Leopoldo Salcedo
Encyclopedia
Leopoldo Salcedo was a two-time FAMAS award-winning Filipino
film actor
who specialized in portraying dramatic heroes. Dubbed as "The Great Profile" see his famous profile image here, he was said to be among the first kayumanggi or dark-skinned Filipino film stars, in contrast to the lighter-skinned mestizo actors of his generation.
. In his youth, he had entered the seminary with aspirations towards the priesthood, but he left after a year. Instead, he joined the bodabil
troupe of Lou Borromeo in 1929. By 1934, Salcedo had broken into films, starring in Jose Nepomuceno's Sawing Palad. He was playing leading roles by the late 1930s, and signed up with the newly formed LVN
studio. Among his most prominent roles during this period was as Macario Sakay, in Lamberto Avellana's debut film Sakay (1939).
Film production in the Philippines was halted after the Japanese invasion in 1941, and Salcedo returned to bodabil. He would perform at the Avenue Theater for the duration of the war. Salcedo also engaged in guerilla activities, for which he was incarcerated and released only upon the intercession of Benigno Aquino, Sr.
s, which produced such films as Dalawang Bandila (1950), Talampasan (1953), and Highway 54 (1953). Many of Salcedo's post-war choices in roles tended towards socially relevant dramas. He had intended to produce a film on the life of the Hukbalahap
leader Luis Taruc
. Films such as Bisig ng Mangagawa (1951) and Batong Buhay (Sa Central Luzon) (1950) dealt with labor and agrarian strife. Years later, when he was cited by the Gawad Urian
for its lifetime achievement award, his film career were characterized in this manner:
Salcedo's most famous role came in 1961, when he starred as the titular character in Gerry de Leon's
The Moises Padilla Story
, a film biography of a Negros Occidental
mayoral candidate who in 1951, was tortured and murdered by the private army of the provincial governor after he had refused to withdraw his candidacy. For this role, Salcedo won his first FAMAS Best Actor award. He would win another FAMAS, this time as Best Supporting Actor, in 1976 for his portrayal of a zarzuela actor in Eddie Romero
's Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon
.
Salcedo's film career slowed down in the 1980s. His last film appearance was in Raymond Red's Sakay (1993), where he played the father of the same character he had portrayed 54 years earlier. He had been bedridden for one year before his death in 1998.
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 specialized in portraying dramatic heroes. Dubbed as "The Great Profile" see his famous profile image here, he was said to be among the first kayumanggi or dark-skinned Filipino film stars, in contrast to the lighter-skinned mestizo actors of his generation.
Early life
Salcedo was born in CaviteCavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
. In his youth, he had entered the seminary with aspirations towards the priesthood, but he left after a year. Instead, he joined the 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 of Lou Borromeo in 1929. By 1934, Salcedo had broken into films, starring in Jose Nepomuceno's Sawing Palad. He was playing leading roles by the late 1930s, and signed up with the newly formed LVN
LVN Pictures
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...
studio. Among his most prominent roles during this period was as Macario Sakay, in Lamberto Avellana's debut film Sakay (1939).
Film production in the Philippines was halted after the Japanese invasion in 1941, and Salcedo returned to bodabil. He would perform at the Avenue Theater for the duration of the war. Salcedo also engaged in guerilla activities, for which he was incarcerated and released only upon the intercession of Benigno Aquino, Sr.
Benigno Aquino, Sr.
Benigno Simeon Aquino, Sr. , also known as Benigno S. Aquino or Benigno S. Aquino, Sr., was a Filipino politician who served as Speaker of the Second Philippine Republic National Assembly from 1943 to 1944....
Post-war stardom
After the war ended in 1945, Salcedo starred in such dramas as Capas (1946) and Siete Dolores (1948). In 1950, Salcedo formed his own production company, Leopoldo Salcedo ProductionLeopoldo Salcedo Production
Leopoldo Salcedo Production is a Philippine Movie Outfit formed by actor Leopoldo Salcedo. It has made only a dozen movies including the box office hits Divisoria...Quiapo... and La Roca Trinida....
s, which produced such films as Dalawang Bandila (1950), Talampasan (1953), and Highway 54 (1953). Many of Salcedo's post-war choices in roles tended towards socially relevant dramas. He had intended to produce a film on the life of the Hukbalahap
Hukbalahap
The Hukbalahap , was the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines , formed in 1942 to fight the Japanese Empire's occupation of the Philippines during World War II. It fought a second war from 1946 to 1954 against the pro-Western leaders of their newly independent country...
leader Luis Taruc
Luis Taruc
Luis Taruc was a Filipino political figure and communist insurgent. He was the leader of the Hukbalahap rebel group between 1942 and 1954. His involvement with the movement came after his initiation to the problems of agrarian Filipinos when he was a student in the early 1930s...
. Films such as Bisig ng Mangagawa (1951) and Batong Buhay (Sa Central Luzon) (1950) dealt with labor and agrarian strife. Years later, when he was cited by the Gawad Urian
Gawad Urian Awards
The Gawad Urian Awards are annual film awards in the Philippines held since 1977. It is given by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino and is currently regarded as the counterpart of the United States' New York Film Critics Circle....
for its lifetime achievement award, his film career were characterized in this manner:
[M]ore than just good looks, he was also radical with his characterizations, preferring to portray the politicized and the social outcast, the underdog and enraged sheep while his meztizo confreres chose the dusted tuxedos and the rank perfumes of the music halls. From the very start, his approach to acting has always been to emphasize “being”, to be honest to oneself, to pour one’s heart and soul into the role and to eschew the artificial as this could be magnified several times on the big screen.
Salcedo's most famous role came in 1961, when he starred as the titular character in Gerry de Leon's
Gerardo de León
Gerardo de León was a Filipino actor turned film director, who made his acting debut in the 1934 film Ang Dangal....
The Moises Padilla Story
The Moises Padilla Story
The Moises Padilla Story is a 1961 Philippine drama film directed by Gerardo de León. The film was selected as the Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 34th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee...
, a film biography of a Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...
mayoral candidate who in 1951, was tortured and murdered by the private army of the provincial governor after he had refused to withdraw his candidacy. For this role, Salcedo won his first FAMAS Best Actor award. He would win another FAMAS, this time as Best Supporting Actor, in 1976 for his portrayal of a zarzuela actor in Eddie Romero
Eddie Romero
Eddie Romero is an acclaimed and influential Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter, considered one of the finest in the Cinema of the Philippines.Romero was named National Artist of the Philippines in 2003....
's Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon
Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon
Ganito kami noon, paano kayo ngayon is a 1976 FAMAS award and Gawad Urian award winning Filipino romantic musical drama set in the Spanish colonization era...
.
Salcedo's film career slowed down in the 1980s. His last film appearance was in Raymond Red's Sakay (1993), where he played the father of the same character he had portrayed 54 years earlier. He had been bedridden for one year before his death in 1998.
Personal life
He was married to actress Trinidad "Trining" Salas. They had five children, namely: Cecilia, Ellen, Leopoldo Jr., Edgardo (who later became an famous actor in the 60s) and Cesar (who was brutally murdered in Binakayan, Cavite in 1986).External links
- Leopoldo Salcedo's website (with pictures courtesy of his daughter) - http://www.freewebs.com/leopoldosalcedo/