinema of the Philippines. He is also known as the founder of Philippine movies. It was in 1919 when he produced the first Filipino silent film entitled Dalagang Bukid. The film starred Atang de la Rama, a future National Artist of the...
(the Father of Philippine Movies) to set up various film production companies to produce Tagalog movies.
With its creation, LVN Pictures offered a rival to then-newly established Sampaguita Pictures
Sampaguita Pictures
Sampaguita 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...
of the Vera-Perez family. LVN chose the big piece of land in P. Tuazon Boulevard, C. Benitez and St. Peter Street in Cubao, Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
as its home, and for the next seven decades, the lot would become the backlot and administration location of the studio. The LVN Gate, with the initials of the studio emblazoned in red letters and set in white beams, became as famous as the Paramount Pictures gate, and the big LVN Studios logo atop the Main Building became as famous as the MGM logo atop its main building. To oversee its production facilities, Doña Narcisa de Leon
Narcisa de Leon
Narcisa Buencamino Vd.ª De de Leon was a Filipino film producer. Clad daily in the frugal rural dress of the camisón, saya and chinelas, Doña Sisang, as she was widely known, was already a 61-year old widow when she entered the film industry...
of the De Leon family took over the company as its president and "Executive Producer". She was the first Filipina film mogul. Eventually, due to the uninvolvement of the Villonco and Naboa families, she bought their shares, which made LVN a De Leon family company.
The studio's first offering was the musical Giliw Ko(one of the very few Pre-War Filipino Films still extant today), which starred the three biggest stars of the era (Ely Ramos, Fernando Poe, Sr.
Fernando Poe, Sr.
Fernando Poe was a famous actor during the early cinema era in the Philippines. He was the father of the late Ronald Allan K. Poe, better known as Fernando Poe, Jr., who was also a famous actor and icon. Prior to his son's rise to fame, Poe had been known simply as 'Fernando Poe'...
and Fleur de Lis [who subsequently became Mona Lisa]) and introduced Mila del Sol
Mila del Sol
Clarita Rivera Villarba , better known as Mila del Sol, is a Filipina film actress and entrepreneur. Del Sol was born in Tondo, Manila. She gained fame in her very first lead role in the 1939 film Giliw Ko...
. The movie, released in 1939, was a box-office success. In 1941, LVN introduced another trend. The first Filipino film in color (utilizing the "Varicolor" process), Ibong Adarna, was produced by LVN and was directed by Vicente Salumbides. The color sequence of the film, which was the singing of the bird, was painstakingly hand-colored. The film also starred Mila del Sol, Fred Cortes
Fred Cortes
Born in 1921, this Filipino actor is a favorite leading man of Lvn Pictures before World War II.Fred Cortess film debut was under Lvn Pictures Nag-iisang Sangla...
and Manuel Conde
Manuel Conde
Manuel Conde was born on October 15, 1915 in Daet, Camarines Norte . He was an actor, director and producer. As an actor, he also used the screen name Juan Urbano during the 1930s aside from his more popular screen name. His first film was "Mahiwagang Biyolin" in 1935. He made almost three dozen...
and was a box-office success. Nevertheless, the growth of the studio was hampered due to World War II and the Japanese Occupation, which ravaged Manila and the rest of the Philippines from January 2, 1942 to February 1945. Due to the hardships of the war and to avoid being used as Japanese propaganda center, LVN closed shop.
During this period, LVN Pictures has discovered and developed the following stars: 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...
, Jaime de la Rosa
Jaime de la Rosa
Jaime de la Rosa was a Filipino pre-war and postwar actor better known as Jimmy in Philippine showbiz.-Early life:Tommy de la Rosa was the first screen name he used, later changing it to Jaime...
, Mila del Sol
Mila del Sol
Clarita Rivera Villarba , better known as Mila del Sol, is a Filipina film actress and entrepreneur. Del Sol was born in Tondo, Manila. She gained fame in her very first lead role in the 1939 film Giliw Ko...
, Fred Cortes
Fred Cortes
Born in 1921, this Filipino actor is a favorite leading man of Lvn Pictures before World War II.Fred Cortess film debut was under Lvn Pictures Nag-iisang Sangla...
, Norma Blancaflor, Lilia Dizon
Lilia Dizon
Lilia Dizon is a postwar Filipina actress.-Personal life:She was the only daughter of Regina Dizon, a Filipina, and Abe Strauss, an American of German Jewish descent...
, Rosa Rosal
Rosa Rosal
Florence Danon Gayda , better known as Rosa Rosal, is a FAMAS award-winning Filipino film actress dubbed as the "original femme fatale of Philippine cinema". She is also known for her work with the Philippine National Red Cross...
, and Vicente Alberto to name a few.
Post World War Two
After the Liberation of Manila in 1945, LVN Pictures immediately resumed film productions. The LVN stars who had to do stage shows when it closed shop was again making movies. LVN produced Miss Philippines (1947) with Norma Blancaflor and Jose "Pempe" Padilla, Jr., Ginang Takaichi (1948) with Lilia Dizon and Sa Tokyo Ikinasal (1948) with Rogelio de la Rosa, Tessie Quintana, Celia Flor and Armando GoyenaArmando Goyena
Armando Goyena was a Filipino actor and matinée idol who was popular in the 1950s.-Family:...
, all of which pertain to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. In the 1950s, at the height of the Communist threat in the Philippines, LVN Pictures collaborated with the Philippine government in vilifying communism by producing three films that were against Communism, namely Kontrabando (1950), FAMAS Award-winner Korea (1952) and FAMAS Best Picture Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953). Aside from these, LVN also produced its specialty, the musicals, namely Sarung Banggi (1947) and Mutya ng Pasig (1950), to name a few.
The Golden Age of Philippine Cinema (The 1950s)
The so-called First Golden Age of Philippine Cinema commenced in the 1950s with the flourishing establishment of the so-called Big Four studios, namely LVN Pictures, Sampaguita PicturesSampaguita Pictures
Sampaguita 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...
, Lebran International and Premiere Productions, with each studio specializing in different genres. Sampaguita Pictures specialized in high-glossed society pictures and musicals. Premiere Productions and Lebran International specialized in action pictures. LVN, on the other hand, became known for its "superproductions," the Hollywood equivalent of "epic" films that was complemented by the LVN superstars that starred in these films. The various superproductions of LVN were Ibong Adarna (1955), Lapu-Lapu (1955) and the movie classics Badjao (1956), Anak Dalita (1957) and Biyaya ng Lupa (1959). At this time, LVN Pictures emerged as the biggest film studio of the Philippines, releasing 2 to 3 films a month in 1955-1956.
Indeed, during this time, LVN Pictures housed the biggest and most popular stars of the period. With Narcisa de Leon still helming LVN Pictures, the studio managed to maintain its resident female contravida (antagonist) FAMAS-winner Rosa Rosal, the then undisputed King of Philippine Movies and FAMAS-winner Rogelio de la Rosa, FAMAS-nominee Lilia Dizon, FAMAS-winner Jose Padilla, Jr., Jaime de la Rosa, Celia Flor, Mila del Sol, Corazon Noble, Norma Blancaflor and a handful of other stars. In addition, LVN added FAMAS winners Charito Solis
Charito Solis
Charito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
(introduced in Niña Bonita in 1955), Nida Blanca
Nida Blanca
Dorothy Acueza Jones, popularly known by her stage name Nida Blanca, was a Filipina actress. She starred in over 163 movies and 14 television shows and received over 16 awards for movies and six awards for television during her 50-year film career...
, Leroy Salvador, Armando Goyena
Armando Goyena
Armando Goyena was a Filipino actor and matinée idol who was popular in the 1950s.-Family:...
, Tony Santos, Sr., Oscar Keesee, Gil de Leon
Gil de León
-Personal life:He made his first movie after World War II. The movie is Orasang Ginto aka Golden Clock under Lvn Pictures where he stayed in the said company for almost 3 decades.He married another Lvn Star, Lilia Dizon...
, Eddie Rodriguez
Eddie Rodriguez
Eduardo "Eddie" Rodriguez is a former minor league baseball player and manager and the current 3rd base coach for Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball.-Playing career:...
and a handful of other stars to its roster. Delia Razon, Daisy Romualdez
Daisy Romualdez
Daisy Romualdez is Filipino actress. She is sister of Blanca Gomez and are both of Spanish blood. She is married to well known former basketball player Manny Paner. She has two adopted daughters, Danita Paner, now a rock diva, and Kristina Paner.- Movies :*Shake Rattle & Roll 2 Dra...
, Nestor de Villa
Néstor de Villa
Néstor de Villa was a Filipino actor frequently cast in musical films. He was a gifted dancer, often paired with frequent on-screen partner Nida Blanca in both movies and television...
, Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro was a Filipino film actor best known for his heroic leading roles.-Biography:Montenegro was born in Pagsanjan, Laguna to a Filipino father and a French mother....
, Norma Vales, Lou Salvador, Jr.
Lou Salvador, Jr.
Lou Salvador, Jr. was a Filipino film actor. He was dubbed as "The James Dean of the Philippines".He was the son of Lou Salvador, a famous basketball player turned film and stage producer. His father would direct him in such film roles as in Bad Boy and Barkada . Salvador, Jr...
, Marita Zobel
Marita Zóbel
Mary Ann Blanch Respall is a Filipina actress. She was an LVN Pictures contract star.-Biography:She was born to parents Joseph B. Blanch and Remedios Respall from Iloilo City, Both of whom are of Spanish descent...
and Sylvia La Torre
Sylvia La Torre
Sylvia La Torre , known as "The Queen of Kundiman", is a Filipina singer, actress, and radio star. La Torre is the daughter of Filipino artist, Leonora Reyes, and director, Olive La Torre...
are the other stars added to LVN during this period. In addition to stars, LVN also prided itself in the film artisans that it had on contract. The make-up legend Manahan Sisters, directors Lamberto Avellana and Gerardo de Leon
Gerardo de León
Gerardo de León was a Filipino actor turned film director, who made his acting debut in the 1934 film Ang Dangal....
(who became FAMAS winners), musician Tito Arevalo and editor Ike Jarlego were few of the many talented film artisans that were, one year or another, in contract with the studio.
LVN Pictures prided itself on the creation of what was perhaps the most popular love team of all time, the Nida Blanca-Nestor de Villa love team. The two stars, who were also gifted in the field of dancing and singing, gave LVN a boost on the box-office with their films Waray-Waray (1954), Kalyehera (1957) and Talusaling (1958). The love team gave Sampaguita Pictures a competition, which led them to build up their number-one star, Gloria Romero
Gloria Romero (actress)
Gloria Romero is a Filipino actress appearing in film and television. Her career spans 60 years and includes award winning performances in the films Tanging Yaman , Nagbabagang Luha and 1955's Dalagang Ilocana...
, with the dashing Luis Gonzales
Luis Gonzales
Luis Javier Gonzales Posada Eyzaguirre is a Peruvian politician. He is currently a Congressman representing Ica for the period 2006-2011, and belongs to the Peruvian Aprista Party.-References:...
. Nevertheless, the Nida-Nestor love team had one thing that the Gloria-Luis lacked: the gift of dance. Nida-Nestor danced their way to the box-office, and even later to television with their own show.
In addition, LVN's desire to equal Sampaguita Pictures' drama excellence was also answered. By the 1950s, Sampaguita drama empresses Lolita Rodriguez, Marlene Dauden
Marlene Daudén
Marlene Daudén is considered one of the greatest Filipina drama actresses of all time. She achieved her legendary status as a film thespian during her film career that spanned from the 1950s up to the 1970s...
and Rita Gomez were already held in check by LVN's very own drama empress Charito Solis
Charito Solis
Charito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
. Charito Solis starred in the blockbuster films Malvarosa (1958), Kundiman ng Lahi (1959) and Emily (1960). To answer for the hugely popular action films of Premiere Productions and Lebran International, LVN also developed its resident hunk Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro was a Filipino film actor best known for his heroic leading roles.-Biography:Montenegro was born in Pagsanjan, Laguna to a Filipino father and a French mother....
, Jaime de la Rosa and Jose Padilla, Jr., to do action films like Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay (1953) and Lapu-Lapu (1955). LVN also featured its own roster of antagonists or contravidas which brought "hell" to Filipino screens like Eusebio Gomez, Oscar Keesee, Jr., Rosa Rosal
Rosa Rosal
Florence Danon Gayda , better known as Rosa Rosal, is a FAMAS award-winning Filipino film actress dubbed as the "original femme fatale of Philippine cinema". She is also known for her work with the Philippine National Red Cross...
, Gil de Leon
Gil de León
-Personal life:He made his first movie after World War II. The movie is Orasang Ginto aka Golden Clock under Lvn Pictures where he stayed in the said company for almost 3 decades.He married another Lvn Star, Lilia Dizon...
, Rebecca del Rio
Rebecca del Río
Rebecca Tushinsky is a Filipinaactress typecasted as a glamorous contravida or villain in Sampaguita Pictures who is the first Filipina Asia’s Best Actress award....
and Rosa Aguirre
Rosa Aguirre
Rosa Aguirre is a Filipino actress who worked for Sampaguita Pictures and Lvn Pictures. She is married to actor Miguel Anzures and mother of former child actor Narding Anzures....
to name a few. LVN also had under contract the brightest singing stars of the period like Diomedes Maturan
Diomedes Maturan
Diomedes Maturan was an actor who played in Botika sa baryo and Tawag ng tanghalan. Maturan died on April 7, 2002 of heart attack at age 61....
, Sylvia La Torre and Marita Zobel
Marita Zóbel
Mary Ann Blanch Respall is a Filipina actress. She was an LVN Pictures contract star.-Biography:She was born to parents Joseph B. Blanch and Remedios Respall from Iloilo City, Both of whom are of Spanish descent...
. La Torre later teamed up with Eddie San Jose in LVN's series of comedies starring the team of Pugo
Pugo
Pugo may refer to:*Boris Pugo, a Soviet politician*Pugo, La Union, a Philippine town*Pugo , a famous Filipino comedian and vaudevillian , born Mariano Contreras. Teamed up with Togo in the tandem Pugo and Togo and Bentot in movies, radio and television* the Pugo dialect of the Gallong language, a...
and Bentot
Bentot
Arturo Vergara Medina , better known by his stage name Bentot or Ben Cosca, was a Filipino comedian and vaudevillian who spent most of his career under LVN Pictures. He made many box office hits with another famed comedian Pugo who portrayed his father...
.
In 1955, LVN Pictures again set another landmark by remaking Ibong Adarna in 1955, starring the then-popular love team of Nida Blanca and Nestor de Villa. The movie became the first Filipino film to ever grossed one million pesos and hugely promoted the love team of Blanca and de Villa. In 1956, LVN brough international fame to the Philippines when its superproduction Badjao (1956) starring Rosa Rosal won the Golden Harvest Award (Best Picture) at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival. From this point on, LVN's superproductions figured in various film festivals and competitions all over the world, winning Best Picture Awards and acting awards in the process.
In the local scene, LVN Pictures also dominated the Awards of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS Awards) by amassing a total of 11 nominations for Best Picture. In total, it won 4 Best Picture awards, 1 Best Short Film Award and 1 Best Featurette Award. In addition, LVN Pictures holds the record for the most FAMAS International Prestige Awards of Merit, the award of the FAMAS that gives recognition to productions which were recognized internationally. At a time when movie studios were only receiving one or two of these in a decade, LVN has managed to collect four of them for the films Anak Dalita (1957), Malvarosa (1958), Bayanihan and My Serenade (both 1961).
Nevertheless, due to the heavy competition that LVN Pictures experienced from Hollywood films and even local television, the Golden Age of Philippine cinema was the only boost it needed to survive as a corporation.
The 1960s and onwards
In 1961, LVN stopped producing motion pictures and suddenly decided to switch to post-production. The decision was not surprising; even though LVN was releasing box-office successes, the earnings from these films were used to pay off existing loans and debts from various Philippine banks. By 1961, LVN pictures was already nearing practical bankruptcy due to "causes beyond its control." In 1961, LVN Pictures has already cut back the salaries of its workers by 5-20% while its losses for the year was already more than P333,000. But LVN is not alone; among the rest of the Big Four, only Sampaguita Pictures survived to the seventies, and even this famed studio later closed shop in the eighties.The stars of LVN Pictures became freelancers when LVN stopped its production of films, many of whom went to its sister company, Dalisay Pictures. The remaining moviemaking equipment of LVN such as cameras, lights and others were loaned to various movie outfits and independent producers such as Cirio Santiago, Larry Santiago Productions, Dalisay Pictures, People's Pictures and other at P13,000 per picture. In the meantime, LVN Pictures moved to post-production, which specialized in color processing and editing of films for Philippine cinema and advertising. For the next forty years, LVN engaged in post-production, which was said to be the best in Asia.
In 1980, LVN Pictures made one more attempt at movie production with the release of the hugely-successful comedy Kakabakaba Ka Ba? (1980) starring Christopher de Leon
Christopher De Leon
-2007 Elections:In 2007, he decided to run as Vice Governor of Batangas. This claims that if her former on screen partner, Vilma Santos won the governorship, then he might win as Vice Governor. He became the running mate of former police officer Nestor Sanares...
, Charo Santos, Jay Ilagan
Jay Ilagan
Jay Ilagan is a Filipino actor. He hosted Stop, Look & Listen and starred in My Son, My Son and Goin’ Bananas.-Personal life:...
and Sandy Andolong
Sandy Andolong
-Television:-Movies:-Others:-Awards and nominations:-References:*-External links:*...
. The movie earned LVN Pictures its last nomination for Best Picture at the FAMAS Awards.
Closure
In 2005, LVN Pictures also decided to close its post-production facilities at the old studio lot, which was now almost decrepit due to forty years of non-film production. The reason for LVN Pictures final closure was the lessening number of Filipino films that availed of their post-production services. Indeed, the Philippine film industry was already slumping to 53 films a year. The costs of maintaining the equipments at the LVN Studios exceeded the revenue that it received from post-production, so on June 30, 2005, LVN's post-production equipment went up for sale and was bought by an unnamed group of businessmen. Nevertheless, the LVN Museum, the lot and the studio buildings itself were not part of the buy-out. At the time of the purchase, the whole LVN Pictures was valued at PPhilippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
45 million.
Legacy
LVN Pictures is the first of its kind in Philippine movie history. It was the movie studio that set many trends in the forefront of Philippine cinema. At the time of its height, it was also the biggest and most powerful studio of the time, nestling under its wing countless number of big stars that went on to become Filipino screen legends, acclaimed directors that helmed Filipino film classics and numerous film artisans that helped define THE Filipino film. Its power was even recognized by its three-film tie-up with the Philippine government during the Communist threat era of the 1950s.Its glorious impact, not only in the movie industry, but also to the millions and legions of fans that watched its films had an indelible and unwavering contribution to the development of Filipino culture as whole. From the FAMAS Best Picture Huk sa Bagong Pamumuhay, which told its viewers that no matter how bad a person may be, he could still redeem himself; to the FAMAS honoree Anak Dalita (1957), which chronicled human perseverance in the face of war, LVN Pictures has definitely influenced the Filipino of the 1950s, which still echoes into the Philippines' subconscious up to the present. And still more fans were added when these pictures were later shown in Philippine television in the 1960s and 1970s.
To maintain the legacy of LVN Pictures and the films it made, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.
ABS-CBN
ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
, the Philippines' largest media network, bought LVN Pictures productions shortly after its closure and showcased them from time to time in its television film arm, Cinema One, which is aired not only in the Philippines but also in many parts of the world. The films are now also being archived in the state-of-the art facilities of ABS-CBN Network.
List of LVN Pictures
- 1939 - Giliw Ko: Fernando Poe Sr., Ely Ramos, Mila del Sol and Fleur de Lis(Mona Lisa) (1st LVN Film)
- 1946 - Ang Prinsiping Hindi Tumatawa: Rogelio de la Rosa & Mila del Sol
- 1946 - Garrison 13: Rogelio de la Rosa, Jaime de la Rosa, Mila del Sol & Linda Estrella
- 1946 - Aladin: Jaime de la Rosa
- 1946 - Orasang Ginto: Mila del Sol & Elvira Reyes
- 1946 - Victory Joe: Rogelio de la Rosa & Norma Blancaflor
- 1947 - Miss Philippines: Jose Padilla, Jr. & Norma Blancaflor
- 1947 - Bagong Manunubos
- 1947 - Ikaw ay Akin
- 1947 - Binatang Taring
- 1947 - Romansa
- 1947 - Magkaibang Lahi: Corazon Noble & Ely Ramos
- 1947 - Sarung Banggi: Rogelio de la Rosa & Mila del Sol
- 1948 - Kaaway ng Babae: Jose Padilla, Jr. & Lilia Dizon
- 1948 - Kambal Na Ligaya: Leopoldo Salcedo & Lilia Dizon
- 1948 - Engkantada
- 1948 - Krus na Bituin
- 1948 - Waling-Waling
- 1948 - Tanikalang papel
- 1948 - Pista sa Nayon: Jose Padilla, Jr.& Rebecca Gonzales
- 1948 - Sa Tokyo Ikinasal: Rogelio de la Rosa, Celia Flor, Armando Goyena & Tessie Quintana
- 1948 - Sierra Madre, Bundok ng Hiwaga: Leopoldo Salcedo
- 1948 - Sumpaan: Ely Ramos & Rosa Rosal
- 1949 - Biglang Yaman: Jaime de la Rosa, Rosa Rosal, Pugo & Togo
- 1949 - Capas: Leopoldo Salcedo & Celia Flor
- 1949 - Parola: Jaime de la Rosa & Norma Blancaflor
- 1949 - Gitano
- 1949 - Tambol Mayor
- 1949 - Batalyon XIII: Jaime de la Rosa & Carmen Rosales
- 1949 - Don Juan Teñoso
- 1950 - Mutya ng Pasig: Jose Padilla, Jr., Rebecca Gonzales, Roger Nite, Teody Belarmino & Delia Razon
- 1950 - Nuno sa Punso: Mila del Sol & Jaime de la Rosa
- 1950 - Kontrabando: Jaime de la Rosa & Celia Flor
- 1950 - Hantic
- 1950 - In Despair
- 1950 - Prinsipe Amante: Rogelio de la Rosa & Delia Razon
- 1951 - Reyna Elena
- 1951 - Satur: Manuel Conde, Jaime de la Rosa, Delia Razon
- 1951 - Anak ng Pulubi
- 1951 - Shalimar
- 1951 - Probinsiyano
- 1951 - Amor mio
- 1951 - Haring Kobra: Rogelio dela Rosa, Lilia Dizon
- 1951 - Pag-asa
- 1951 - Prinsipe Amante sa Rubitanya: Rogelio dela Rosa, Delia Razon
- 1951 - Venus
- 1952 - Rodrigo de Villa: Delia Rzon & Mario Montenegro
- 1952 - Korea: Jaime de la Rosa, Tony Santos Sr., Leroy Salvador & Nida Blanca
- 1952 - Sa Paanan ng Nazareno
- 1952 - Taong Paniki: Jaime de la Rosa, Delia Razon
- 1952 - Kabalyerong Itim
- 1952 - Haring Solomon at Reyna Sheba: Mila del Sol
- 1952 - Dalawang Sundalong Kanin
- 1952 - Kambal Tuko
- 1952 - Amor Mio
- 1952 - Tenyente Carlos Blanco
- 1952 - Hagad: Armando Goyena, Carmencita Abad & Rosa Rosal
- 1953 - Huk Sa Bagong Pamumuhay: Jose Padilla, Jr. & Celia Flor
- 1953 - Kuwentong Bahay-Bahayan: Rolando Acuzar & Nora Dy
- 1953 - Pusong May Lason: Delia Razon & Mario Montenegro
- 1953 - Loida
- 1953 - Batanguena: Jaime dela Rosa, Nida Blanca
- 1953 - Dalaguinding
- 1953 - Hijo de Familia
- 1953 - Hiyasmin
- 1953 - Squatters
- 1953 - Tumbalik ng Daigdig: Nida Blanca & Nestor de Villa
- 1953 - Kidlat...Ngayon: Armando Goyena
- 1954 - Waray-Waray: Nestor de Villa & Nida Blanca
- 1954 - Galawgaw: Jaime de la Rosa & Nida Blanca
- 1954 - Hiyasmin: Nida Blanca & Nestor de Villa
- 1954 - Dambanang Putik: Delia Razon & Mario Montenegro
- 1954 - Dalawang Panata
- 1954 - Virtuoso: Jaime dela Rosa & Delia Razon
- 1954 - Doce Pares
- 1954 - Donato
- 1954 - Tinalikdang Dambana
- 1954 - Luneta
- 1954 - Tin-edyer
- 1955 - Ibong Adarna: Fred Cortes & Mila del Sol
- 1955 - Lapu-Lapu: Mario Montenegro & Delia Razon
- 1955 - Niña Bonita: Jaime de la Rosa, Milagros Naval, Gil de Leon & Charito Solis
- 1955 - Saydwok Vendor: Nida Blanca & Jaime de la Rosa
- 1955 - Dinayang Pagmamahal: Jaime de la Rosa, Charito Solis & Rebecca del Rio
- 1955 - Darling Ko
- 1955 - Talusaling: Nida Blanca
- 1955 - Dalagang Taring: Delia Razon & Nestor de Villa
- 1955 - Higit sa Lahat: Rogelio dela Rosa & Emma Alegre
- 1955 - Ikaw Kasi: Nida Blanca & Nestor de Villa
- 1956 - Charito, I Love You: Charito Solis, Leroy Salvador & Nita Javier
- 1956 - No Money..No Honey: Jaime de la Rosa
- 1956 - Anak Dalita: Rosa Rosal & Tony Santos, Sr.
- 1956 - Luksang Tagumpay: Jaime de la Rosa, Delia Razon, Rebecca del Rio & Eddie Rodriguez
- 1956 - Medalyong Perlas
- 1956 - Kumander 13
- 1956 - Aling Kutsero
- 1956 - Handang Matodas: Nida Blanca, Nestor de Villa & Nita Javier
- 1956 - Among Tunay: Delia Razon & Mario Montenegro
- 1956 - Ilaw Sa Karimlan: Delia Razon & Mario Montenegro
- 1957 - Tiririt Ng Ibon: Charito Solis & Leroy Salvador
- 1957 - Badjao: Rosa Rosal & Tony Santos Sr.
- 1957 - Hukom Roldan: Jaime de la Rosa, Emma Alegre
- 1957 - Turista: Nida Blanca & Nestor de Villa
- 1957 - Bahala Na
- 1957 - Kalyehera
- 1957 - El Robo: Delia Razon, Armando Goyena
- 1957 - Sampung Libong Pisong Pag-ibig: Charito Solis, Eddie Rodriguez & Jose Ejercito (Joseph Estrada)
- 1957 - Walang Sugat: Charito Solis, Tony Santos Sr. & Mario Montenegro
- 1958 - Faithful: Lou Salvador, Jr., Marita Zobel, Jaime de la Rosa & Rosa Rosal
- 1958 - Casa Grande: Nestor de Villa
- 1958 - Malvarosa: Charito Solis & Leroy Salvador
- 1958 - Tuloy ang Ligaya: Nida BlancaNida BlancaDorothy Acueza Jones, popularly known by her stage name Nida Blanca, was a Filipina actress. She starred in over 163 movies and 14 television shows and received over 16 awards for movies and six awards for television during her 50-year film career...
- 1958 - Ang Langit Ko'y Ikaw: Charito Solis, Nestor de Villa, Liza Moreno & Willie Sotelo
- 1958 - Villa Milagrosa: Charto Solis, Nestor de Villa, Eddie Rodriguez & Nita Javier
- 1959 - Biyaya ng Lupa: Rosa Rosal & Tony Santos Sr.
- 1959 - Wala Kang Paki
- 1959 - Kundiman ng Lahi: Charito Solis
- 1959 - Tuko Sa Madre Kakao: Nita Javier, Willie Sotelo, Hector Reyes & Luz Valdez
- 1960 - Black Beauty: Charito Solis & Bernard Bonnin
- 1960 - Nukso ng Nukso: Pugo, Togo
- 1960 - Bakit ka Nagtampo
- 1960 - Unos Sa Laot: Charito Solis and Nestor de Villa
- 1960 - Kung Ako'y Mahal Mo: Charito Solis & Nestor de Villa
- 1960 - Emily: Charito Solis, Pancho Magalona, Leroy Salvador & Eddie Rodriguez
- 1961 - Oh Sendang!: Sylvia La Torre, Pugo, Togo
- 1961 - Pangako At Sandata: Charito SolisCharito SolisCharito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
& Fernando Poe Jr.