Saturday, April 14, 2018

158. Miss No. 1: AMALIA FUENTES, Celebrity Endorser of the 1950s-60s-70s


AMALIA FUENTES AS LUX LADY, 1969

Along with Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes (b. 27 Aug. 1940) was one of the first true  superstars of the Philippine silver screen of the 60s decade. Naga-born Fuentes was the daughter of Alvaro Muhlach Sr., a Filipino of German-Spanish blood, and Concepcion Amador. Her father had died during the war, so when she came of age, Fuentes decided to find work to support the family.

 
MR. & MISS NO. 1: Juancho and Amalia
Adopting  her stepfather’s surname, she thus became Amalia Fuentes,and at  age 16, the teen beauty entered the search for Sampaguita Pictures’ talent search for Mr. & Miss Number One.

She topped the contest, along with male winner, Juancho Gutierrez, and their careers were launched via their debut film, “Movie Fan”.

It was an instant success and she went on to make more blockbuster hits with Juancho like “Sonata” (1957) and “Pakiusap” (1959). Eventually, she was paired with Romeo Vasquez (“Pretty Boy”, “Ako ang May Sala”), who would become her husband, and father of their daughter Liezl.

AMALIA FUENTES for Mantrade's Fairlane

But it was in the 1960s that her star shone the brightest, beginning with the “Ako ang May Sala” (1960), and the 1963 romantic comedy “Ang Senyorito at ang Atsay”. Her intense screen rivalry with Susan Roces further heightened her fame. They had appeared together in “Amy, Susie, Tessie” (1960). When Roces did the popular “Susanang Daldal”, Fuentes countered with “Amaliang Mali-Mali”, and the competition was on.

SLIM, SLEEK AND BEAUTIFUL AS THE CAR, Mantrade Ad, 1965

As a an actress of superstar status, Fuentes was squired by many companies to endorse their products. The largest Ford dealer in the country, manila Trading & Supply Co. or MANTRADE, signed her up in 1965 to appear in print ads for their latest car model—Fairlane 500.

FUENTES IN REVE D'OR Ads. 1965

She also became an endorser of REVE D’OR,  a premium line of cosmetics (Lotion, Face Powder, Perfume)  distributed by Oceanic Commercial Inc. in 1965.

Fuentes became the face of LUX Beauty Soap in 1969, a casting coup for the brand which had signed up Susan Roces earlier as one of their Lux ladies.  She did a TV commercial that showed her at her most beautiful.


She supported her daughter with Vasquez, Liezl Sumilang, when she,too, became a child star and a commercial model, most notably for SCOTT’S EMULSION in 1974.

The checkered career of Fuentes included not just acting, but she also forayed into movie producing, screenplay writing and directing. But no doubt, it was the pulling power of her beauty that she will be remembered for, earning admiration from three generations of fans who have dubbed her as the Philippine answer to Elizabeth Taylor.

13 comments:

  1. Amalia Fuentes was the original Filipina actress endorser of Lux soap. Not Susan Roces. Because of Amalia's endorsement Lux became a successful brand in the Philippines. Thereafter other actresses including Susan, Liberty Ilagan, etc became Lux endorsers.

    Amalia also did commercials for Coke, kokuryu, and La Germania.

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    1. Wrong!!! hindi sya Original , it was Susan Roces made Lux Soap commercial so famous dahil sa Kutis nyang Porcelana , maybe your forgot si Susan Roces ang tinawag na "THE FACE THAT REFRESHES" DAHIL NAPAKA-KINIS ANG NAPAKA PUTI NG COMPLEXION NITO , MILKY COMPLEXION malayo ikompara kay Amalia Fuentes . ALAM NATIN YAN LAHAT . NAPAKA GANDA NG COMPLEXION NI MS SUSAN ROCES . GRABE KA SMOOTH AT PUTI NITO .

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    2. YOU ARE VETY WRONG Muzik Queen, YOU LIED YOU DO NOT KNOW. MISS AMALIA FUENTES WAS THE ORIGINAL LUX BEAUTY SOAP MODEL IN 1964 AND IN 1968. SHE MODELED LUX TWICE. THEN CAME Maggie Dela RIVA, Daisy Romualdez, Liberty Ilagan, Gina Pareño, Susan Roces, ETC.

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    3. @gel,,, YES! VERY TRUE! MS AMALIA FUENTES WAS THE ORIGINAL LUX BEAUTY SOAP MODEL!
      SHE MADE IT TWICE IN 1964 and in 1968!
      MS. AMALIA FUENTES, THE WORLD’S MOST BESUTIFUL WOMAN/ACTRESS!

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    4. YOU ARE THAT WRONG Brandy-96,,,MISS AMALIA FUENTES WAS THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST ENDORSER OF LUX BEAUTY SOAP SHE MADE IT TWICE IN 1964 AND 1968...THEN CAME Daisy Romualdez, Maggie dela Riva, Liberty Ilagan, Susan Roces, Gina Pareno, Malene Dauden, Rosemarie Sonora, Josephine Estrada, eetc.

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    5. YOU KNOW NOTHING Brandy-96! SHUT UP!

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  2. @Muzic Queen,,,STOP THA FACE THAT REFRESHES..Susan Roces HAS A WIDE ROUND FACE ! AMALIA FUENTES HAS A PERFECT OVAL SHAPED OF FACE! MAPUTI LANG C Susan. AND HINDI YAN ANG BASEHAN S PAGIGING BEAUTIFUL! GOT IT?

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  3. Musik Q you do not know what you are talking about! Check your facts!!! Do not spread fake news!!!

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  4. MISS AMALIA FUENTES ,,,THE "WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN/ACTRESS !!!

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  5. MISS AMALIA FUENTES,,,
    THE "REAL CROWNED QUEEN" OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA!!!
    THE MOST GLAMOROUS MOVIE QUEEN OF PHILIPPINE/ASIAN CINEMA!!!
    THE HIGHEST-PAID ACTRESS IN THE 60'S-70'S!!
    THE BOX-OFFICE QUEEN OF THE 60'S-70'S!!!
    THE OROGINAL MOST CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE OF PHLIPPINE CINEMA!!
    MISS AMALIA FUENTES,,,UNRIVALED!!!

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  6. I read somewhere that she has a Hollywood offer, but she declined because she was already a big star her in the Philippines. And also, it was Amalia Fuentes who was a first Lux endorser, because Lux at that time are looking for the most beautiful face in Asian cinema to counterpart other well known Hollywood Lux endorser beauties like Ava Gardner, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor and a few.

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  7. Mr Alex. May nakalimutan kang ad ng Coke ni Ms Amslia Fuentes

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  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJT_p29yNDw&ab_channel=%E2%A8%82stupidstickman found this commercial on YT!

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