289. Father and Son Endorsers: LEOPOLDO SALCEDO & EDGAR SALCEDO for PIEDMONT Cigarettes, 1966

PIEDMONT, CHOICE OF 2 GENERATIONS, 1966 Print Ad

One of the oldest American cigarette brands that found its way in the Philippines was PIEDMONT Cigarettes, made by Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co. (L&M), a company incorporated in the 1870s in St.Louis, Missouri. Though it was acquired by the American Tobacco Co. (ATC) in 1899,  L&M continued to operate, introducing PIEDMONT in 1905. Some of its early brands included Chesterfield, L&M, Fatima, American Beauty, Home Run, Imperiales, Coupon and King Bee.

PIEDMONT Cigarettes was available in the Philippines after the war, as it was a popular brand among Americans. It was marketed actively in the 1950s through the 60s, and made use of celebrities and authority figures to push the brand.

In 1966, PIEDMONT print ads featured the father-and-son tandem Leopoldo Salcedo and Edgar Salcedo, both popular film actors.

Leopoldo  Salcedo,  (B. 12 Mar. 1912/d. 11 June 1998), known as “the Great Profile” was the Philippines’ answer to John Barrymore. By the 60s, he was already an established senior star, a long way from his bod-a-bil beginnings.  He broke into films in 1934, debtuing in “Sawing Palad”, but 1939 was his breakthrough year when he starred as Macario Sacay in Lamberto Avellana’s “Sacay”of LVN Pictures .

THE GREAT PROFILE

His career was interrupted by the war, so he returned to performing in stage shows while secretly engaged in underground activities. Post-war, he starred in he formed his own production outfit which produced movies with socially-relevant themes like “Bisig ng Mangagawa” (1951) and “Batong Buhay (Sa Central Luzon)”. 

Salcedo’s peak was during this period and the 60s decade saw him essaying his most famous title role in Gerry de Leon's “The Moises Padilla Story”, a 1961 bio-flick of about the heroic politician who was murdered after refusing to withdraw his candidacy. For this, he was awarded the Famas. He won another Famas for a supporting role in “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon”(1976). His last film was in Raymond Red’s “Sakay”, a role he originated years before.

His son with Trinidad Salas—Edgar Salcedo—also forayed into movie making and achieved a certain measure of fame in the mid-1960s as a member of Sampaguita Pictures “Stars ‘66”—a group of young love teams tagged as most likely to reach full stardom. 

Photo: Pinterest

The young Salcedo was paired with Gina Pareño. The other stars include Loreta Marquez-Dindo Fernando, Rosemarie-Pepito Rodriguez, Blanca Gomez-Bert Leroy Jr., Shirley Moreno-Ramil Rodriguez.

While Stars’66 were featured in light romance comedies, Edgar Salcedo had a chance to appear with his father Leopoldo in the 1966 action movie, “Laman ng Aking Laman”, which they both topbilled. 

The movie, from United Brothers productions, also starred Rita Gomez and Rosemarie. He did “Pedro Valiente” (1971) and “Milyon” (1980), his last known film.

But in 1966, the Salcedos were at the top of their game, credible and well-known enough to push PIEDMONT Cigarettes, in the familiar white and gold package, and “the choice of two generations”.