The Dressmaker - "...From Tiya Dely's account, we learned that the late movie queen was a dressmaker before she auditioned to become a radio singer. "She finished dressmaking at MAFFEI Fashion School," Magpayo, 84, said. "She was so scared during her audition that she ran from the studio after her number." Rosales was already a young housewife whe she was offered by an independent movie producer to star in "Mahiwagang Binibini," based on the sarswela "Ang Kiri," which zarswela queen and National Artist for Music and Arts Atang dela Rama originally starred in. After the success of her first starrer, Rosales became a contract star of Sampaguita Pictures, the company that made her the undisputed movie queen during the pre/post war era. "Arimunding Munding," "Takipsilim" (her first team-up with Rogelio dela Rosa), "Senorita," "Colegiala" and "Lambingan" are only a few of the movies she made before the war...Never before heard anecdotes about Rosales were likewise related by film industry leader and producer Marichu Vera Perez-Maceda. Maceda, quoting an old magazine article, explained how Rosales became a heroine during the war: "Carmen's husband, Ramon Novales, was killed by the Japanese. So she joined the guerrilla movement and actually participated in encouters with the enemies. There was an incident when the actress, proving she was a sharpshooter, felled a makapili (traitor)." Maceda said the Japanese Imerial Army found it difficult to persuade Carmen to star in "Tatlong Maria." She was told that all the people in a village in Pangasinan would be killed if she did not accept the offer. Of course, the actress gave in. This could be the reason two Pangasinan towns were named after her, Carmen and Rosales..." - Ernie Pecho, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Mar 13, 2005 (READ MORE)
La Rosales' Temper - "...Her career spanned five generations of stars and superstars, in this wise: pre-war years – Rosa del Rosario, Rogelio de la Rosa, Leopoldo Salcedo, Jose Padilla, Jr., Fernando Poe, Sr., Angel Esmeralda, Ely Ramos, Corazon Noble, Mona Lisa, Rosario Moreno, Arsenia Francisco, Elsa Oria, Rudy Concepcion, Norma Blancaflor and Paraluman; second generation – Anita Linda, Lilia Dizon, Celia Flor, Lillian Leonardo, Alicia Vergel, Erlinda Cortes, Linda Estrella, Rebecca Gonzales; third generation – Gloria Romero, Nida Blanca, Delia Razon, Nestor de Villa, Tessie Quintana, Charito Solis, Edna Luna, Ric Rodrigo, Rita Gomez, Eddie Rodriguez, Ramon Revilla; fourth generation – Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Marlene Dauden, Barbara Perez, Lita Gutierrez, Mina Aragon, Daisy Romualdez, Romeo Vasquez, Eddie Gutierrez, Jose Mari, Liberty Ilagan, Bernard Bonnin; fifth generation – Josephine Estrada, Rosemarie, Gina Pareño, Blanca Gomez, Loretta Marquez, and others. Carmen’s last movie was Gintong Recuerdo produced in early 1965. She co-starred with the then “Stars ‘66” of SPI. She was still billed above the title, ahead of her co-stars. But Mameng’s most memorable movies, today considered as classics of Philippine movies, in point of prestige and box-office records are Arimunding-munding, Señorita, Probinsiyana, Ang Guerrilyera, Takip-Silim, Debutante, Maalaala Mo Kaya, MN, Kamay Ng Diyos (directed by Eddie Romero), Hindi Kita Malimot, Sandra and Inspirasiyon. The last-mentioned movie won her a FAMAS Best Actress trophy in 1953. Like most artists any where in the world, La Rosales also had a “temper” on the set. “I hate co-stars who arrive late on the set. I arrive early or on time fully made-up,” she said. “I also hate scene-stealers. Kapag frame mo, kahit extra ka lang sa pelikula, e ibibigay ko. Pero kapag frame ko na, you better give what is due me!” But she is a natural scene-stealer. She can steal a scene with just a wink or movement of her eyes – this according to the late Doc Perez..." - Manny B. Fernandez, Pelikula, Atbp. (READ MORE)
The First Bona fide Movie Queen - "...She quit toward the mid-’60s because she wasn’t getting any younger and had to throw in the towel (she had been on top since the pre-war). However, she kept the public interested in her by being a recluse, a la Greta Garbo and everyone kept speculating about her (did she age gracefully or was she in dire straits?). She refused interviews for both print and television and that all the more added to her mystique. For about a quarter of a century, she kept everyone guessing how she looked by hiding (no photographs, please!) from public view. Oh, she would be seen in Uni-Mart from time to time, but it was only people of her generation who recognized her, or maybe they didn’t anymore. The last image moviegoers had of her was when she was still a glamorous movie queen, and she kept it that way. She agreed to a VTR shoot for the FAMAS in 1983, but on the condition that it was just going to be a silhouette shot. But before she passed away in December 1991, she allowed herself to be interviewed by German Moreno and Inday Badiday in 1987 and the curious finally saw how age had caught up with her (she looked like a glamorous grandmother). But the mystery that she allowed to envelop her lustrous Carmen Rosales: First bona fide local movie queenname worked to her favor for more than 25 years and to this day, she is still regarded as the first bona fide movie queen of the local big screen..." - Butch Francisco, The Star, 09 Oct 2010 (READ MORE)
Related to Vi and Chato - "...Si Mameng ay Carmen Keller sa tunay na buhay, bunso sa apat na magkakapatid. “Ang mother ko ay Constantino ang apelyido kaya’t kamag-anak ko sina Charito Solis at Vilma Santos. Constantino ang lola ni Vilma at gan’on din ang lola ni Charito. Kamag-anak ko rin ang direktor na si Felicing Constantino.” Sa ngayon ay masaya na raw siya sa takbo ng kanyang buhay. “Kinatutuwaan ko ngayon ang mag-alaga ng mga manok,” aniya. May mga limang manok nga kaming nakita sa paligid. Parang pets ang pagtingin niya sa mga ito. Ang isang puting tandang ay mabulas ang tindig at pinangalanan niya ng Peter. “Mabagsik ‘yan,” kuwento niya. “’Yan ang watchdog ko rito.” Nang dumating nga kami ay agad itong sumugod at akmang manunuka kundi pinigilan ng katulong. Busy rin si Mameng sa pagtatatag ng bible reading at charismatic movement sa pook nila. “Satisfied ako sa buhay ko at masaya ako sa paggawa ng mga gawaing bahay,” dagdag pa niya. Hindi na ba siya muling magka-comeback sa pelikula? “Last year, may offer sa ‘kin si Atty. Laxa ng Tagalog Ilang-Ilang. Pero tinaasan ko talaga ang presyo ko. Sabi naman niya sa ‘kin, “I cannot blame you, Mameng. You really deserve that much.” Pero ngayon, naisip kong ayoko na talagang bumalik pa sa pelikula. I retired while I was still on top at mataas pa ang rate ko. Gusto kong maging maganda ang alaala kong maiiwan sa publiko. Wala na naman akong dapat pang patunayan kahit kanino..." - Mario E. Bautista, Jingle Extra Hot Magazine (READ MORE)
The biography of Carmen Rosales - "...The Second Lady, Dra. Elenita Binay, and the queen of Philippine movies, Susan Roces, were the guests of honor at the launch March 1 of the biography of Carmen Rosales, “Carmen Rosales: Hindi Kita Malimot,” published by Danny Dolor and written by Manny Fernandez. The launch was held at the Silangan Restaurant of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which gave guests a spectacular view of Manila Bay and sunset. CCP president delivered the opening remarks and was even prevailed upon to play on the piano two songs identified with Carmen. Rachelle Gerodias and Lemuel de la Cruz sang the themes of three Carmen movies, “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “Hindi Kita Malimot,” and “Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig,” which is the title of the biography, a tribute to the pre-war and post-war movie queen. The book contains rare photos of Carmen and her films, many of them never before published, truly a collector’s copy, available at the CCP bookstore. Movie personalities, socialites, educators, mediamen, among many others attended the book launch. The author, Manny Fernandez, and his wife Aida, flew all the way from Louisiana to grace the event..." - Malaya (READ MORE)
Januaria Keller (1918–1991) was a noted pre-WWII Filipina actress better known as Carmen Rosales and Mameng and is noted for her skill in acting and sweet voice. A native of Pangasinan born to American father and Ilocana mother, Rosales' film debut was in the 1938 movie Ang Kiri which she made a double to Atang dela Rama. When her friend brought her to Quisumbing the man rejected Rosales because the young woman did not have an aura of an actress. But she became the most famous Filipina actress of the 1940s and 1950s and rivaled Rosa del Rosario at the box-office. She is famous for her sweet voice and recorded numerous songs. Rosales made her first debut in Ang Kiri aka The Flirt under Diwata Pictures. She starred in her first leading role opposite Jose Padilla Jr in Arimunding-Munding 1939. She became the most bankable star in Sampaguita Pictures and the highest paid actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Her unforgettable roles as a martyr lover of Rogelio dela Rosa in Maalaala Mo Kaya 1954 and a club-singer in Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig. She got her first Famas Award in 1954 via Inspirasyon opposite Van de Leon and a strict auntie in 1960 movie Estela Mondragon. She garnered fame in a hacendera role in Pablo Gomez's version of MN. Her last appearance was in Inday Badiday's Eye to Eye. Arguably, she was the undisputed and lone reigning Queen of Philippine Movies in the 40s. Her films, topbilled by her, were once vehicles that ushered the emerging popularity of Gloria Romero, Amalia Fuentes and Susan Roces, who all later became movie queens themselves decades after. Her royalty has been immortalized by naming a barrio in Rosales, Pangasinan after her, now currently divided into two barangays, Carmen East and Carmen West. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
Related Reading:
