Rosa del Rosario was a well-known half-Filipina, half-American Mestiza actress in Philippine Movies who made her film debut in 1932 horror film

Horror film

Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...

 Satanas (Satan). Her real name was Rose del Rosario Stagner. Her mother was from Pampanga. She is the first female action hero who portrayed Darna

Darna

Darna is a fictional character and Filipino comics superheroine created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. In her more popular incarnations, she is a deceased warrior from another planet manifesting herself through a girl from Earth, named Narda...

, in 1951 under Royal Films.

Early life

Born Rose del Rosario Stagner, she was the Queen of Philippine Movies during the ’30s and ’40s. Del Rosario started in the movies at the age of nine when Nepomuceno cast her as the daughter of Carlos Padilla and Alma Bella

Alma Bella

Alma Bella is a Filipino silent film actress. Bella was one of screen's silent sirens in her era.Sometimes another silent star Angelita Rey is her arch enemy in box-office because of their aura.- Filmography :* 1932 - Sa Pinto ng Langit...

in Anak ni Satanas (1925). After seven years, she starred in her first major movie, Ligaw na Bulaklak (1932) opposite Rogelio de la Rosa. Del Rosario held the distinction of being the first actress to play the first Filipino superheroine on screen, Darna (1951), followed by Darna at ang Babaing Lawin (1952). Among her memorable movies were Doktor Kuba, (1933, with Patrocinio Carvajal), Minda Mora (1929, with Fernando Poe Sr.), Zamboanga (1937, with Poe), Nang Magulo ang Maynila (1937, with Domingo Principe), Himala ng Birhen sa Antipolo (1947, with Rogelio de la Rosa), Caprichosa (1947, with Jose Padilla Jr.), Tandang Sora (1947, with Leopoldo Salcedo), Kumander Sundang (1949, with Efren Reyes) and Rosario Cantada (1951, with Ben Perez). Del Rosario also starred in Hollywood films such as The Border Bandits and Anna and the King of Siam.

Personal life

Their parents are Frank Stagner (American father) and Agustina del Rosario (Filipina mother). She was married to John Samit with 2 children: Geraldine and Terry.

Filmography

• 1932 – Satanas
• 1932 – Ligaw na Bulaklak
• 1932 – Tianak
• 1932 - Lantang Bulaklak
• 1933 - Doctor Kuba
• 1933 - Ang Mga Ulila
• 1934 - Mag-inang Mahirap
• 1934 - Anting-Anting
• 1934 - X3X
• 1934 - Anak ng Bilanggo
• 1934 - Sa Tawag ng Diyos
• 1935 - Ang Gulong ng Buhay
• 1935 - Anak ng Birhen*
• 1935 - Awit ng Pag-ibig
• 1935 - Sumpa ng Aswang
• 1936 - Buhok ni Ester
• 1936 - Ama
• 1936 - Ang Birheng Walang Dambana
• 1937 - Gamu-Gamong Naging Lawin
• 1937 - Nang Magulo ang Maynila
• 1937 - Ang Kumpisalan at ang Batas
• 1937 - Taong Demonyo (a)
• 1937 - Asahar at Kabaong
• 1937 - Zamboanga
• 1938 - Kalapating Puti [Filippine]
• 1938 - Dalagang Silangan [Filippine]
• 1938 - Biyaya ni Bathala [Filippine]
• 1939 - Walang Sugat [Filippine]
• 1939 - Naglahong Dambana
• 1940 - Cadena de Amor [Sanggumay]
• 1940 - Buenavista ?
• 1941 - Paraiso [Excelsior]
• 1941 - Ilang-Ilang [Lvn]
• 1941 - Ang Maestra [RDR]
• 1942 - Huling Habilin ?
• 1947 - Bakya mo Neneng [Premiere]
• 1947 - Si Malakas at si Maganda ?
• 1947 - Bagong Sinderella [Premiere]
• 1947 - Caprichosa [Premiere]
• 1947 - Ang Himala ng Birhen sa Antipolo [Lvn]
• 1947 - Hagibis [Premiere]
• 1947 - Hacendera [Phils Artists]
• 1947 - Tandang Sora ?
• 1948 - Bulaklak at Paruparo [Premiere]
• 1949 - Anak ng Panday [Premiere]
• 1949 - Kumander Sundang [Premiere]
• 1950 - Bulaklak ng Digmaan [Liwayway]
• 1950 - Kundiman ng Luha [Balintawak]
• 1950 - Aklat ng Pag-ibig [Balintawak]
• 1951 - Mag-inang Ulila [Royal]
• 1951 - Rosario Cantada [Royal]
• 1951 - Darna [Royal]
• 1951 - Singsing na Sinulid [Royal]
• 1952 - Darna at ang Babaing Lawin [Royal]
• 1952 - Neneng Ko [Lebran]
• 1953 - May Karapatang Isilang [Deegar Cinema Inc.]
• 1954 - May Bakas ang Lumipas [Ace York]

External links