Fernando Poe, Jr.

Fernando Poe, Jr.
Born	Ronald Allan Kelley Poe August 20, 1939 Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Died	December 14, 2004(2004-12-14) (aged 65) Quezon City, Philippines
Cause of death	Celebral thrombosis and multiple organ failure
Resting place	Manila North Cemetery, Santa Cruz, Manila
Other names	Ronwaldo Reyes Ronnie Da King FPJ Panday Totoy Bato
Years active	1955–2004
Spouse(s)	Susan Roces (m. 1968; his death 2004)
Children	Grace Poe Ronian Poe Lovi Poe
Parent(s)	Fernando Poe, Sr. (father)

Ronald Allan Kelley Poe^[1] (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipino actor. During the latter part of his career, Poe was defeated by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 2004 Philippine presidential elections. His long career as an action film star earned him the nickname "King of Philippine Movies" (often shortened to Da King).

Poe was posthumously declared a National Artist of the Philippines for Film on May 23, 2006 by President Macapagal-Arroyo. The award was confirmed by President Benigno Aquino III on July 20, 2012, and was presented to his family on August 16.^[2]

Early life

Ronald Allan K. Poe was the son of Filipino actor Allan Fernando Poe y Reyes (Fernando Poe, Sr.) and Elizabeth "Bessie" Kelley, an American. He was born in Manila. His parents were not yet legally married when he was born on August 20, 1939, although his parents were later married in 1940. His political opponents tried to derail his bid for the 2004 Philippine presidency when they sought to disqualify him as an illegitimate son of a non-Filipino mother. He was the second among six siblings and it was his brother Andy (Fernando II) who was really named Fernando Poe, Jr. which FPJ later adopted, to bank on the popularity of his father who was a top actor in his time. Conrad Poe, a Filipino actor is FPJ's half-brother, the illegitimate son of the late Fernando Poe Sr. and actress Patricia Mijares.

Pou is the original spelling of the family's surname from his grandfather, playwright Lorenzo Pou, a Catalan migrant from Majorca, Spain, who ventured into mining and business in the Philippines.

Education

In 1953 Poe finished his primary education at San Beda College. For high school, he went to San Sebastian College. He continued his education at Mapua Institute of Technology and University of the East. His father died from rabies at age 35, leaving the young Poe as the family's breadwinner; to support his family, he dropped out of school.

Acting career

Poe dropped out of high school to work in the Filipino film industry as a messenger boy, and was given acting roles in subsequent years.^[3] Starting as a stuntman for Everlasting Pictures, he was given a starring role in the movie Anak ni Palaris (Son of Palaris) at the age of 14. The movie was not a big hit. In 1957 the movie Lo Waist Gang made him popular,^[3] and the film was such a big hit that low-waist pants became a fad.

Known also as FPJ from his initials, Poe acted in a number of movies which depicted him as the champion of the poor and downtrodden. He also directed nine movies, under the pseudonym Ronwaldo Reyes. Reyes originated from the surname of his paternal grandmother, Martha.

He established FPJ productions in 1961 and later organized other film companies such as D'Lanor, JAFERE, and Rosas Productions. In 1963, he testified against criminal gangs, known as the Big Four, who extorted money from the film industry. In 1965, he shared the lead in The Ravagers (in the Philippines this is titled "Only the Brave Know Hell"), a film depicting the United States and the Philippines working together against Japanese war time occupation. The film is considered one of the most influential Filipino films.

Poe won the most best actor awards at the FAMAS. Among the movies that received awards were Mga Alabok ng Lupa (1967), Asedillo (1971), Durugin si Totoy Bato, Umpisahan Mo, Tatapusin Ko (1983), and Muslim Magnum .357 (1987).^[4]

Among his roles were Flavio in the mythical Ang Panday series, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, Dito sa Pitong Gatang and Aguila. His last movie was Pakners which also stars 9-ball billiards champion Efren "Bata" Reyes.

Presidential bid

Fernando Poe Jr., was the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP)'s candidate for the 2004 presidential election. He accepted nomination in December 2003 and was to be the opposition candidate in the Philippines' 2004 presidential election.^[5]

Personal life

Poe married actress Susan Roces (real name: Jesusa Sonora) in a civil wedding in December 1968. They later married in a religious service and among their primary sponsors were then-President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda. Poe and Roces adopted a daughter, former MTRCB Chairman and May 2013 senatorial candidate, Grace Poe. Poe was also partnered with Anna Marin and had one son as Ronian and former actress Rowena Moran has one daughter Lourdes Virginia.

Poe was very reclusive about his personal life. However, in February, 2004, during the presidential campaign, Poe admitted to having fathered two children out of wedlock.^[1][6]

Death and legacy

Poe was admitted to St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City in the evening of December 11, 2004 after complaining of dizziness at a gathering in his production studio during a Christmas party.^[7] He suffered from a stroke and slipped into a coma while being treated for a brain clot. Doctors described his condition as a cerebral thrombosis with multiple organ failure.^[8] He died at the age of 65 on December 14 at 12:01 am, without regaining consciousness.^[8]

Organizers of the nine-day wake claimed numbers as high as two million.^[9] The funeral procession drew tens of thousands who crowded the streets of Quezon City, an event that was reminiscent of the funeral processions of Ninoy Aquino in 1983 and matinee idol Julie Vega in 1985. He was buried in his family plot along with his father and mother in Manila North Cemetery.

On December 14, 2012, eight years after his death, a monument to FPJ was erected at the corner of Roxas Boulevard and Arquiza Street, with widow Susan Roces and daughter Grace Poe attending the unveiling.

In popular culture

• Fernando Poe Jr. inspired a generation of television and movie impersonators, both serious and comedic. His movie role as the 'Pinoy Robin Hood' and 'People's Champion' in most of his films have repeatedly been clichéd by Filipino action films for years to come.
• TV host-comedian Joey De Leon parodied FPJ and his iconic film persona (most notably the character of Flavio in "Ang Panday") in many cameo and starring roles. In the comedy-hit movie "She-Man, Mistress of the Universe", FPJ himself appeared in character (as Flavio) and made a memorable cameo appearance to rescue "Pandoy" (De Leon's character name) against his enemies. Ironically, De Leon in his Starzan character from the film of the same name made a cameo appearance in FPJ's film "May Isang Tsuper ng Taxi" asking the latter to take him to the forest.
• In 2009 Robin Padilla portrayed one of Poes iconic characters in film in the television adaptation of Carlo J Caparas' Totoy Bato for GMA-7 the film has had three sequels in film.
• FPJ is known for his long sideburns which his iconic and signature hairstyle in the Philippines.
• His 1997 film Ang Probinsyano has been remade by ABS-CBN into a television series.^[10][11]

Filmography

See also

• Presidential candidacy of Fernando Poe, Jr.

References

External links

• Fernando Poe, Jr. at the Internet Movie Database
• Article about his presidential bid
• Opinion Article on the man
• Article and photos on his funeral
• GMA NEWS.TV, Susan Roces leads rites for FPJ death anniversary 12/14/2007, 11:30 AM

National Artists of the Philippines Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas Architecture 1973 Juan Nakpil 1976 Pablo Antonio 1990 Leandro Locsin 2003 Ildefonso P. Santos, Jr. 2014 Jose Maria Zaragosa Cinema 1982 Gerardo de León 1991 Ishmael Bernal 1997 Lino Brocka 2003 Eddie Romero 2006 Fernando Poe, Jr. 2009 Manuel Conde Dance 1973 Francisca R. Aquino 1976 Leonor Orosa 1988 Lucrecia Reyes 2006 Ramon Obusan 2014 Alice Reyes Fashion 2006 Ramon Valera Historical literature 1997 Carlos Quirino Literature 1973 Jose Garcia Villa 1973 Amado V. Hernandez 1976 Nick Joaquin 1982 Carlos P. Romulo 1990 Francisco Arcellana 1990 N. V. M. Gonzalez 1992 Rolando Tinio 1999 Edith Tiempo 2001 F. Sionil José 2003 Virgilio S. Almario 2003 Alejandro Roces 2006 Bienvenido Lumbera 2009 Lazaro Francisco 2014 Cirilo F. Bautista Music 1973 Antonio Molina 1976 Jovita Fuentes 1987 Atang de la Rama 1988 Antonio Buenaventura 1988 Lucrecia Kasilag 1991 Lucio D. San Pedro 1997 Levi Celerio 1997 Felipe de Leon 1997 José Maceda 1999 Ernani Cuenco 1999 Andrea Veneracion 2014 Ramon Santos 2014 Francisco Feliciano Theater and films 1976 Lamberto V. Avellana 1997 Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero 1997 Rolando Tinio 1999 Daisy Avellana 2001 Severino Montano 2003 Salvador Bernal Visual arts 1972 Fernando Amorsolo 1973 Botong Francisco 1973 Guillermo Tolentino 1976 Napoleon Abueva 1976 Victorio C. Edades 1981 Vicente Manansala 1990 Cesar Legaspi 1991 Hernando R. Ocampo 1997 Arturo R. Luz 1999 J. Elizalde Navarro 2001 Ang Kiukok 2003 José T. Joya 2006 BenCab Cabrera 2006 Abdulmari Asia Imao 2009 Federico Aguilar Alcuaz 2014 Francisco Coching National Commission for Culture and the Arts Cultural Center of the Philippines National Arts Center