The widespread fad in old Manila (Last of three-part series)
July 20, 2009 9:43 am
MANILA, July 19 – Remember Baby O’Brien ?
She used to co-host Dance-O-Rama with Pete Roa every 5 p.m on ABC Channel 5. They popularized the 'Twist' craze which was also a hit at the Safari Club beside Manila Zoo in Malate, Manila.
Presently, Movie and TV Personality Cecil Kristin O’Brien a.k.a Baby O’ Brien has been appointed assistant secretary at the Office of Press Secretary. She has replaced the position of the late Jose Capadocia who died together with the 7 others in a plane crash last April.
Assistant Secretary O’Brien is the daughter of the late famous movie actress Paraluman, the new OPS assistant secretary hosts a TV program over NBN Channel 4.
If you want an earlier teeny bopper show, you watch Eddie Mercado in DJ Dancetime on Channel 11. On Fridays, Nite Owl Dance Party, hosted by Lito Gorospe, that features the Celtics, is a hit.
Another delight to watch was 9-Teeners hosted by Jose Mari Chan, Rom Azanza and Tito Osias (all Ateneans) on Channel 9.
Rocker Sampaguita was first seen as a cage dancer at 9 Teeners. Her real name is Tessie Alfonso. She got married to Nilo Santos of the Jungle Cats. Jeanne Young also hosted another teeny bopper show called The Insiders which guested the more popular combos at that time.
Student Canteen was the popular noon television show followed by Darigold Jamboree, hosted by Leila Benitez with Eddie Ilarde and Pepe Pimentel and Bobby Ledesma.
Primetime shows were The Big Show with Cris de Vera, Oscar Obligacion and Sylvia La Torre. Then it evolved into Oras ng Ligaya (Happy Hour) when it migrated to ABS-CBN.
Remember Uncle Bob's Lucky 7 Club. Who would forget Buhay Artista starring Dolphy and Panchito and a take off of a popular radio program Sebya Mahal Kita, Tang Tarang Tang with Pugo and Bentot on the lead ?
In radio, it’s Kapitan Kidlat, Kwentong Kutsero, Gabi ng Lagim, Salamat Po Doctor, and of course, Kahapon Lamang and Tia Dely's program which followed suit.
Television sets were very few and if you have, it you’re so popular in the neighborhood.
Now anyone who missed those days can't really claim they've seen and tasted the best.
Every generation has its own set of 'Aces'. Do you recall when: You tasted Darigold Evap, Liberty Condensada, Sunkist Orange (in tetra packs), Magnolia Chocolait, Klim (the word 'milk' spelled backwards), Big 20 Hamburgers ?
Foot-long hotdog, Nectar choconut, Tweet & Jiggs Candies (by Mr. Krieger), Toots ie Roll, Serg' s Chocolate, kerose ne-flavored popcorn and kropeck along Dewey Blvd, dirty ice cream, Magnolia Ice Cream sandwich?
Selecta ice cream (now Arce Dairy) and their fresh carabao's milk, Magnolia popsicles in orange, chocolate and tutti frutti, langka flavors, Sison Ice Drop in monggo, and buko flavors, Milky Way's buko sherbet, Acme Supermarket' s sundaes and Coney Island 's 32 flavors ?
You went to: Arcegas at the Maranaw Arcade, Funhouse at Bricktown, Aguinaldo, Erehwon Bookstore, Alemars Bookstore, Bookmark, Botica Boie, Makati Supermarket D'Bankers Barbershop and Leila's Coffee Shop.
Tropical Hut along Estrada, Acme Supermarket, Cherry Supermarket (now Foodarama), The Regent of Manila, Hotel Mabuhay, Manila Hilton, Christmas carnival (at Lawton in front of Letran College), Villa Pansol and Lido Beach , Aroma Beach and Jale Beach ?
Rizal Theater? Who would be crazy to build a cinema in the middle of nowhere?' It turned out to be the best theater in the city of Makati then (at the same site now occupied by Shangri-La Hotel).
We ate at: The original A&W along UN Avenue in Manila , Aristocrat's Flying Saucer (across Malate Church), Bonanza Restaurant, Little Quiapo, Country Bake Shop, Selecta Restaurant, Taza de Oro, New Europe, Madrid.
Cucina Italiana, La Cibeles at A. Mabini, Luau, The Makati Automat, Sulo Restaurant ( Makati ), Bulakena, Casa Marcos, Au Bon Vivant, Salambao Restaurant, Dairy Queen, Di Mark's Pizza in Cubao and the elegant dining room of the old Army & Navy Club in Manila.
Botica Boie in Escolta, Alba's in Florida St., Malate, Brown Derby and their signature foot-long hotdog came with its special, extra tarty mustard sauce and a hot, crispy bun.
We used to park at their drive-in bays after we were exhausted from all-night partying but with enough energy to gobble down sausages and soft drinks.
The Plaza in Makati was the favorite venue for all formal school and social functions. Every Friday night the Plaza became an instant discotheque called 'POW'.
Food was not a big factor so long as cozy couples could have their special table for two.
You shopped at: Bergs, Soriente Santos, Assanda's, Oceanic Commercial (where you bought original watches and jewelries), Syvel's, Walk-Over in Escolta, Good Earth Emporium, 15c and Up, Manila COD, Avesco at Avenida Rizal, Rustan's San Marcelino, Aguinaldo's in Cubao.
The original Rustan's was the garage of the Tantoco's residential house which was eventually converted into a dazzling shop filled with eclectic things and collectibles.
You would want your wardrobes (pang-porma) tailor-made. So you went to RM Manlapat, Toppers, Fifth Avenue , Estacio's, Sleek's (owned by Eddie Ilarde) or D'Sharp (owned by Dolphy) for your Continental style pants and shirt-jack (former President Ferdinand Marcos loved this style) or the sleeve shirt.
If you wanted a groovy denim pants, you would buy the finest denim material at Divisoria and brought it to Gulapa's. Levi's was not a by-word then.
For school uniforms, we would love to wear our khaki pants from the famous RTW shop called Macomber in Quiapo.
Or, our parents would just buy us a pair of Sabur or Savalbarro khakis. When it came to footwear, it’s better if it’s tailor made especially when you want a good Chuka Boots, Spanish Boots or Beatles Boots.
You went to Glenmore or Camara shoe makers. If we want it casual, there’s US Keds, but if you’re on low budget, US Kids. For sports shoes you would want a pair of Converse Chuck Taylor, and if you were on a lower budget you bought Custombuilt or Edward son.
But if you wanted to float on water (as the advertisement claimed) you wore Marcelo Rubber Shoes black! That’s what Kenkoy, the Filipino cartoon character wore.
Blockbuster movies were: The Ten Commandments, Shane, High Noon, King and I, South Pacific, Horrors of Dracula, Gunfight at OK Corral, Psycho, House on Haunted Hill, Magnificent Seven, The Alamo, Spartacus.
West Side Story, Ben Hur, Longest Day, Madame X, Guns of Navarone, King of Kings, El Cid, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Birds, Elvis' movies like Love Me Tender, Loving You, Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Blue Hawaii, GI Blues.
The Beatles' Hard Days Night, Help, Yellow Submarine, The Graduate, Romeo and Juliet and of course the ever popular The Sound of Music.
You had your hair styled or permed by: Nomer's, Lita Rio, Grace Lagman, Dick & Lucy, and Kayumanggi. That was the time of Aqua Net stiff, foot-high beehives, French twist and Kiss Me liquid eyeliners and Pretty Quik instant facial blotters.
You sang: Dont Be Cruel and Hound Dog by Elvis, April Love by Pat Boone, Fool's Paradise by Buddy Holly, Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby by Jo Ann Campbell, Devoted to You by the Everly Brothers.
Someday by Ricky Nelson, One More Chance by Teddy Randazzo, Calendar Girl by Neil Sedaka, Puppy Love by Paul Anka, Young Ones by Cliff Richard, Walk Dont Run by The Ventures, Apache by the Shadows.
A Hard Days Night, All My Lovin, Yesterday, Hey Jude by the Beatles, World Without Love by Peter and Gordon, Cherish by the Association, Because by Dave Clark Five, Distant Shores by Chad and Jeremy.
Saved your whole month's allowance of P50 to watch the Beatles perform live at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in 1965.
It was hip to listen to: Bingo Lacson, Lito Gorospe, Bong Lapira, Eddie Mercado, Jack Henson, Art Galindez of DZMB and Jo San Diego (past midnight) of DZMT, Sonia Basa, Ronnie Quintos, Naldy Castro of DZWS.
Harry Gasser, Joe Cantada and Jose Mari Velez of DZHP; the singing sensations from Ateneo de Manila, RJ and the Riots, The Loonilarks, Jose Mari Chan and the Twofu s (Ronnie Henares and Jojit Paredes) and dance to live combo music garbed in cocktail dresses and dark suits.
DZMT was affiliated with the Manila Times and was one of two radio stations operating after 12 midnight.
The other station was DZHP whose program was taped. Jo San Diego of DZMT went on live (she with the velvety bedroom voice. She could still be heard today at DWBR every Sunday afternoons).
And danced at: Manila Hotel's Jungle Bar, Stargazer, Bayside Night Club (with live music by the Carding Cruz band), the Nile, D'Flame, Rino's, Wells Fargo, Nautilus, Hi-Ball and Bulakena.
Or, maybe rode a Motorco with your date and went around Dewey Boulevard. When you got hungry you would drop by the Barbecue Plaza. You tried your luck at the Pula-Puti joint on Russell Street .
Do you remember when: Malate streets were named after US States (Pennsylvania, Tennessee , California , Colorado , etc.)
Paranaque , San Juan, Makati , Pasig , Las Pinas, Taguig, Pateros and Muntinlupa were municipalities of Rizal province; DLSU was De La Salle College, Poveda was Institucion Teresiana.
The original St. Theresa's campus in San Marcelino is now part of Adamson University, Robinsons Mall was the Assumption Convent campus, Petron was Esso.
Villamor Air Base was then known as Nichols Air Base, bancas were aplenty in the Baclaran side of Dewey Blvd. (now Roxas Blvd.) and traffic was non-existent in Tagaytay.
PLDT telephone numbers were five digits and you used your index finger to dial a number one at a time.
You’re big time, if you have a “colegiala” girlfriend from Assumption, STC, St. Scho, Maryknoll, Holy Spirit, St. Paul 's, St. Joseph's , Sienna, PWU, and Sta. Isabel.
Of course, the coeds from UP, UST, UE and FEU won’t be left behind. As proof, you should be wearing her high school ring in your pinkie finger. (PNA)
RMA/JCA
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