Monang Carvajal - Biography

Biography

Carvajal was born in Manila in 1898, the daughter of sarswela actors. By the age of four, she was appearing on stage, appearing alongside her parents. In her teens, she was touring the bodabil circuit together with Manuel Silos as a comedy duo known as "Monang & Sano". Silos would later become a prominent film director.

Carvajal made her film debut in 1920, in the silent film El Trust de los Tenorios. Soon, she found herself frequently cast in horror films, often as a monster, a witch (mangkukulam) or some other supernatural being. Along her roles in this vein were in such films as Sumpa ng Aswang (1935), Gamu-Gamong Naging Lawin (1937), Halimaw (1941), and Malaya, Mutya ng Gubat (1948).

Carvajal was also adept as a film comedian as well, appearing in comic roles in Ay Monang (1939), Victory Joe (146), and Principe Amante (1950). In 1962, she would be nominated for a FAMAS Best Supporting Actress award for her role in El Filibusterismo, Gerardo de Leon's film version of Jose Rizal's second novel. Thirty two years earlier, Carvajal had appeared in a silent film version of Rizal's first novel, Noli Me Tangere.

Carvajal maintained an active film career until nearly the end of her life, appearing in Mga Bilangong Birhen (1977). She died from cancer at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in June 1980.