Gerardo de León

Gerardo de Leon (12 September 1913 – 25 July 1981) was a Filipino film director and actor. He was posthumously conferred as a National Artist of the Philippines for Film in 1982.

Biography De Leon, who was born Gerardo Ilagan, was a member of the Ilagan clan of Philippine motion pictures, which includes Robert Arevalo, Conrado Conde, Angel Esmeralda, Eddie Ilagan, musical scorer Tito Arévalo, and his daughter Liberty Ilagan. De Leon was a medical doctor by profession, but his ultimate love for film won him over. He made his acting debut in the 1934 film Ang Dangal. He acted in eight other films before becoming a director. The first film he directed was Bahay-Kubo (1939), starring Fely Vallejo, an actress whom he later married.

De Leon produced a number of anti-American propaganda films during World War II, in collaboration with the occupying Japanese forces and Japanese director Yutaka Abe, who personally chose De Leon for the projects. De Leon was arrested and charged with treason after the Japanese were defeated, and was almost executed by the Filipino government. But at the last minute, he was pardoned when evidence came to light that all during the war, he had secretly assisted the Filipino resistance as well.

Nicknamed "Manong", de Leon is the most awarded film director in the history of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences' FAMAS Awards. From 1952 to 1971, he was awarded seven FAMAS Awards, three of them received consecutively. His 1961 film The Moises Padilla Story was selected as the Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 32nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

All of the films for which he won Best Director also won Best Picture at the FAMAS, namely Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo (1952), Hanggang sa Dulo ng Daigdig (1958), Huwag Mo Akong Limutin (1960), Noli Me Tangere (1961, adapted from the novel of the same title), El Filibusterismo (1962), Daigdig ng Mga Api (1965), and Lilet (1971). One of his unfinished projects was Juan de la Cruz (1972) with Fernando Poe Jr.

He is known to fans of cult horror films for the handful of 1960s horror movies he directed, some co-directed with his friend Eddie Romero and co-financed with American money. These films included Terror Is a Man (1959), The Blood Drinkers/ Blood Is the Color of Night (1964), Curse of the Vampires/ Whisper to the Wind (1966), Brides of Blood (1968), and Mad Doctor of Blood Island (1969). and Maria Fe "Baby" (born 1949), the widow of actor Ronaldo Valdez. Liberty was also an actress (but has since left showbiz) and was married to former actor/famous restaurateur, Rod Ongpauco (screen-named Rod Evans) (born 1945), who is also a paternal uncle of actress Heart Evangelista, with whom she has 3 children. Whilst her sister, Marife Ilagan was married to actor Ronaldo Valdez (1947–2023) with whom they had two children, Janno Gibbs and Melissa, who are also both actors in their own right.

Filmography Film Year Title Notes Ref(s): 1938 Bahay Kubo 1938 Mga Sugar ng Puso 1938 Makiling 1940 Estrellita ("Little Star") 1941 Ang Maestra ("The Teacher") 1943 Dawn of Freedom 1947 Mameng, Iniibig Kita 1950 48 Oras ("48 Hours") 1951 Sisa Diego Silang 1952 Bagong Umaga ("A New Morning") Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo (The Python in the Old Dome) 1953 Dyesebel (a mermaid character in Filipino fiction) 1954 Pedro Penduko Ifuago 1955 Sanda Wong 1956 Saigon 1957 Bakya Mo Neneng Kamay ni Cain Bicol Express 1958 Hanggang sa Dulo ng Daigdig ("Till the End of the World") 1959 Terror Is a Man a.k.a. Blood Creature 1960 Viuda de Oro ("The Golden Widow") Huwag Mo Akong Limutin ("Don't Forget Me") Also writer 1961 The Moises Padilla Story Noli Me Tángere Apollo Robles 1962 El filibusterismo Also writer Ako ang Katarungan 1964 Anak ni Dyesebel The Walls of Hell a.k.a. Intramuros The Blood Drinkers Original title: Kulay Dugo ang Gabia.k.a. Blood Is the Color of Night,The Vampire People. 1965 Magandang Bituin ("The Good Star") Ang Daigdig ng Mga Api Possibly a lost film Tagumpay ng Mahirap Segment "The President" 1966 Curse of the Vampires Original title: Ibulong Mo sa Hangin Brides of Blood co-director with Eddie Romero 1967 The Gold Bikini 1969 Brownout The Mad Doctor of Blood Island a.k.a. Tomb of the Living Deadco-director with Eddie Romero 1971 Playpen Women in Cages 1972 Lilet 1975 Fe, Esperanza, Caridad (translation: Faith, Hope and Charity) 1975 Banaue: Stairway to the Sky 1976 Juan dela Cruz (unfinished)