Ramon Zamora filmography

The Bruce Lee of the Philippines: RAMON ZAMORA Timeline and Filmography (still under construction)

Director Luis San Juan (Dr Yes, James Bandong), a parody specialist with a penchant for all-white suits, picked up on the new trend for Hong Kong kung fu films, specifically those of a rising star named Bruce Lee, a Chinese-American actor who was making a name for himself in a series of films for Shaw Brothers’ main rival Golden Harvest. Lee’s signature film The Big Boss thus went through San Juan’s fevered imagination and emerged as the impossibly-titled The Pig, Boss. In Lee’s place was popular TV identity Ramon Zamora, best known at the time as both a comedian and song-and-dance man in the dying stages of the vaudeville circuit and a regular on the local version of American TV’s Laff-In, Super Laugh-In, with his recurring character of a cripple possessed by the spirit of a dead Nazi in full storm trooper outfit and Hitler moustache spouting a barrage of Germanese gibberish. Plus he was an expert in kung fu - thanks to his dance background - and possessed mystical powers. The character’s one decipherable line, if you could describe it as such, was to be Zamora’s famous pidgin German catchphrase, “Isprakenhayt!” (also the name of Super Laugh-In’s spin-off feature in 1973). If you're ever in the Philippines, with the right delivery and a mouthful of spittle you can still floor a room full of over-fifties with that one. 

Zamora was soon handed his own Monday night show on ABS-CBN’s sister station Channel 4. Mission: Patok, a secret agent forerunner of Charlie’s Angels, saw Zamora playing a secret agent variant on the Bosley character next to June Keithley, Baby O’Brien and Aris Bautista, taking orders from a voice on the end of a machine. The mixture of humour and action suited Zamora’s charming, easy-going everyman persona; President Marcos then declared Martial Law and ground ABS-CBN to a halt, and Zamora reappeared with the remnants of the Super-Laugh In crew on Channel 7’s Laughing Stock. Government control over the material was endemic, and proved there was nothing particularly funny about Martial Law; Zamora’s switch to leading man in feature films was timely. 

The Bruceploitation formula proved a winner. San Juan followed The Pig, Boss in July 1972 with another Lee mangling, Fish Of Fury (= Fist Of Fury), and in August with a Meng Fei rip, The King Plaster (= The King Boxer). Along with fellow box office rivals Jimmy Wang Yu, best known as The One-Armed Swordsman, and Chen Xing, Meng Fei was proving to be a popular star in Escolta’s Chinatown cinemas, and thus was a comfortable target. The most telling title of San Juan’s short-lived Mung Fu cycle is the final all-out assault from February 1973, The Radical Boxer (= Meng Fei’s The Prodigal Boxer) Challenges The Big Boss. The poster jokingly refers to “Ramon ‘Bruce Lee’ Zamora” – it would not be long before a film’s credits would list him, in all earnestness, as “The Bruce Lee Of The Philippines”.  

Just as global pop culture was reeling from the punch to the head that signaled Bruce Lee’s arrival, his passing in July 1973 caused a shock wave that was felt around the world. More than a flash in the pan, Enter The Dragon (1973) had made Bruce Lee a universal brand, on the same phenomenally massive meta-level as Elvis Presley and the Beatles, and as the old saying goes, it’s hard to keep a good man down. The vacuum left by his premature departure sucked in all kinds of racketeers and poseurs claiming to be the next Bruce Lee, and for at least five years after Lee’s death the martial arts world was obsessed with keeping his filmic legacy alive. There were documentaries, mockumentaries, more outrageous conspiracies than the death of Princess Diana, and countless pretenders to the throne in relentless pursuit of striking gold, or at the very least, least gold paint. 

Ramon Zamora was in an ideal position to capitalize on Bruce's departure. Celso Ad. Castillo cast Zamora in the title role of Ang Mahiwagang Daigdig ni Pedro Penduko (“The Mystical World of Pedro Penduko”; 1973), a popular komik franchise already filmed by Gerry de Leon in the Fifties, with Zamora as the awkward dreamer thrust into a world of mermaids and dragons before getting to strut his martial arts prowess in a beautifully filmed finale against a Pirate Captain (Eddie Garcia). Pedro Penduko was Topaz Films’ entry in the 1973 Manila Film Festival, and proved one of the top box-office draws of the year. Zamora was quick to reinvent himself as the Pinoy Bruce Lee – albeit with a comic edge - and star in a string of local martial arts actioners in quick succession (Shadow Of The Dragon, Cobra At Lawin [“Cobra And Hawk”]). In The Game Of Death! (1974) Zamora and comedian Panchito are undercover agents infiltrating the island castle of a crazed, bewigged Colonel (Eddie Garcia) and his kung fu tournament, which can only end in one way - the death of all its contestants. This little-seen Bruceploitation clone cribs ideas from Enter The Dragon and even the title of Bruce's unfinished opus; Miss Philippines '73 Evangeline Pascual and beauty queen Edna Diaz provide the glamour in slave girl gowns. The Game Of Death! even goes as far to list Zamora as "Philippines' Bruce Lee" in its export credits.  

1935 - Born 27th June in San Juan, Rizal

1953 - dancer and stunt man for LVN Pictures.

1956 - brief uncredited appearances in LVN's Big Shot and Anak Dalita.

1960s - tours Asia as one of the Festival Dancers

1967 – Hey Boy! Hey Girl! [uncredited bit player]

1969 - Super Laff-In screens on Channel 2 from February 1st.

1969 - Facifica Falayfay [uncredited bit player]*

1970 - won Best Actor in the 1970 CAT Awards of the Citizens’ Council for Mass Media.

1971 – Yari Naaaa!..., Pagdating Sa Dulo/“When The End Comes” [supporting actor]*, Banderang Kapos [supporting actor]

1972 – The Pig, Boss, The King Plaster, Fish And Fury. Super Laff-In cancelled upon declaration of Martial Law and suspension of Channel 2's license. 

1973 – Ang Barbaro At Si Genghis Khan/“The Barbarian And Genghis Khan”, The Radical Boxer Challenges The Big Boss, Pasiklab Brothers, Logro Diyes, Alamat Ni Limahong, Ang Mahiwagang Daigdig Ni Pedro Penduko/“The Mystical World Of Pedro Penduko”*, Isprakenhayt!, Landas Ng Hari, Shadow Of The Dragon, Cobra At Lawin/Spirit Of The Dragon

1973-1974 - Dragon [TV series]

1974 – The Game Of Death!*, Return Of The Dragon*, Bagsik At Kamandag Ni Pedro Penduko, Dragon Fire, Kill… The Carnapers [supporting actor], The Dragon Force Connection 

1975 - San Simeon: Rage Of The Dragon, Sandugo: Fury Of The Blood Brothers, The Magnificent Brute, Dugo At Pag-Ibig Sa Kapirasong Lupa*, Trouble Shooters, Romeo At Julio, They Call Him Chop Suey* 

1976 – Ngiti… Tawa At Halakhak [supporting actor], Karunungang Itim, Ang Bulag Ang Pipi At Ang Bingi, Taho-Ichi [cameo as Isprakenheit!]*, Peter Pan de Sal*, The Interceptors*

1977 – Susan Kelly Edad 20 [supporting actor], Phandora, Mr Wong And The Bionic Girls [supporting actor], Mga Dragon Sa Gubat, Revenge Of The Dragon, The Dragon The Lizard The Boxer*, The Golden Chaku/Bruce And The Golden Chaku*

1978 – Cimarron Duplicado, Ang Mabait Ang Masungit At Ang Pangit/"The Good The Sour-Faced And The Ugly"*, Kambal Dragon*, Ang Dragon Sa Maskarang Bakal, Ang Lawin Ng Sta. Barbara, Cobra Lawin At Dragon/"Cobra Hawk And Dragon", Wonder Dabiana*, Ang Hari At Ang Alas/"The King And The Ace", Bruce Liit*, Crime Fighters, The Deadly Rookies, Walang Kasukat, Bruce Volcanic Kicks, The Wild Grease…Wild And Riotous!, Chop Suey Meets Big Time Papa 

1979 – That Man From Shanghai, The Snake-Dragon Connection, Chimikoy [also producer with wife Jojo Zamora], Ahas Sa Pugad Ng Lawin/ “Snake In Eagle’s Nest”, Dakipin… Killers For Hire, Arnis Karate Kung Fu, Fists For Hire, Pag-Ibig At Kagitingan, Dragon At Harabas [also producer], The Experts*, Alabok Na Ginto [supporting actor] 

1980 – Kodigo Penal: The Valderrama Case, Ako… Laban Sa Lahat!*, Lumakad Ka Ng Hubad Sa Mundong Ibabaw [supporting actor], Crazy Kung Fu, Tacio [supporting actor], Boy Negro [supporting actor], Porontoy [also producer]

1981 - Brusko, Kamandag Ng Rehas Na Bakal [supporting actor], Atraso Totong Aso, Cuatro y Media/“Four And A Half”*, Estong Balisong, Magkasangga [also producer], Alaskador, Agent 00, Isang Lahi Isang Dugo Sa Lupang Pinangako* 

1982 - Tigre Ng Sierra Madre/"Tiger Of Sierra Madre", Amuyong [also producer], Utakan, Deadly Commandos* 

1983 – Dalmacio Armas [also producer]*, Destination: Cotabato, Mga Pusang Bundok, Kato: Son Of The Dragon [also director and producer], Death Raiders [supporting actor]*

1984 - The Dragon Fights Back*

1985 – Operation: Central Luzon, That Man From Interpol*, Mga Manikang Hubad [supporting actor]

1986 – Ninja Komisyon*, Panganib Bawa’t Sandali Ng Ligaya, Sumamgad Sa Laman Tumagos Sa Buto [supporting actor], God’s Little Children*, Vengeance Squad [supporting actor]*, The Buelta Force [cameo appearance as Isprakenheit]*, Kontra Bandido*

1987 – Amang Hustler, Anghelika Sugo Sa Lupa, The Rookies And The Mighty Kids*

1988 - May Butas Sa Dingding, Damong Makamandag, Lorenzo Ruiz: The Saint…A Filipino [supporting actor], Pepeng Kuryente: Man With A Thousand Volts [supporting actor], Me And Ninja Liit [supporting actor]*, Aguilar: May Oras Ka Rin…

1989 - My Darling Domestic: Da Greyt Iskeyp [supporting actor]

1991 – Hindi Palulupig, Dudurugin Kita Ng Bala Ko [supporting actor], Juan Tamad At Mister Shooli Sa Mongolian Barbecue The Movie [supporting actor]

1992 - Eh Kasi Bata [supporting actor] 

1993 – Ginkata*, Aguinaldo [supporting actor]

1994 – Manolo En Michelle: Happy Together, Da Young Asiong Aksaya, Walang Kasukat Sa Tapang

1995 - Dobol Trobol*

1997 – Yes Darling Walang Matigas Na Pulis 2

1999 – Ako’y Ibigin Mo Lalaking Matapang

2000 – Eksperto: Ako Ang Sasagupa!*, Pedro Penduko, Episode II: The Return Of The Comeback [supporting actor]*, Basta Tricycle Driver... Sweet Lover [supporting actor], Isang Lahi Isang Dugo Sa Lupang Pangako [supporting actor], Sgt. Isaias Marcos... Bawat Hakbang Panganib 

2002 - Eva, Lason Kay Adan [supporting actor], Pistolero [supporting actor]*

2005 - Pelukang Itim: Agimat Ko Ito For Victory Again [supporting actor], Lisensyadong Kamao  [supporting actor]

2007 - Ang M.O.N.A.Y ni Mr. Shooli [supporting actor], Ataul: For Rent aka Casket For Hire [supporting actor]

2007 - died 26th August. From the GMA obituary: Action-comedy star Ramon Zamora, the Bruce Lee of the Philippines, died Sunday night in Marikina City after a heart attack. He was 72. The report said that Zamora was at his home in Mayamot village in Antipolo City when he suffered a heart attack. He was rushed to the Marikina Valley Medical Hospital along Sumulong Highway in Marikina City at around 9 p.m. but was declared dead on arrival. The report quoted the relatives of Zamora as saying that the actor had suffered from a previous heart attack but had refused to be admitted to a hospital. He is survived by his six children, Ranillo, Gigi, Bryan, Gary, Zsa Zsa, and John. They said that their father was "strong" and showed no signs of a deteriorating health condition prior to the attack. Zamora is lying in state at the Marian Chapel along Marcos Highway in Antipolo City, his daughter Gigi, 40, said.