In the late ’30s and the ’40s — pre- and post-World War II — up to the mid-’50s, the Carmen Rosales-Rogelio de la Rosa loveteam dominated the big screen.
It started with Takip-Silim (1939) and ended with Lydia (1956), both produced by Sampaguita Pictures, their home studio.
In between those years are many other memorable movies, all box-office hits, mostly produced by Sampaguita. But Mameng and Rogelio also starred in pictures for LVN.
Their chemistry was such that fans thought their onscreen romance was also for real. Fact was they were only friends.
To date, the theme songs of their movies are still sung. The likes of Maalaala Mo Kaya, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig, Hindi Kita Malimot and Takip-Silim using the singing voice (light soprano) of Mameng.
They teamed up with other stars, but those movies didn’t have the appeal, the magnet of the Carmen-Rogelio tandem.
The immortal loveteam of Carmen and Rogelio broke up when he joined the government, serving as senator and later ambassador. She continued with her acting career up to the mid-‘60s, her last movie being Gintong Recuerdo for VP Pictures, sister company of Sampaguita.
Last year, I published her biography, titled A Tribute to the Movie Queen: Carmen Rosales, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig, written by Manny B. Fernandez.
This article on Mameng and Rogelio is the third article in the 20th-year special of this column. Remember When? marks its 20th year — would you believe — this month of May.
Featured next week — fourth and last article — is the Oka-Valera fashion event.—RKC