The Superstardom - "...Kapwa nagsimula sina Rudy at Lito sa pa-extra-extra. Wika nga, they both started from scratch. Kahit na may mga kamag-anak silang nauna sa kanila sa movies, they began from the bottom and struggled their way up to the ranks of superstardom. Matagal na nagtiyaga si Rudy sa pagiging extra at bit player. Naging second lead siya ni Nora Aunor sa Wanted Dead or Alive at naging rapist pa nga ni Lorna Tolentino sa Leap Year Ngayon, Lagot ka, Pipikutin kita na kung saan si Christopher de Leon ang leading man ni Lorna. Nabigyan si Rudy ng kanyang pinakamalaking break sa pelikulang Bitayin si Baby Ama na pinagtambalan nila ng babaing naging ina ni Mark Anthony, si Alma Moreno. Nagkasunod-sunod na ang mga pelikula ni Rudy pagkatapos nito....Marami rin namang pelikulang ginawa si Rudy na hindi malilimutan noong panahong iyon, halimbawa'y ang Salonga (ang ikalawang pelikulang batay sa buhay ng Tondo kingpin na si Asiong Salonga), Maynila 1970, Panganib Araw at Gabi, at Anak sa Una, Kasal sa Ina. Nang magkahiwalay sila ni Alma at mapaugnay siya Kay Lorna Tolentino, sinasabing muling nagkaroon ng sigla, ng panibagong ningning ang career ni Rudy. Naging nominado siya sa Urian at Famas best actor awards para sa Pepeng Shotgun. nagkasunod-sunod ang kanyang box office hits gaya ng Kahit Ako'y Lupa, Nueve de Pebrero, Kumander Kris, Boy Condenado, Kumander Elpidio Paclibar at Get My Son, Dead or Alive..." - Mario E. Bautista, Movie Flash Magazine, March 24, 1983 (READ MORE)
Bankable Star - "...Then came Rudy Fernandez, the current heart throb of many lonely hearts. His coming was not much of a bang. In fact, naghintay muna siya ng kaunting panahong pinamulaklakan ng pagtitiyaga, pagpapakasakit at paghihirap. But in the end, Rudy came out the victor. Now he’s one of the few-in-demand, most sought-after action stars of the country. It was in MBM Pictures’ “Bitayin Si Baby Ama” where Rudy made people recognize his potential as an actor of the first order. Hindi lamang bilang aktor kundi bilang isang box office drawer na matatawag ngayong one of the bankable stars of Philippine movies. Na ang ibig sabihin nito, basta pelikula ni Rudy Fernandez ay puwede nang iutang sa bangko. Dahil sa maaasahan nga ito sa takilya. Lalong tumingkad ang pangalang Rudy Fernandez nang ito’y nai-link sa isa pang maluningning na pangalan sa pelikulang lokal na si Alma Moreno. Naging maganda ang kanilang team hindi lamang sa pelikula kundi maging sa tunay na buhay. Ang totoo nga ay nagkaroon din ng ugnayan ang dalawa at nagkaroon pa nga sila ng isang anak na si Mark Anthony. Ngayon, split na muna ang dalawa at si Rudy ay nag-iisa ngayon sa kanyang magarang bahay sa White Plains, Quezon City. Meanwhile, Rudy’s movie career is continuously riding high and as the years go by ay lalong naging established actor itong poging anak ng nasirang direktor na si Yoyong Fernandez. Kunsabagay, hindi dapat pagtakhan ito. Nasa kanyang dugo ang dugo ng mga Padilla, isa sa mga pangunahing angkan sa pelikulang Pilipino. At nasa dugo pa rin niya ang dugo ng mga Fernandez na tulad ng mga Padilla ay may talino’t kakayahan ding taglay. Hindi yata basta direktor ang kanyang ama....At that, Rudy Fernandez can well be the star, nay, as the actor to contend with. In fact, he almost romped away with the FAMAS Best Actor Award for his brilliant portrayal of the title role in “Star?” of Agrix Films but lost out by a mere point to Mat Ranillo III in 1978. And again, the following year, 1979, Rudy was once more a strong contender for the same category but lost out eventually to Fernando Poe, Jr. by a few votes..." - Ross F. Celino, Jr., Jingle Extra Hot Movie Entertainment Magazine, April 20, 1981 (READ MORE)
Peace-Loving Nature - "...One time, we missed him by a few minutes when he went to the National Press Club to settle a spat with another movie star through the intercession of our friend, then NPC president Marcelo Lagmay and former FAMAS president Rudy Salandanan. The misunderstanding between the movie actors was resolved, all right. Which reflected to peace-loving nature of Daboy — he went out of his way to settle a row. He had a soft heart for the small people, too. Consider: In one of those times when I dropped by the Press Club, I was thanked by some of the NPC employees for supposed Christmas gifts to them. When I asked them about it, they pointed to the sacks of rice which they said came from Rudy Fernandez, thinking that it was us. Actually, I used to contribute cash gifts for the NPC employees during Christmas but not in kind. I told them that the sacks of rice did not come from us. When the NPC staff rechecked the gift’s accompanying letter, they noted that it was the movie actor and his lovely wife Lorna who sent the rice...." - Rudy A. Fernandez (READ MORE)
Rodolfo "Rudy" Valentino Padilla Fernandez, screen name Rudy Fernandez (March 3, 1952 – June 7, 2008), also known as "Daboy", was a multi-awarded Filipino actor and producer. He came to prominence as an action star in the Philippine cinema during the 1980s up to the early 1990s. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)
Rudy Fernandez and Vilma Santos
Payaso (1986) - "...The 1986 Metro Manila Film Festival was considered the worst in the 12-year history of the annual 10-day festival of local movies. For the first time, it did not give out the traditional first and second best picture awards. Two other categories--- best story and best screenplay were not also given. "No one of the seven entries deserved these awards," according to Tingting Cojuangco, one of the jurors..." - J C Nigado (READ MORE)
Makahiya at Talahib (1977) - "...Ang pangalawang taon ng MMFF (1976) ay ginawa ng Disyembre (itinapat sa araw ng Pasko) para daw mas marami ang makapanood lalo na ang mga bata ng mga pelikulang Tagalog. Ang pelikulang "Makahiya At Talahib" ang panlaban nina Vilma Santos at Rudy Fernandez samantalang ang kay Nora ay ang pelikulang "Minsa'y Isang Gamu-Gamo." Dito sa pelikulang Makahiya At Talahib ay binayaran daw si Vilma ng Php 100,000 kahit hindi siya ang nag-dub ng pelikula kundi si Laura Hermosa...." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)
Mga Reynang Walang Trono (1976) - "...To recall, the senior and junior movie queens appeared in these movies: Bulaklak at Paru-paro (1970), Mga Reynang Walang Trono(1976) and Asawa Ko, Huwag Mong Agawin (1986). Amalia directed Vilma’s episode in Mga Reyna and agreed to second billing to Vilma in Asawa Ko. No doubt about it, Amalia Muhlach Sumilang Fuentes, is a Vilmanian. To seal their sisterhood and camaraderie, Vilma is Ninang to Liezl Martinez and to the latter’s son Alfonso. Why, Liezl even sang a song ’’Wind Beneath My Wings’ to her surprised mother that night which drove the strong-willed and still beautiful Amalia to tears. A Kodak moment, indeed. Priceless! While interviewing the three Muhlach generations, Fuentes, Liezl and young daughter Aliyanna, Amalia revealed to Vilma that she is protective of her ’unica hija’ Liezl. ”Ay naku, I think I also have become like my Mom, I’m also very protective of my children,” Liezl remarks..." - Mario O. Garces (READ MORE)
Bertang Kerengkeng (1976) - "...Isa sa mga minimithi noon ni Atty. Esperidion Laxa bago siya magretiro bilang prodyuser ay mapagtambal niya sina Vi at Rudy Fernandez. Subali't paano pa niya ito magagawa samantalang wala na si Rudy. Eniwey si Vi at Rudy ay nagkasama naman sa mga pelikulang Vilma & The Beep Beep Minica (1974), Ibong Lukaret (1975), Mga Reynang Walang Trono (1976), Bertang Kerengkeng(1976) at Makahiya at Talahib (1976). Nagkasabay silang maging FAMAS best actress at best actor noong 1987, si Vi sa pelikulang Tagos Ng Dugo....si Rudy naman ay sa pelikulang Victor Corpus. Sa 1998 FAP awards ay magkasabay din silang pinarangalan bilang best actress at best actor.....si Vi sa pelikulang Bata, Bata Paano Ka Ginawa?.....si Rudy sa pelikulang Birador..." - Alfonso Valencia (READ MORE)
Dugo at pag-ibig sa kapirasong lupa (1975) - "...A Must for the Filipino History Students and for everyone who wants to awaken the innate nationalism in them. These series of stories depicting the fight of the Filipinos against colonialism of Spain, Japan and even their fellow Filipinos abusing the power in the government. A seemingly serious film but spiced with the star-studded cast like Fernando Poe Jr., Ramon Revilla, Joseph Estrada, Nora Aunor, Dante Rivero, Eddie Garcia, Vic Vargas, Goerge Estregan and the other all time favorite artists. This movie even highlighted the comparison between the love of country and the other kind of love we offer to our family and to our beloved as the story featured love stories in the midst of tragic and bloody war happening in our society..." - Kabayan Central (READ MORE)
Ibong lukaret (1975) - "...1975 was another productive year for Vilma Santos as she did nine films mostly title roles like Vilma Viente Nueve, Darna Vs the Planet Women, and Ibong Lukaret. It was the “prep” stage for the years to come as she was given more mature roles like the local festival entry, “Karugtong ang Kahapon” and Celso Ad Castillo’s “Tag-ulan sa Tag-araw.” Tagulan was the first film of Vilma and Christopher De Leon. While Vilma was testing the water for more serious mature projects, Ishmael Bernal decided to return to his original forte, drama, after years of doing light comedies and television work. He came up with “Mister Mo, Lover boy Ko” and “Lumapit, Lumayo Ang Umaga.” Both films featured sexy star, Elizabeth Oropeza..." - RV (READ MORE)
Dugo at pag-ibig sa kapirasong lupa (1975) - "...A Must for the Filipino History Students and for everyone who wants to awaken the innate nationalism in them. These series of stories depicting the fight of the Filipinos against colonialism of Spain, Japan and even their fellow Filipinos abusing the power in the government. A seemingly serious film but spiced with the star-studded cast like Fernando Poe Jr., Ramon Revilla, Joseph Estrada, Nora Aunor, Dante Rivero, Eddie Garcia, Vic Vargas, Goerge Estregan and the other all time favorite artists. This movie even highlighted the comparison between the love of country and the other kind of love we offer to our family and to our beloved as the story featured love stories in the midst of tragic and bloody war happening in our society..." - Kabayan Central (READ MORE)
Vilma and the Beep Beep Minica (1974) - "...She was also a hit in “Dyesebel” and the thrillers “Takbo, Vilma, Dali” and “Hatinggabi Na, Vilma.” She also did other fantasy films like “Phantom Lady,” “Vivian Volta,” “Wonder Vi,” and “Vilma and the Beep Beep Minica..." - Mario Bautista (READ MORE)
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