Multiawarded actress Charito Solis, Chato to her friends, died recently in Laguna due to heart failure. She is 62.
The veteran actress left us numerous memorable characters and films.
She was discovered by LVN Pictures and paired with Jaime de la Rosa in her first movie Nina Bonita)inspired by It Happened One Night). In 1958, she starred in Malvarosa, directed by Gregorio Fernandez, where she displayed her dramatic capabilities.
A Famas best actress award, her first, came a year after for Kundiman Ng Lahi where she played the wife of Eddie Rodriguez wrongly accused of infidelity. Four more Famas best actress trophies came for Emily (1960) with Leroy Salvador, Angustia (1963), Igorota with Fred Galang (1968) and Don't Cry For me, papa (1982), after which she was elevated to the Famas Hall of Fame. In 1987, she won best actress in Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak for which she earned the title Asia's best actress.
Her first Urian best actress honor came with Ina, Kapatid, Anak (1979), co-starring another acting great, Lolita Rodriguez. Then a best supporting actress trophy for Kisapmata (1982)for her portrayal of Dely, Charo Santos' helpless mother. This role also won for her the 1982 Metro Manila Film Festival best supporting actress award. With Karnal (1983), another best supporting actress nod from Urian came.
She appeared in film classics like Manila By Night (1980) as a manic-depressive ex-prostitute who constantly washes her hands, a symbolic gesture of guilt and also in Batch '81. Both films were presented at the Cannes Film Festival. And these weren't her first international festival appearance as she graced world film festival as early as her Igorota days.
Charito Solis was unforgettable in her classic film roles. Karnal went off to an eerie, menacing start because of her narration (and she only reappeared at the end of the story). There are other memorable supporting roles like Ikaw Pa Lang Ang Minahal with Maricel Soriano, Richard Gomez and Eddie Gutierrez. And even in those less memorable films, she remained a formidable presence.
Younger audiences know her best as Ina Magenta in TV's Okay Ka Fairy Ko (which had a movie version and a sequel) for which she won a best comedy actress award from Star Awards for TV. Her last completed movie was Sandakot Na Kaligayahan where she portrayed Jaclyn Jose's oppressive mother-in-law and she was set to do another project when she succumbed to cardiac arrest.
She never married and she had no children but her love life was one of the most colorful and controversial in local tinseltown. And her children are the beautiful movies and moving performances that she left us behind.
(source: National Library of the Philippines/News Article section)
