Dolphy

After leaving Sampaguita, Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr. got him into television on Channel 2. His first TV show was with ABS-CBN on "Buhay Artista" (Actor's Life), a concept by Geny Lopez and Ading Fernando. While doing radio, his talent fee was P250-P300 per program; when he did TV, he was at P500 per show.

He left ABS-CBN due to Martial Law. However, also moved to GMA Network since Buhay Artista moved to RBS-7 (former branding name of GMA) from December 1972 to early 1974.

While on television, he also started doing movies for independent studios like LEA Productions, Balatbat Productions, Filipinas Productions, Zultana Productions and Fernando Poe Jr.'s D’Lanor Productions. He starred on two of his movies in 1964, Captain Barbell and Daigdig ng Fantasia (Fantasy World) with Nova Villa, both directed by Herminio “Butch” Bautista.

Dolphy established RVQ Productions in 1965. His first venture was Buhay Artista (Actor's Life), released in 1967, with Panchito, Susan Roces and Ronaldo Valdez whom he discovered. For Pepe en Pilar (1966), his film with Roces, they wanted a new face as Roces' partner. Dolphy first met Valdez in a basketball court and brought him to the press conference so Roces could see him. Roces' initial response was "Ang bata naman iyan" ("He is too young"). Dolphy brought Ronaldo to a barber shop, bought him a pair of boots at Glenmore and lent him his suit. When Dolphy presented him to Roces again, she said, "Ayan.Okay na." ("I prefer him now"), not realizing that he was the same guy introduced earlier. Dolphy later gave him the stage name Ronaldo Valdez (from Ronald James Gibbs).

Dolphy also made spy film parodies when it became a fad, beginning with Dolpinger (1965) as Agent 1-2-3 (a parody of the James Bond movie Goldfinger). Chiquito, another Filipino comedian, played the recurring role of Agent 0-2-10 in these films.

In 1969, one of his biggest hits was Facifica Falayfay, where he starred as the gay lead character. It was directed by Luciano “Chaning” Carlos, with whom he worked in 23 of his movies. It was followed by Fefita Fofongay viuda de Falayfay in 1973 and Sarhento Fofongay: A ... ewan! in 1974.

John en Marsha started in 1971, a year before Martial Law, on RPN Channel 9. It was written, and directed by Ading Fernando. Boots Anson-Roa and Helen Gamboa were considered for the role of Marsha, his wife in the show before Nida Blanca, who was doing Wala Kang Paki with Nestor de Villa, eventually got the part. Before Dely Atay-Atayan, Chichay was also considered for the role of Doña Delilah, his wealthy and condescending mother-in-law. His real son Rolly Quizon and then-child actress Maricel Soriano played their kids. John en Marsha was such a hit that movie versions of the show were made eight times.

In 1978, he returned to gay roles in the movie Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (My Father that is also a Mother), directed by respected Lino Brocka. With him in the movie was Niño Muhlach, dubbed as the "child wonder of the Philippines", as the son of his boyfriend, played by Phillip Salvador.

The Home Along Da Riles was one of the Philippines' longest running shows of all time.

His next successful TV venture after John en Marsha was Home Along Da Riles in 1992 with Nova Villa, as his wife and real son Vandolph, as one of his children. The show continued in 2003 as Home Along Da Airport.

The Order of National Artists recognition is given to Filipino individuals who have "made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts.[13] The national artists award could be given to Dolphy in 2013 according to the National Commission on the Culture and Arts (NCCA) Frances Alincastre, planning officer III of the National artist Award-NCCA, said that the commission's hands are tied with the procedure in approving and granting the prestigious award to an individual. She said Dolphy, Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. in real life, has already been in the list of the nominees since he was nominated in 2009. However, he did not pass the second deliberation of the screening committee that time. Alincaster added that after a month of research, the NCCA will start the deliberation process. A list of seven experts for each category will be included in the initial deliberation and the list is trimmed down to three experts for each category in the second deliberation. She said the whole process may take until 2013.[14]

President Benigno Aquino III said he believes the late Comedy King deserves to be conferred the National Artist award, but stressed he cannot shortcut the process for legal reasons. Since there is a temporary restraining order on the granting of National Artist awards issued during the past administration, the Aquino administration gave Dolphy the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart in 2010.[15]

Quizon never married and was public with his relationships and family. He has 17 children from six serious relationships. For more than 20 years, he was on a domestic partnership with Filipina singer, actress and model Zsa Zsa Padilla. They resided in the Marina Bay Village in the city of Parañaque. In his latest book, he mentioned that he had five serious relationships before Padilla who bore him offspring. The last was with actress Alma Moreno, who gave him a son: Vandolph. Some of his children are in the business just like their father.[11][16]

• Engracia Dominguez — an actress he met during a stage show (separated in 1963); six children: Manny (Manny Boy born 1951), Salud (Sahlee born 1954), Rodolfo Jr. (Dolphy Jr. born 1955), Wilfredo (Freddie) (1956-2005), Edgardo (Edgar), and Raul (Rolly) (1959-2018).
• Gloria Smith — an actress he met in 1956; four children: Mariquita (Kit born 1962), Carlos (born 1965), Geraldino (Dino) (1972-2018), and Edwin (born 1975).
• Alice Smith — an actress whose screen name was Pamela Ponti; four children: Ronaldo (Ronnie born 1965), Enrico (Eric) (born 1967), Madonna (Donna born 1971), and Jeffrey (Epi) (born 1973).
• Evangeline Tagulao — a nurse he met in the late 60s while shooting in a hospital; one child: Rommel (born 1968).
• Alma Moreno — an actress he met in 1981; one child: Vandolph (born 1984).
• Zsa Zsa Padilla — a Filipina singer and actress; one child Zia (born 1991). Dolphy and Zsa Zsa adopted Nicole (born 1990).

He considers his children his pride and joy, claiming that he could easily name all of them from the oldest to the youngest.[17]

Quizon was a devoted Catholic throughout his life,[18] although he occasionally attended Mass.[19] Nevertheless, he had practiced Catholic rituals—praying the rosary, observing Holy Week (i.e. Visita Iglesia on Maundy Thursday and abstaining from eating meat on Good Friday), and would make the sign of the cross, when he came across a Catholic church.[18] Two of Quizon's children are born-again Christian who unsuccessfully persuaded him to convert; he did not, however, show lack of respect for Evangelicals.[19]

Quizon was quite involved into politics throughout his acting career, but had tried to distance himself from it. He had said that he would likely start a blog if only he were literate in browsing the Internet.[18] He had high regards with the presidency of Corazon Aquino, referring to her as an "asset" for the Filipinos.[20] Many times he refused when he was persuaded to enter politics.[21]

He supported Fernando Poe Jr. (1939–2004) during his presidential campaign in 2004,[22] whose father, Fernando Poe Sr. (d. 1951), was a close friend of his.[23] After Poe had suffered a stroke (which would later claim his life), he visited him during confinement and reassured him and his wife, Susan Roces, that he indeed had won the presidential race, despite losing it to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.[24]

• Lifetime Achievement Award PASADO Awards
• Golden Father Foundation Parangal ng Bayan Awardee
• 1994 Bert Marcelo Memorial Foundation, Dangal ng Lipi Awardee
• 1995 PMPC Star Awards for TV, Lifetime Achsasdaddsasdsadadaievement Award
• 1998 Gawad Urian Awards, Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2000 Cinemanila International Film Festival, Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2002 Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award, Bituin ng FAMAS Mula Noon Hanggang Ngayon Award
• 2005 FAMAS Huwarang Bituin
• 2009 GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards, Comedy Box-Office King (with Vic Sotto)[37]
• 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award[38]
• 2010 FAMAS Awards, Exemplary Achievement Award
• 2010 Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart – the highest award given to a private citizen by the President of the Philippines. Dolphy was cited for his contributions to the entertainment industry and for his charitable and philanthropic works.[2][39][40]
• 2012 Gawad na Diwa ng Lahi – the highest honor given by the government of Manila to artists[41]
• 2012 People's Artist Award – the award bestowed upon Dolphy by the Dakilang Lahi Foundation, recognizes the many contributions of the actor to the movie industry.[42] The award was presented by fellow actor and former Philippine President Joseph Estrada during his wake at the Heritage Park in Taguig City.[42]

He is also the only Artist in the country awarded with Best Actor and Actress for a single role in the film Markova: The Comfort Gay.

• Not all the awards of Dolphy are included here.