''Anna Liza'' is a

Philippine television drama Philippine television drama, also known as ''teleserye'', Filipino telenovelas or P-drama, is a form of melodramatic, serialized, televised fiction in the Philippines. ''Teleserye'' is derived from two Filipino words: "tele", short for "''telebis ...

series broadcast by

GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...

. Directed by Gil C. Soriano, it stars

Julie Vega Julie Pearl Apostol Postigo (21 May 1968 – 6 May 1985), better known by her stage name Julie Vega (), was a Filipina child actress, singer and commercial model. She remains very popular in her native Philippines, years after her death at the p ...

in the title role. It premiered on February 4, 1980 as the network's first primetime drama series. The series concluded on May 10, 1985.

Cast and characters

;Lead cast *

as Anna Liza Santiago ;Supporting cast *

Alicia Alonzo Germelina Viana Hernandez (born June 1, 1946), better known by her stage name Alicia Alonzo, is a Filipina actress in movies and television in the Philippines. She is the sister of action star Anthony Alonzo. Career She was a flight stewardes ...

as Isabel Santiago * Augusto Victa as Lazaro Santiago * Daria Ramirez as Stella/Adela * Valen Miranda as Ronnie *

Robert Arevalo Robert Ylagan Arevalo (; born May 6, 1938) is a Filipino film and television actor. Personal life Arevalo is the son of Filipino film actor/composer/musician Tito Arevalo; his uncle Angel Esmeralda is the father of the late Jay Ilagan and his un ...

as Greg *

Renato del Prado Renato del Prado (January 26, 1940 – November 1, 2013) was a Filipino film actor. Early life Born Renato Natividad-Mateo on March 17, 1940 in Manila. Personal life He was married with 6 children. His youngest son, Janus is also both a film an ...

as Guido *

Rey Abellana Reynante Hofileña Abellana (; born September 2, 1962), professionally known as Rey "PJ" Abellana, is a Filipino actor who is best known for his portrayal as PJ in the Philippine TV series ''Anna Liza'' in the 1980s. He married Rea Reyes, his co ...

as PJ * Digna Kiocho as Cathy * Leni Santos as Arlene *

Roderick Paulate Roderick Mendenilla Paulate (, born April 4, 1960) is a Filipino former actor, TV host, comedian and politician. Paulate had previously hosted TV shows like ''Vilma On 7'', ''Tonight With Dick & Carmi'', ''Magandang Tanghali Bayan'', and ''The ...

as Ricky *

Albert Martinez Alberto Pineda Martinez (born April 19, 1961), is a Filipino actor, director and producer. Early life He was born in Manila on April 19, 1961 to Bert Martinez, and Margarita Pineda. Career Martinez began as a film actor. He took his first tel ...

as Glenn Laxamana * Suzanne Gonzales as Lilian *

Delia Razon Delia Razon (born Lucy May Grytz; born August 8, 1931) is a Filipina actress born to a German father and a Spanish Filipina mother. She made her debut in 1949 in the LVN Pictures' ''Krus na Bituin''. Dona Narcisa de Leon discovered Lucy's talent ...

as PJ's mother * Edgar Mande as Lester * Alvin Canon as Rocky *

Melissa Mendez Melissa Mendez (; born July 27, 1964) is a Filipina film and TV actress. Mendez was nominated for a Best Actress FAMAS Award for the film ''Kalakal'' (2008). Mendez produced an independent movie, ''Hilot'' (2009) with Empress Schuck. It was dire ...

as Melissa * Tony Carrion as Glenn's father *

Gloria Romero Gloria Romero may refer to: *Gloria Romero (actress) Gloria Anne Borrego Galla (born December 16, 1933), known professionally as Gloria Romero (), is a multi-awarded Filipino actress, regarded as the “Queen of Philippine Movies”, her care ...

as Glenn's mother * Mitos Canon as Mitos ;Recurring cast * Ester Chavez *

Anita Linda Alice Bueñaflor Lake (November 23, 1924 – June 10, 2020), better known by her stage name Anita Linda, was a Filipino film actress. A romantic lead in her youth, she later gained critical acclaim for her portrayals in maternal or elderly r ...

as Munda *

Celia Rodriguez Cecilia Rodriguez (born June 21, 1938) is a multi-awarded Filipina actress. She appeared in more than 130 movies and television shows. She won four FAMAS Awards in the films ''Kulay Dugo ang Gabi'', ''The Passionate Strangers'', ''Lilet'' and ' ...

Raquel Montesa Raquel Monteza (born Maria Teresa Calimbahin Rounsaville on September 30, 1955) is a Filipino actress. Career Monteza appeared in movies such as ''"What Am I Living For"'' (1970) starring Eddie Peregrina, ''"Kapag may Gusot, may Lusot"'' (1973) ...

* Lina Pusing * Gloria Ilagan *

Marissa Delgado Maria Epifania Garcia Boyle, better known by her stage name Marissa Delgado, is a Filipino actress of American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "Unit ...

as Elvie *

Liezl Martinez Anna Lisa Muhlach Sumilang-Martinez (March 27, 1967 – March 14, 2015), also known as Liezl Martinez was an actress in the Philippines where she was known by her screen names Liezl and Anna-Lisa. Early life She was born on March 27, 1967 ...

* Sugar Benedicto as Sugar *

Manilyn Reynes Manilyn Reynes-Jimenez (born April 27, 1972), simply known as Manilyn Reynes, is a Filipino actress, singer, TV host and commercial model. In the Philippines, Reynes has been referred to as "The Star of All Decades" and is recognized as one of ...

Aiko Melendez Mary Aiko Shimoji Melendez (born December 16, 1975), known professionally as Aiko Melendez (), is a Filipina actress and politician. Her father, Jimmy Melendez (born Jim Shinoji), was an actor. Her half-brother, Jam Melendez (son of Jimmy Melende ...

* Bobi Mercado * Rocco Montalban *

Dina Bonnevie Geraldine Schaer Bonnevie-Savellano (, formerly Sotto and Penson; January 27, 1961), known by her stage name Dina Bonnevie, is an actress in the Philippines. Before joining Philippine showbiz, Bonnevie was first runner-up in the Miss Magnolia 19 ...

Production

The series was based on the eponymously popular radio drama series in

Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...

in the 1970s which was created by Rey Benedicto and Raynee Salgado. ''Anna Liza'' premiered in 1980 under a direction by Gil C. Soriano, and received the attention of thousands of Filipinos—making it one of the most popular and well-loved drama series of all time. It served as a competitor of RPN's ''Flordeluna'', starring

Janice de Belen Catherine Janice Yap de Belen (; born November 9, 1968), better known as Janice de Belen, is a Filipino actress, commercial model and television host. She is dubbed as the “''Queen of Horror-Drama''” for her acting prowess and exceptional ...

and led to the showbiz rivalry between Vega and de Belen (despite being highlighted as bestfriends offscreen). The series ended because of Julie Vega's sudden death, resulting in the serial having incomplete storyline and ''Anna Liza'' got its TV ratings of 54% by PSRC on its final episode. It was replaced by ''Mirasol del Cielo''.

Remake

In 2013,

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...

remade Bas-Lag is the fictional world in which several of English author China Miéville's novels are set. Bas-Lag is a world where both magic (referred to as "thaumaturgy") and steampunk technology exist, and is home to many intelligent races. It is inf ...

''Anna Liza'' after the rights of the said drama series was bought from its original director, Gil C. Soriano.

Andrea Brillantes Anndrew Blythe Daguio Gorostiza (born March 12, 2003), known professionally as Andrea Brillantes (), is a Filipinos, Filipino actress. She is best known for her roles as the titular character in ''Annaliza'' (2013) and as Marga Bartolome in '' ...

played the lead role.

References

External links

* 1980 Philippine television series debuts 1985 Philippine television series endings Filipino-language television shows GMA Network drama series Television shows set in the Philippines {{Philippines-tv-prog-stub