36 Facts About Dolphy

Dolphy is widely regarded as the country's "King of Comedy" for his comedic talent embodied by his long roster of works on stage, radio, television and movies.

Dolphy's parents were married on July 14,1925, in Malate, Manila.

Dolphy's father, Melencio Espinosa Quizon, was a ship engine worker from Bulacan stationed in the Atlantic Gulf.

Dolphy's mother, Salud de la Rosa Vera, was a seamstress and a schoolteacher.

Dolphy attended Magat Salamat Elementary School and Isabelo de los Reyes Elementary School until seventh grade.

Dolphy did odd jobs including shining shoes, attaching buttons at a pants factory, sorting bottles by size, working as a stevedore at the pier, trading, and driving a calesa.

Dolphy starred in his first film when he was 19 with Fernando Poe Sr.

Dolphy joined the program Wag Naman, which starred Pancho Magalona, Tessie Quintana, and Baby Jane.

Dolphy acted in the comic book adaptation Jack en Jill with Rogelio de la Rosa and Lolita Rodriguez in 1954.

Dolphy was not the first choice for the role, for which Batotoy and Bayani Casimiro had been considered.

Dolphy said the movie established him as an actor, because he played a gay character, when they were not recognized.

The first time Dolphy played a serious role was in a 4-in-1 drama movie with Barbara Perez, who played a blind girl, in the segment inspired by Charlie Chaplin's movie City Lights.

Dolphy acted in Tansan The Mighty, and its sequel Tansan vs Tarzan.

Dolphy left ABS-CBN when it was shuttered following the proclamation of Martial Law in September 1972, moving to GMA Network since Buhay Artista moved to RBS-7 from December 1972 to early 1974.

From 1965 to 1966, Dolphy made a minimum of 15 spy film parodies.

Also in 1966, Dolphy starred in another 19 parody films.

Dolphy first met Valdez in a basketball court and brought him to the press conference so Roces could see him.

Dolphy brought Ronaldo to a barber shop, bought him a pair of boots at Glenmore and lent him his suit.

When Dolphy presented him to Roces again, she said, "I prefer him now", not realizing that he was the same person he had introduced earlier.

Dolphy explained that when Sampaguita closed he thought he should produce his own films.

Dolphy started with a film adaptation of the sitcom Buhay Artista, a box office success.

That year, Dolphy acted in the Dancing Master follow-up Superhand: Shadow of the Dancing Master and Dolphy's Angels.

In 1981, Dolphy starred in Stariray, Da Best In Da West, and Dancing Masters 2.

That year Dolphy acted in Agent 00, starring Weng Weng.

In 2001, Dolphy played another gay character, this time with his sons Eric Quizon and Jeffrey Quizon playing the same character at three different stages in life.

Also that year, Dolphy made a movie with Comedy Box Office King Vic Sotto in a comedy movie, Dobol Trobol, a movie where Dolphy played a chef and Vic a hotel resident manager.

In 2009, Dolphy was cast as a retired senior citizen in Chicago who wanted to watch Wowowee in Manila entitled Nobody Nobody But.

Also in 2009, Dolphy was nominated to receive the Order of National Artists, "the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts".

In 2012, Dolphy was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Also that year, Dolphy was recognized as Outstanding Manilan by the Manila City Government.

Araneta noted that Dolphy grew up in Manila, where he began his showbiz career as a dancer at the Avenue, Lyric and Orient theaters.

Dolphy had said that he would likely start a blog if only he were literate in browsing the Internet.

Dolphy had high regards with the presidency of Corazon Aquino, referring to her as an "asset" for the Filipinos.

Dolphy declined to enter politics despite repeated entreaties to do so.

Dolphy died on July 10,2012,20:34, at the age of 83, just 15 days before his 84th birthday due to multiple organ failure, secondary to complications brought on by pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure.

Dolphy is the only artist in the country awarded with Best Actor and Actress for a single role in the film Markova: The Comfort Gay.