Charito Solis

Rosario Violeta Solís Hernández was born in Manila. At age 19, she was introduced by her uncle, the film director F. H. Constantino to Doña Narcisa de León, the head of LVN Pictures,^[1] who cast her to star in her initial film Niña Bonita,^[1] an adaptation of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night. The film was a success, and marked the beginning of Solís' 43-year career in film, lasting until her death. Solís died on January 9, 1998, in Calamba from cardiac arrest. She was buried at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque.

Solis first appeared in the romantic comedy Niña Bonita (1955), an adaptation of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night, opposite Jaime de la Rosa.^[2] Shot on location at the campus of University of the Philippines, she next starred opposite Leroy Salvador in the romantic musical Charito, I Love You (1956). The following year, Solis starred in Krisalis which became a box-office success.^[3] The same year, she received her first FAMAS Award for Best Actress nomination for her role in the romantic drama Ulilang Bituin opposite Mario Montenegro.^[4] In 1958, Solis next appeared in the family drama Malvarosa. The film competed at the Asian Film Festival, earning her international acclaim after receiving a nomination for Best Actress.^[5] She appeared in two more motion pictures later that year, Villa Milagrosa and Rose Tattoo ng Buhay Ko.^[6] The next two years were banners ones for Solis, winning the FAMAS Award for Best Actress for her roles in Kundiman ng Lahi and Emily.^[7] During this period, she also began appearing in several international productions. Solis starred as the wife of Gautama Buddha in the Japanese historical epic, Buddha (1961).^[8] The following year, she starred in another Japanese film The Princess and I opposite Kojiro Hongo.^[9][10]

Following the closure of LVN Pictures, Solis became a freelancer and starred in numerous films for other major film outfits. In 1962, she next starred opposite Pancho Magalona in the period drama El Filibusterismo, based on the 1891 novel of the same name, by José Rizal.^[11] The following year, Solis starred in two major productions. She was handpicked to star as the titular role in the romantic drama Angustia.^[5][12] Later that year, she played three leading identical characters, each as wife, hostess, and nympho, in the drama Tatlong Mukha ni Pandora.^[13] For her performance, she received two FAMAS Award for Best Actress nominations for her roles in each of the films, winning one for Angustia.^[5]

Solis next starred opposite three leading men, Vic Vargas, Edgar Salcedo, and Ramil Rodriguez in the romantic drama Mga Pag-ibig ni Christine.^[14] She also appeared in three more productions later that year, Ang Tao ay Makasalanan, Kapag Langit ang Umusig and Claudia.^[15][16] Also in 1966, Solis ventured television through the self-titled drama anthology The Charito Solis Show under ABS-CBN.^[17]

Solis reportedly signed a million-peso five year contract with Nepomuceno Productions.^[18] She starred opposite Ric Rodrigo in the romantic drama Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak in 1967 under Nepomuceno Productions. The film was a commercial success and was shown at the Manila Grand Opera House for several months, marking the revival of the production company.^[19] The film was reportedly produced for ₱500,000 and has earned Solis critical acclaim, with Los Angeles Times calling her the "number one star of the Philippine cinema".^[20] The film was also selected as the country’s official entry at the 40th Academy Awards, but fell short of being nominated.^[21] Despite this, Solis and Luis Nepomuceno were invited at the ceremony, becoming the first Filipino artists to attend the award ceremony.

The following year, Solis starred opposite American actors James Shigeta, Alex Nicol, and John Ashley in the war film Manila, Open City.^[22] She next starred as an Igorot maiden in Igorota. The film gave Solis her fourth FAMAS Award for Best Actress win.^[14][23] In 1969, she starred in the melodrama Ang Pulubi, which was competed at the Manila Film Festival, earning her another best actress win.^[24] The following year, Solis played the innocent turned bandit leader in the action drama The Hunted.^[25]

Solis returned to television through the weekly drama anthology Obra Maestra.^[26] She worked closely with the director of the series, Nick Lizaso and went through each of the sequence of the script.^[17] She next starred in the drama film Araw-araw, Gabi-gabi, which was competed at the first ever Metro Manila Film Festival, where she won Best Actress.^[27][24] Solis appeared in two drama productions the following year. She starred opposite Christopher de Leon in the romantic drama Mrs. Teresa Abad Ako Po si Bing, and in the drama Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw.^[28][29] Solis next starred in the romantic drama Walang Katapusang Tag-araw, alongside Eddie Garcia and Mat Ranillo III. Under the direction of Ishmael Bernal, the film was competed at the third Metro Manila Film Festival.^[30]

In 1979, Lino Brocka cast Solis as Paula in the staging of Larawan, which was based on Nick Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. Held at the Dulaang Raha Sulayman, Fort Santiago, she was joined by Lolita Rodriguez and Philip Salvador.^[31] Brocka cast both Solis and Rodriguez later that year in the family drama Ina, Kapatid, Anak. For her performance, Solis won the Gawad Urian for Best Actress.^[32] For the first time since she began her acting career, Solis was cast in a secondary role in the psychological horror Kisapmata. For her performance, she won Best Supporting Actress at the Gawad Urian and Metro Manila Film Festival, her second trophies in each of the award-giving bodies.^[33]

Solis played Ina Magenta, the queen of the world of enkantasya, in the fantasy sitcom series Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!, which also stars Vic Sotto. In 1988, Solis appeared in six film productions. She starred with Mat Ranillo III, who plays the titular role, in the religious biographical Lorenzo Ruiz: The Saint... A Filipino. In the early 1990s, Solis reprised her role as Ina Magenta in the film sequels Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!: The Movie (1991) and Okay Ka, Fairy Ko! II (1992).^[1][34][35]

In January 1998, Solis died because of cardiac arrest. She was 62.

Solis has been described by numerous publications as the Philippines' "Empress of Drama".^[36][37][38] She was voted fourth in S Magazine's "15 Best Actresses of All Time" list while Yes! magazine and the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. included her on their list of "15 Best Filipino Actresses of All Time".^[39][40] Solis also achieved international acclaim for her film work. She was the first Filipino actress to topbill an internationally produced Japanese film with the historical epic Buddha (1961) opposite Kojiro Hongo.^[41]

• List of Filipino actresses
• Cinema of the Philippines
• Television in the Philippines
• Golden Age of Philippine cinema