Panchito Alba was a FAMAS award-winning Filipino

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...

 film actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

 who almost exclusively appeared in comedy roles. He was billed as either "Panchito Alba" or simply "Panchito". Known for his swarthy looks and a prominent big nose, which was often the target of ridicule. Panchito frequently appeared as a comedic foil to 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...

, where the two are best friends

Best Friends

Best Friends is a children's novel by Jacqueline Wilson, first published in 2004.-Plot:Gemma and Alice have known each other all their lives, but when Gemma reads Alice's diary at a sleepover, it eventually leads her to discover Alice is moving....

 in real life.

Biography

Panchito was born in Paco, Manila

Paco, Manila

Paco, is a district of Manila, Philippines. It is located south of Pasig River, and San Miguel, west of Santa Ana, southwest of Pandacan, north of Malate, northwest of San Andres, and east of Ermita. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 64,184 people in 13,438 households...

. His mother, Etang Discher

Etang Discher

Etang Discher was a prominent Filipina character film actress frequently cast in villainous roles. Her stern, gaunt Castilian face loomed in many post-war Filipino films, especially soap opera-type dramas...

, became a prominent film actress beginning in the 1940s, often cast in villainous roles. One of his brothers, Emil, also became a film actor. He was married with children.

Panchito's career in show business began in 1942 when he joined a 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...

 troupe called "Travel Stage Show" which performed in various theaters in Japanese-occupied Manila The then 14-year old Dolphy was also a member of the troupe, thus beginning a life-long association.

Film career

Panchito's film career began when he, along with Dolphy, were cast by 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...

 in the Tita Duran

Tita Duran

Teresita "Tita Durán" Durango was a Filipina film actress who began as a child actress. She was the first ever successful child star of Philippine cinema.Actor Pancho Magalona was her husband...

-Pancho Magalona

Pancho Magalona

Enrique "Pancho" Magalona, Jr. — was a Philippine actor from the 1940s to the 1970s.-Early life:Born Enrique Gayoso Magalona, Jr. on 1921 in the southern Philippine province of Negros Occidental and was the son of Philippine Senator Enrique B. Magalona, Sr.-Personal life:Pancho and his real life...

 musical Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita. It was a career that lasted until his death. In 1955, Panchito was awarded the FAMAS

Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards

The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards are the annual honors given by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences , an organization composed of prize-winning writers and movie columnists, for achievements in the Philippine cinema for a calendar year...

 Best Supporting Actor award for his role in Lupang Kayumanggi. His film career thrived despite his involvement in a 1964 mauling incident in 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...

 that led to the filing of a criminal information

Information (formal criminal charge)

Information is a formal criminal charge made without a grand jury indictment by a prosecutor in a document called an information.The term is used in Canada and various other common law jurisdictions, including a number of U.S...

 against him and several others for frustrated murder, though the case against him would be later dismissed.

Panchito is perhaps best known for his over 50-plus film team-ups with Dolphy in such movies as Kalabog en Bosyo

Larry Alcala

Lauro Zarate Alcala , also known as Larry Alcala, was a well-known editorial cartoonist and illustrator in the Philippines.He was born on August 18, 1926 to Ernesto Alcala and Elpidia Zarate in Daraga, Albay...

(1959); Beatnik (1960); Si Lucio at Miguel (1962); Pepe and Pilar (1966); Pacifica Falayfay (1969); Fefita Fofongay (1973); Bugoy (1979); and Bakit Kinagat ni Adan ang Mansanas ni Eba? (1989). The partnership likewise extended to television, where the duo would co-star in an ABS-CBN

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 ...

 variety show, Buhay Artista (1965–1972). The tandem was famous for a comedic duet routine wherein one would interrupt the other to offer a mangled translation of the Tagalog

Tagalog language

Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...

 lyric into English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 or vice-versa. On July 4, 1966, Dolphy and Panchito would open for The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex

Rizal Memorial Sports Complex

The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, is national sports complex of the Philippines, located on Pablo Ocampo St. , Malate, Manila. It is named after the country's national hero, José Rizal....

 during that band's infamously abbreviated concert tour of Manila.

Apart from his partnerings with Dolphy, Panchito became known as a supporting player in many other film comedies. He was frequently cast as an authority figure such as a policeman, a politician, a father-of-the-family, and memorably, as the hula skirt-clad music teacher of Jaena High School in the Joey de Leon

Joey de Leon

José María Ramos de León, better known as Joey de Leon is a Filipino comedian, actor, and television presenter. He hosts the noontime variety show Eat Bulaga!. He is a member of the comedy trio Tito, Vic and Joey that has made several comedy movies and TV shows...

-Rene Requiestas

Rene Requiestas

Renato "Rene" Requiestas was one of the top Filipino comedians of the late 1980s up to the early 1990s.Requiestas was known for his sidekick roles alongside other comedy actors such as Joey de Leon and his pairing with Kris Aquino in romantic comedies, as well as his distinctive gaunt, toothless...

 starrer Elvis and James (1989) and as "Paenguin" (a parody of Batman

Batman

Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

's arch-nemesis The Penguin) in the comedy-spoof Alyas Batman en Robin

Alyas Batman en Robin

Alyas Batman en Robin is a fanmade 1991 Filipino Batman comedy film produced by Regal Films spoofing the 1960s Batman television series...

(1991).

In November 1995, Panchito suffered a stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

 that left him comatose. Video of him lying incapacitated in bed aired on Philippine television. He died the following month.

In 2007, Alpha Music Corporation released an album-compilation entitled The Best of Dolphy & Panchito, featuring 14 comedic duets of the comic tandem.

Filmography

• Father en Son (1995)
• Home sic Home (1995)
• Alyas Batman en Robin (1993) .... Paenguin
• Sam & Miguel (Your basura, no problema) (1993) (as Panchito Alba) .... Tomas
• Rocky Plus V (1991)
• Ali in Wonderland (1991)
• Goosebuster (1991)
• Espadang patpat (1990)
• Samson & Goliath (1990)
• Og Must Be Crazy (1990) .... Temyong
• Ganda babae, gandang lalake (1990)
• Crocodile Jones: The Son of Indiana Dundee (1990)
• Small, Medium en Large (1990) .... Ma El
• Twist: Ako si ikaw, ikaw si ako (1990)
• Hotdog (1990)
• Starzan III: The Jungle Triangle (1989)
• My Darling Domestic (The Greytest Iskeyp) (1989)
• Romeo Loves Juliet... But Their Families Hate Each Other! (1989)
• Gawa na ang balang para sa akin (1989)
• SuperMouse and the Roborats (1989)
• Elvis and James, the Living Legends! (1989)
• Aso't pusa (1989)
• Starzan 2: The Adventure Continues (1989)
• Bote, dyaryo, garapa (1989)
• Long Ranger & Tonton: Shooting Stars of the West (1989) .... General Alfonso Gutierrez
• Da Best in da West (1989) .... Inkong Gaspar
• Balbakwa: The Invisible Man (1989)
• Bondying: The Little Big Boy (1989)
• Starzan: Shouting Star of the Jungle (1989)
• Bagwis (1989)
• Si Malakas at si Maganda (1989) (as Panchito Alba) .... Ka Ponso
• Jack and Jill sa Amerika (1988)
• Smith & Wesson (1988)
• Sheman: Mistress of the Universe (1988) .... Tio Paeng
• Enteng, the Dragon (1988)
• Bakit kinagat ni Adan ang mansanas ni Eba (1988)
• Jack and Jill (1987)
• Binibining Tsuperman (1987)
• Ano ka hilo? (1986)
• Isang platitong mani (1986) .... Nanding
• No Return, No Exchange (1986)
• I won, I won (Ang s'werte nga naman) (1986) .... Procapio
• The Crazy Professor (1985)
• Momooo (1985)
• Goatbuster (1985)
• Isang kumot, tatlong unan (1985) .... Ponso
• Kalabog en Bosyo Strike Again (1985) .... Bosyo
• Charot (1984)
• Sekreta ini (1984)
• Nang maghalo ang balat sa tinalupan (1984)
• Goodah (1984)
• Mga Alagad ng kuwadradong mesa (1983)
• My Juan en only (1982)
• Nang umibig ang gurang (1982)
• Dolphy's Angels (1980) (as Panchito Alba) .... Lietenant Gapos
• Superhand (1980)
• Darna at Ding (1980)
• The Quick Brown Fox (1980)
• Max & Jess (1979) .... Jess
• Dancing Master (1979)
• Kuwatog (1979)
• Jack N Jill of the Third Kind (1979)
• Bugoy (1979)
• Binata ang daddy ko (1977)
• Silang mga mukhang pera (1977) (as Panchito Alba)
• Like father, like son: Kung ano ang puno siya ang bunga (1975)
• My Funny Valentine (1974) .... Joaquin
• Huli huli 'Yan (1974)
• Ang Mahiwagang daigdig ni Pedro Penduko (1973) (as Panchito Alba)
• Hiwaga ng Ibong Adarna, Ang (1972)
• Pacifica Falaypay (1969)
• Dakilang tanga (1968)
• Good morning titser (1968)
• Kaming taga bundok (1968)
• Kaming taga ilog (1968)
• King and Queen for a Day (1963)
• Tansan vs. Tarsan (1963)
• Lab na lab kita (1962)
• Si Lucio at si Miguel (1962)
• Tansan the Mighty (1962)
• Hami-hanimun (1961)
• Kandidatong pulpol (1961)
• Operatang sampay bakod (1961)
• Beatnik (1960)
• Dobol trobol (1960)
• Isinumpa (1959)
• Pakiusap (1959)
• Pulot gata (1958)
• Silveria (1958)
• Tawag ng tanghalan (1958)
• Colegiala (1957)
• Diyosa (1957)
• Lupang kayumanggi (1956) (as Panchito Alba)
• Mariposa (1955)
• Sa dulo ng landas (1955)
• Waldas (1955)
• Anak sa panalangin (1954)
• Aristokrata (1954)
• Menor de edad (1954)
• Reyna bandida (1953)
• D' Godson (1953)
• Fefita Fofongay (Viuda de Falayfay) (1953)
• Love Pinoy Style (1953)
• Son of Fung Ku (1953) .... Gordon

External links

• Sampaguita Pictures, Inc., SPI Television, Geocities.com, retrieved on: June 17, 2007