Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (July 25, 1928 – July 10, 2012), known professionally as Dolphy, was a Filipino comedian and actor. Widely regarded by Philippine media as the country's "King of Comedy", he starred in a long list of comedy films and television series over a career spanning more than six decades.
Dolphy first gained fame portraying a witty but hapless father figure in the hit sitcom John en Marsha (1973–1978, 1980–1990) and later played the resourceful widower in the long-running series Home Along Da Riles (1992–2003). He received numerous honors for his work, including lifetime achievement awards from Philippine film and television academies. In recognition of his lifetime contributions to entertainment, he was conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart (GCGH) – the Philippines' highest civilian honor.
Rodolfo Vera Quizon was born along Calle Padre Herrera (now P. Herrera Street) in Tondo, Manila, on July 25, 1928.
His parents were married on July 14, 1925, in Malate, Manila. His father, Melencio Espinosa Quizon (December 1, 1899 – May 14, 1971), was a ship engine worker from Bulacan stationed in the Atlantic Gulf. His mother, Salud de la Rosa Vera (February 6, 1901 – September 12, 1986), was a seamstress and a schoolteacher. He had four brothers and five sisters.
Quizon began studying at the age of six, and was enrolled in public schools. He attended Magat Salamat Elementary School and Isabelo de los Reyes Elementary School until seventh grade. For his secondary education, he studied at the Florentino Torres High School until his sophomore year. He was an average student, although his grades fluctuated.
Quizon sold peanuts and watermelon seeds at movie theaters as a boy, which enabled him to watch movies for free. He was about thirteen when World War II started. He did odd jobs including shining shoes, attaching buttons at a pants factory, sorting bottles by size, working as a stevedore at the pier, trading, and driving a calesa. In his free time, he regularly watched stage shows at the Life Theater and the Avenue Theater. His favorite performers included the comedy duo Pugo and Togo and the dancers Benny Mack and Bayani Casimiro.
Quizon started performing onstage during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. When he turned 17, Benny Mack got him a job as a chorus dancer for a month at the Avenue Theater and subsequently, the Lyric Theater. He also appeared in shows at the Orient Theater. "Golay" was his first stage name. During air raids, they would interrupt the show and run for the air-raid shelter in the orchestra pit together with the audience. If no bombs fell and exploded, the show would resume.
He starred in his first film when he was 19 with Fernando Poe Sr. in Dugo at Bayan (I Remember Bataan), billed as “Rodolfo Quizon”. It was the father of his future friend, actor Fernando Poe Jr., who first gave him a break in films playing minor roles as a character actor. In a DZMM radio interview, he revealed his first talent fee was ₱5.
In the late 1940s, Dolphy began to work in radio through Conde Ubaldo, a radio writer, director, and producer. He joined the program Wag Naman, which starred Pancho Magalona, Tessie Quintana, and Baby Jane. His comedy duo with Panchito also started on radio on Conde Ubaldo shows.
Magalona recommended Dolphy to José Roxas Perez, the owner of Sampaguita Pictures, in 1952. His first movie with Sampaguita was Sa Isang Sulyap Mo, Tita, with Magalona and Tita Duran. It was also in Sampaguita in which the comedy duo of Dolphy and Panchito became popular.
Dolphy acted in the comic book adaptation Jack en Jill with Rogelio de la Rosa and Lolita Rodriguez in 1954. He was not the first choice for the role, for which Batotoy and Bayani Casimiro had been considered. Dolphy said the movie established him as an actor, because he played a gay character, when they were not recognized.
The first time Dolphy played a serious role was in a 4-in-1 drama movie with Barbara Perez, who played a blind girl, in the segment inspired by Charlie Chaplin's movie City Lights.
After his contract with Sampaguita expired, he left the company. When he joined the production studio, his talent fee was ₱1,000 per film. By the time he left, he was earning ₱7,000 per picture.
Television, film parodies, and RVQ Productions
Dolphy acted in Tansan The Mighty (1962), and its sequel Tansan vs Tarzan (1963).
From 1964 to 1972, he starred in Buhay Artista, a big success of the 1960s. Eugenio "Geny" López Jr. got him into television on Channel 2, and the show aired on ABS-CBN. It is a concept by López and Ading Fernando. While doing radio, his talent fee was ₱250-₱300 per program; when he did television, he was at ₱500 per show. He left ABS-CBN when it was shuttered following the proclamation of Martial Law in September 1972, moving to GMA Network since Buhay Artista moved to RBS-7 (former name of GMA) from December 1972 to early 1974.
While on television, he began appearing in films for independent studios like LEA Productions, Balatbat Productions, Filipinas Productions, Zultana Productions and Fernando Poe Jr.'s D'Lanor Productions.
In 1964, he played the lead in Captain Barbell and in Daigdig ng Fantasia (Fantasy World) with Nova Villa. Both films were directed by Herminio "Butch" Bautista.