How does one pay tribute to the man the nation calls the Comedy King?
It seems boundless. There are a plethora of posts, memes, tweets, and status updates on social sites; tribute pages on news sites; and a slew of features on TV and radio about Dolphy's achievements as a comedian, showbiz celebrity, colleague and artist.
Perhaps some of the most moving tributes have come from those who shared their stories about the personal impact Dolphy made in their lives.
A Dolphy fan at age 4
In mine, it began when I was 4-years-old. That was when I discovered the power of movies—how it made me laugh and cry and, in the end, made me feel good about myself, my family, my life. It was at that very young age that I first stepped into the old Odeon Theater on Rizal Avenue.
I remember the year: 1974. I remember the movie just as clearly: "John en Marsha."
It was the first movie version of Dolphy's hit TV series, which also starred Nida Blanca as Marsha, along with a young Maricel Soriano as their daughter.
To the surprise of my family, I had responded to the film with gusto. I squealed in laughter just seeing that look in Dolphy's face.
Why Dolphy is an ace comedian
Later, I would realize what made Dolphy such an ace comedian—his effortless delivery, his perfect timing, his humorous take on anything Filipino.
But, more than anything, what really stood out was his connection with the audience. Dolphy had the ability to make the audience identify with whatever character he portrayed.
That innate talent was deeply rooted. He conveyed a broad knowledge of the Filipino psyche, became a cultural touchstone and had an instinct for our quirks and peculiarities. In fact, Dolphy could very well be a teacher in Pinoy sociology with how he accurately depicted the common man in dealing with everyday situations, in his signature comedic style, and yes, his dramatic performances.
And those performances made a profound impact.
Why 'John en Marsha' ruled
During the time of "John en Marsha," Dolphy held the TV-viewing audience in his thrall. They looked forward to his priceless reactions when his TV mother-in-law Doña Delilah, played by Dely Atay-Atayan, would rattle off a litany of John Puruntong's supposed shortcomings to his wife Marsha, children Shirley (Maricel Soriano) and Rollie (Rollie Quizon).
While the audience would have loved to be just as expressive as Dolphy's face when confronted with meddling in-laws, they would not have done so in real life. Dolphy became their escape valve, a reassurance that they were not alone or that the actor was enough to depict their sentiments.
Another nice thing about "John Marsha" was their unscripted banter. Dolphy himself revealed that director Ading Fernando, a brilliant comedic storyteller, had at times left the actors to their own devices to complete scenes. Dolphy said adlibbing worked to their advantage because the flow of the scene became natural—another factor in the show's incredible success, which ran from 1973 to 1990.
Dolphy is the reason it's more fun in the Philippines
In turn, the average Filipino family turned into their own Puruntong households and must've seen it the way John saw it: in spite of life's challenges, they simply found a a way to laugh at life any way possible.
Which got me thinking: is Dolphy the reason why in the face of problems or disaster, we defuse the such situations with a joke? Maybe that's why it's really more fun in the Philippines.
That, I think, is Dolphy's impact in our lives. And we are the Comedy King's best tribute—how, like John Puruntong and his countless other characters, we prevailed amid adversity by just keeping the laughter alive.
It seems boundless. There are a plethora of posts, memes, tweets, and status updates on social sites; tribute pages on news sites; and a slew of features on TV and radio about Dolphy's achievements as a comedian, showbiz celebrity, colleague and artist.
Perhaps some of the most moving tributes have come from those who shared their stories about the personal impact Dolphy made in their lives.
A Dolphy fan at age 4
In mine, it began when I was 4-years-old. That was when I discovered the power of movies—how it made me laugh and cry and, in the end, made me feel good about myself, my family, my life. It was at that very young age that I first stepped into the old Odeon Theater on Rizal Avenue.
I remember the year: 1974. I remember the movie just as clearly: "John en Marsha."
It was the first movie version of Dolphy's hit TV series, which also starred Nida Blanca as Marsha, along with a young Maricel Soriano as their daughter.
To the surprise of my family, I had responded to the film with gusto. I squealed in laughter just seeing that look in Dolphy's face.
Why Dolphy is an ace comedian
Later, I would realize what made Dolphy such an ace comedian—his effortless delivery, his perfect timing, his humorous take on anything Filipino.
But, more than anything, what really stood out was his connection with the audience. Dolphy had the ability to make the audience identify with whatever character he portrayed.
That innate talent was deeply rooted. He conveyed a broad knowledge of the Filipino psyche, became a cultural touchstone and had an instinct for our quirks and peculiarities. In fact, Dolphy could very well be a teacher in Pinoy sociology with how he accurately depicted the common man in dealing with everyday situations, in his signature comedic style, and yes, his dramatic performances.
And those performances made a profound impact.
Why 'John en Marsha' ruled
During the time of "John en Marsha," Dolphy held the TV-viewing audience in his thrall. They looked forward to his priceless reactions when his TV mother-in-law Doña Delilah, played by Dely Atay-Atayan, would rattle off a litany of John Puruntong's supposed shortcomings to his wife Marsha, children Shirley (Maricel Soriano) and Rollie (Rollie Quizon).
While the audience would have loved to be just as expressive as Dolphy's face when confronted with meddling in-laws, they would not have done so in real life. Dolphy became their escape valve, a reassurance that they were not alone or that the actor was enough to depict their sentiments.
Another nice thing about "John Marsha" was their unscripted banter. Dolphy himself revealed that director Ading Fernando, a brilliant comedic storyteller, had at times left the actors to their own devices to complete scenes. Dolphy said adlibbing worked to their advantage because the flow of the scene became natural—another factor in the show's incredible success, which ran from 1973 to 1990.
Dolphy is the reason it's more fun in the Philippines
In turn, the average Filipino family turned into their own Puruntong households and must've seen it the way John saw it: in spite of life's challenges, they simply found a a way to laugh at life any way possible.
Which got me thinking: is Dolphy the reason why in the face of problems or disaster, we defuse the such situations with a joke? Maybe that's why it's really more fun in the Philippines.
That, I think, is Dolphy's impact in our lives. And we are the Comedy King's best tribute—how, like John Puruntong and his countless other characters, we prevailed amid adversity by just keeping the laughter alive.
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