José Padilla Jr.


José Carmelo "Pempe" Ruiz Padilla Jr. was a Philippine actor who appeared in several dozen movies. He made his first movie in 1931.
Padilla also represented his country as a lightweight boxer during the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States, in 1932 and the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, in 1936. In 1932 he was eliminated in the first round of the lightweight class after losing his bout to eventual gold medalist Lawrence Stevens.

1932 Olympic results

José Padilla, was a Filipino lightweight boxer who competed at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. He lost to Lawrence Stevens in the Round of 16.

Family

Padilla was born into a show business clan. His father José Padilla Sr. was the governor of Bulacan from 1928 to 1931, and his brother was Carlos Padilla and Roy Padilla. He was the uncle of Rudy Fernández and Robin Padilla. He married Arsenia Francisco, a famous actress, and they had six children: Zenaida, Jovy, Maria Edith, Pempe Jr., Og, and Joena. He was the great-uncle of Zsa Zsa Padilla.

Movie career

He made his first movie in 1931, a silent horror film called Ang Multo sa Libingan, also known as Ghost in the Cemetery. His second movie, Doctor Kuba, was also successful in the Philippines; in it he played second only to the leading actor Don Dannon. Padilla had already made approximately three dozen movies before the Japanese occupied Manila in 1942. He was paired with several screen sirens: for example in Ako'y Maghihintay he teamed up with his real-life wife Arsenia Francisco, in Arimunding-Munding with Carmen Rosales, in Bakya Mo Neneng with Rosa del Rosario, and in Kaaway ng Babae with Lilia Dizon.

Filmography