I was on my way home when a colleague BBM’ed me about the passing of Rodolfo Vera Quizon, Sr. or popularly known as the Comedy King Dolphy. For a person working in the industry it is hard to let it out in the social media and it will surely spread like wildfire, yes I posted it on twitter without proper confirmation but in the end a co-worker and a friend from news confirmed it that Dolphy passed away at the age of 83 around 8:34PM (July 10) in Makati Medical Center due to severe pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure this was based from the statement issued by the hospital. While the passing of Dolphy was confirmed by his wife Zsa Zsa Padilla and he was hospitalized last June 16 after complaining of shortness of breath.
The nation is grieving to the lost of the famous actor that touches their lives and making the entertainment industry colorful and fun. Dolphy gives life to characters including John Purúntong in John en Marsha with the late Nida Blanca, and Kevin Kosme in ABS-CBN’s Home Along Da Riles. He also appears in various movies not only that has comedy theme but also reflecting different sectors in the society including the character of Walter Dempster Jr./Walterina Markova in Markova: Comfort Gay.
Dolphy gives life to hundreds of fictional characters and created more than 200 films since the time he started in 1944 until 2012 with TV 5’s Pidol’s Wonderland. He receives numerous awards including Best Actor from Famas, Luna Awards, PMPC Star Awards for TV and the Metro Manila Film Festival. He also receives citations and special awards including Lifetime Achievement Award from Gawad Urian Awards, Gawad na Diwa ng Lahi and the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart given by President of the Philippines in 2010.
Sadly he didn’t have the chance to have the National Artist citation due to on-going deliberations at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and its board members. But still having the title or not as a National Artist, Dolphy, the Comedy King who touches the lives of every Filipino who made the laugh, cry and hold on with their dreams and aspirations in life he will forever be more than a National Artist in the country who loved him for so many years. The legacy of Dolphy will always remain in the hearts of every Filipino…
