"AKO ANG KATARUNGAN" (1962): WISH LIST # 37

National Artist for Film, the great Gerardo 'Gerry' de Leon directed the young FPJ in this 1962 action-drama, Ako ang Katarungan. The famed director also directed him in other movies like Kamay ni Cain, Bicol Express, Apollo Robles and Walls of Hell.

Ako ang Katarungan (1962)- Stars Fernando Poe, Jr., Van de Leon, Lou Salvador, Jr., Adorable Liwanag, Oscar Keesee and Paraluman/ Directed by Gerardo 'Gerry' De Leon

In the 60s, Taliba, a daily Pilipino broadsheet newspaper ran a series of so-called Sine Komiks, featuring upcoming Tagalog movies--- some sort of a movie preview or a teaser--- one way to promote movies that time.

SEPTEMBER 14, 1949: FIRE BURNS FERNANDO POE'S HOUSE, FILM VAULT

Re-posted from Video 48 site dated August 17, 2010:

In 1949, the residence of Fernando Poe Sr. was gutted by a huge fire which started at the film vault located behind the house. Jenny, elder Poe's three year-old daughter almost got killed. Ronald Allan Poe, popularly known as FPJ, was only 10 years old that time. He mentioned in one article interview that the vault flew 20 meters away from the house when it exploded and saw film reels spinning all over the place like flying saucers.

Those are millions of pesos worth of property lost. New generations of film lovers may have been deprived of seeing these precious cinematic gems.

From the front page of the Manila Times, here's the full account of that incident---

September 14, 1949--- Two fires broke out last night within two hours of each other, the first in the residence of Fernando Poe, movie actor-producer, in Grace Park and the second in the Allied Artists Productions, at 2235 Azcarraga. Both fires were place under control half an hour after the arrival of firemen.

Fernando Poe’s 3 year-old daughter, Jenny, sustained minor burns in the arms and back when she was locked up in the bathroom of Poe’s residence, on F. Sevilla and 3rd Avenue, Grace Park, which was the scene of the fire that broke out at 7:30 last night from stored movie films. Damage remained undetermined at press time.

Mrs. Marta Reyes Poe, mother of the movie actor and producer, told the police that they were all eating when the fire was suddenly noticed from the film vault behind the house. Poe’s wife, Mrs. Bessie Kelly-Poe, rushed her daughter Jenny to the family doctor, Dra. Estudita Ramos, who treated the girl at the St. Anthony’s hospital. It was however, Jenny’s uncle, Jose Samson, who braved the fire and rescued her from the bathroom, where she had earlier locked herself to take a bath.

"...AT SILA'Y DUMATING" (1967): WISH LIST# 36

"...At Sila'y Dumating" (1967)- Stars Fernando Poe, Jr., Bob Soler, Paquito Diaz, Lito Anzures, Victor Bravo, Manolo Robles, Vic Varrion, Mario Escudero, Vic Yematsu, Resty Sandel/ with Monica and Teresita Sonora/ Directed by Teodorico C. Santos

"MANO-MANO" (1964): WISH LIST # 35

In 1964, two kings in their respective field appeared together for the first time in "Mano-Mano." Fernando Poe, Jr., the King of Philippine Movies teamed up with Boxing King, Flash Elorde, then the reigning World Junior Lightweight champion in this action-packed movie. The two met for the first time in 1962 when FPJ did "Apollo Robles." (see Da King Meets Da Flash)

"Mano-Mano" (1964)- Stars Fernando Poe, Jr., Flash Elorde, Paquito Diaz, Lito Anzures, Pablo Virtuoso, Dencio Padilla, Victor Bravo, Vic Varrion and Rebecca & Mila Montanez/ Directed by Edren Reyes

"HANGGANG MAY BUHAY" (1966): WISH LIST # 34

"Hanggang May Buhay" (1966)- Stars Fernando Poe, Jr., Helen Gamboa, Jose Romulo, Lito Anzures, Victor Bravo, Bert Olivar, Manolo Robles, Vic Varrion, Mario Escudero, Resty Sandel/ with Pedro Faustino, Mary Walter, Angelo Ventura/ Directed by D'Lanor