Jose Nepomuceno

Biography

José Nepomuceno (15 May 1893 - 1 December 1959) was a Filipino movie producer and director acknowledged as the "Father of Philippine Movies." He married Isabel Acuña. They had eight children, among whom are child actors Lubin and Angelito Nepomuceno, and Luis Nepomuceno, who became a film director. He was born to Jose Nepomuceno and Teofila Zialcita. He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from San Beda College. He took up electrical engineering at the Ateneo de Manila and finished a course in fine arts at the University of the Philippines. He became an accredited correspondent for Pathe News and Paramount News of Hollywood. He acquired experience in his career by making documentaries and newsreels on various local topics. He also made English and Spanish subtitles for films which were then imported from Europe. He was a photographer and proprietor of his photo studio Electro-Photo-Studio Parhelio which became the biggest and most expensive in the country. He later sold it and founded Malayan Movies in 1917. After two years of experimentation and training, he made Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden), 1919. It was the first Filipino-produced feature film. He also made La venganza de Don Silvestre (The Vengeance of Don Silvestre), 1919 Un cupullo marchito (A Withered Bud), 1920 Hoy o nunca besame (Kiss Me Now or Never), 1923 La mariposa negra (Black Beauty), 1923 Tatlong Hambog (Three Bragarts), 1926; starred Luis Tuason and Elizabeth Cooper who did the fist kissing scene in the local movie industry. Punyal na Ginto (Golden Dagger), 1933 The following films dominated the first years of the talkies Doktor Kuba (Doctor Hunchback), 1933 Sawing Palad (The Loser), 1934 Santong Diablo (Sainted Devil), 1936 As he was constantly plagued by lack of capital, Nepomuceno was producer, storyteller, scriptwriter, cameraman, labman, art director, film editor, distributor, and exhibitor of his films. His home and studios burned down in 1921 and 1923 but he never gave up. He formed Malayan Pictures, 1923 Nepomuceno Productions, 1932 Nepomuceno-Harris-Tait partnership, 1933 Parlatone Hispano-Filipino Inc, 1935 X'Otic Films, 1938 Polychrome Motion Pictures, 1946 He shared his skills with other pioneering producers like Vicente Salumbides and Julian Manansala. Among the talents whom he discovered and developed were Atang de la Rama Leopoldo Salcedo Gerardo de Leon Mary Walter Gregorio Fernandez Rogelio de la Rosa Rosa del Rosario Fernando Poe, Sr. Remigio Young [[Corazon Noble Armando Crisostomo Nita Carmona Domingo Principe Tita Duran Celia Marcaida Naty Fernandez Elsa Oria Lucita Goyena Angel Esmeralda Dolly Garcia Filmography Director Dalagang Bukid ("Country Maiden") (1919) La Venganza de Don Silvestre (1920) Un Capullo Marchito (1920) The Three Humbugs (1926) Ang Manananggal (1927) Hot Kisses (1927) The Filipino Woman (1927) Ang Lumang Simbahan ("The Old Church") (1928) The Pearl of the Markets (1929) Sa Landas ng Pag-ibig ("The Path of Love") (1929) Child Out of Wedlock (1930) Noli Me Tángere (1930) The Young Nun (1931) The Secret Pagan God (1931) Moro Pirates (1931) At Heaven's Gate (1932) Stray Flowers (1932) Punyal na Ginto ("Golden Dagger") (1933) Producer The Three Humbugs (1926) La mujer Filipina (1927) Writer Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak (1967)