Charito solis biography actress

Filipina veteran film and television actress

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Hernández and the surname or paternal family name is Solís.

Rosario Violeta Hernández Solís (October 6, 1935 – January 9, 1998), professionally known as Charito Solís, was a Filipino film actress.

She was considered among the major dramatic film actresses in the Philippines, with a career spanning five decades until her death in 1998. She also starred in various television series such as Okay Ka, Fairy Ko!, Maalaala Mo Kaya, Ipaglaban Mo!, Mula sa Puso and Tierra Sangre before her death.

Her authenticity as an actress paved way for her dramatic roles in the 1970s to the 1990s

Early life and background

Rosario Violeta Solís Hernández was born in Manila. At age 19, she was introduced by her uncle, the film director F. H. Constantino to Doña Narcisa de León, the head of LVN Pictures, who cast her to star in her initial film Niña Bonita, an adaptation of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night. The film was a success, and marked the beginning of Solís' 43-year career in film, lasting until her death. Solís died on January 9, 1998, in Calamba from cardiac arrest. She was buried at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque.

Film career

Solís would star in well over 100 films starting with LVN Pictures' classics such as Niña Bonita (1955), Charito, I Love You! (1956),Walang Sugat (1957), Malvarosa (1958), Kundiman ng Lahi (1959) and Emily (1960). She was featured in several of the best-known and critically acclaimed films of Philippine cinema. She played the female lead in the 1962 film adaptation of Jose Rizal's El filibusterismo, directed by Gerardo de Leon.

Among her many films she also appeared in Eddie Romero's Manila, Open City (1967), Araw-Araw, Gabi-Gabi (1975) and Agila (1980); in Mike de Leon's Kisapmata (1981) and Batch '81 (1982); i

The breakthrough Filipina actress who was the first to win acclaim internationally was CHARITO SOLIS (b. 6 Oct. 1935/ d. 9 Jan, 1998). In 1967, she won Best Actress at the Asian Film Festival held in Tokyo, Japan for her role in “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak”, of Nepomuceno Films.

Manila-born Rosario Violeta Solís Hernández was introduced in LVN Pictures’  “Niña Bonita” (1955) with Jaime dela Rosa. Her maiden film was such a hit,  paving the way for a career that spanned over 4 decades.

Her stint with Nepomuceno Films was most memorable. From 1967 to 1971, she starred in some of the most critically acclaimed movies of her career, starting with “Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak”, which became the country’s 1 entry to the 40  Oscar Awards, and for which she got invited to attend the awards night.

Solis next appeared in “Igorota” (1968), daring because of her barebreasted appearance. She scored a FAMAS Best Actress for this film. The next year, she did “Ang Pulubi”, released internationally as “The Beggar”. She would win an unprecedented 5 FAMAS Best Actress nods,  the other 4 being  for Her other four FAMAS Best Actress wins were for “Kundiman ng Lahi “(1949); Emily (1960); Angustia (1963); and Don't Cry for Me, Papa (1983). For this, Solis was enshrined in the FAMAS Hall of Fame.

She extend her career in television, beginning with “The Charito Solis Show” (1966-68) , ABS-CBN) and “Obra Mestra” (1973). But it was in the comedy sitcom “Okay Ka Fairy Ko”(1987)  as the flamboyant and meddlesome fairy Ina Magenta, that she found newfound fame in the 1980s.