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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 Filipinoactor. During the latter part of his career, Poe was defeated by then PresidentGloria 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[edit]

Poe was the son of Filipino actor Fernando Poe Sr. (born Allan Fernando Poe y Reyes), a native from San Carlos, Pangasinan and Elizabeth 'Bessie' Kelley, an Irish American mestiza. He was born in Manila on August 20, 1939.

His parents were not legally married when he was born, they were later married in 1940. In 2004, Poe's 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 from his brother Andy (born Fernando Poe II), whose given name Poe used as his own professional name, to bank on the popularity of his father who was a top actor in his time. Conrad Poe was Poe's half-brother, the illegitimate son of Fernando Poe Sr. and actress Patricia Mijares.

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

Education[edit]

In 1953, Poe finished his primary education at San Beda College, Lepanto. For high school, he went to San Sebastian College. He continued his education at Mapua Institute of Technology and University of the East and took the course theater arts.

When his father died from rabies at age 35, Poe became the family's breadwinner. In order to support his family, he dropped out of school Of Mechanical Engineering.

Acting career[edit]

Poe dropped out of college to work in the Philippine 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.

Also known 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. 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).

In 1988, Poe partnered with San Miguel Corporation in a near ₱27 million promotional deal for San Miguel Beer.^[4]

Among his roles were Flavio in the mythicalAng 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[edit]

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[edit]

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-PresidentFerdinand Marcos and First LadyImelda. Poe and Roces adopted a daughter, Grace Poe, who became a senator. Poe was also partnered with Anna Marin and had one son, Ronian and with former actress Rowena Moran and had a 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[edit]

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 Poe 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[edit]

• 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 Poe 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', Poe himself appeared in character (as Flavio) and made a memorable cameo appearance to rescue 'Pandoy' (De Leon's character name) against his enemies. De Leon in his Starzan character from the film of the same name made a cameo appearance in Poes' 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.
• Poe is known for his long sideburns which his iconic and signature hairstyle in the Philippines.
• In 2015, his 1997 film Ang Probinsyano has been remade by ABS-CBN into a TV series: Ang Probinsyano, starring Coco Martin as the main character to portray twins namely SPO1 Ricardo 'Cardo' Dalisay and Police Sr. Insp. Dominador 'Ador' de Leon.^[10][11]
• In 2016, Richard Gutierrez also portrays Poes' 1980 film, Ang Panday. It was remade by TV5. Richard Gutierrez as Flavio (same as Poe), Miguel, and Juro. Miguel and Juro are the modern versions played by Richard Gutierrez
• Jericho Rosales/Richard Gutierrez (Panday 2005 and 2016), Robin Padilla (Totoy Bato) and Coco Martin (Ang Probinsyano & Panday 2017) are the actors who succeeded Poe as modern action stars.

Filmography[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abFernando Poe Jr. IMDb
2. ^'Proclamation No. 435, s. 2012'. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. July 20, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
3. ^ ^ab'We bid farewell to a good man, movie king Fernando Poe Jr'. Manila Bulletin. December 22, 2004. Archived from the original on August 13, 2005. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
4. ^Feria, Mike (January 5, 1988). '1988: The year the Dragon slept'. Manila Standard. Manila Standard News, Inc. p. 14. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
5. ^'Poe accepted nomination as main opposition candidate vs. Arroyo for 2004'. Newsflash.org. December 23, 2003. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
6. ^'Love child may boost FPJ bid, says think-tank'. Philstar.com. February 5, 2004. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
7. ^'Fernando Poe Jr., 65, Philippine Actor-Politician, Dies'. The New York Times. December 14, 2004. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
8. ^ ^ab'Shocking showbiz deaths: so sudden, so soon'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. October 31, 2007. Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
9. ^'MASSIVE SECURITY FOR FPJ BURIAL'. Philippine Headline News Online. December 22, 2004. Archived from the original on January 18, 2005.
10. ^Smith, Chuck. (May 18, 2015) Coco Martin stars in TV remake of FPJ movie Entertainment, News, The Philippine Star. philstar.com. Retrieved on 2016-06-24.
11. ^Coco Martin to star in TV remake of FPJ film ‘Ang Probinsyano’. Rappler.com (May 18, 2015). Retrieved on 2016-06-24.

External links[edit]

• Fernando Poe Jr. on IMDb