Canuto Francia (January 28, 1904 – September 4, 1979),
better known as Canuplin, was a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
stage performer and magician who gained fame for his impersonation of
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
in Filipino movies and the local
bodabil
Vaudeville in the Philippines, more commonly referred to as bodabil, was a popular genre of entertainment in the Philippines from the 1910s until the mid-1960s. For decades, it competed with film, radio and television as the dominant form of Filip ...
circuit.
Biography
Canuplin was born in
Tondo,
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, but grew up in
Divisoria
Divisoria is a commercial center in between Tondo and Binondo in Manila, Philippines known for its shops that sell low-priced goods and its diverse manufacturing activities. Tutuban Center is situated within the commercial hub along with a night ...
.
[ At age 11, he won "best in costume" while dressed as Chaplin in a local fair. As his prize, he was employed as a barker at a circus. Soon, he was featured in the circus as a magician's assistant, and he learned to perform magic tricks as well.][
]
Early career
Canuplin was noticed by the bodabil producer Lou Salvador, Sr. and hired as a Chaplin impersonator. He gained fame performing his Chaplin act and various magic tricks on the Manila bodabil circuit, appearing alongside stars such as Patsy
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among It ...
and Bayani Casimiro
Bayani Casimiro Sr. (July 16, 1918 – February 27, 1989) was a Filipino dancer who was among the leading stars of bodabil (vaudeville) in the 1930s and 1940s. He also appeared in musical films and later in life, in comedic roles. A tap danc ...
.[ He also ventured into such films as ''Tinig ng Pag-ibig'' (1940), ''Luksang Bituin'' (1941) and ''Princesa Urduja'' (1942). One of his most notable roles was as the court jester in the 1941 LVN Pictures production of ''Ibong Adarna''. In many of his films, Canuplin would appear in his Chaplin guise, wordless as was the silent film star.][
]
Later career
During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Pananakop ng mga Japones sa Filipinas''; ja, 日本のフィリピン占領, Nihon no Firipin Senryō) occurred between 1942 and 1945, when Imperial Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the ...
, film production was halted and Canuplin returned as a headliner in bodabil. He performed at the Life
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
, Capitol
A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity.
Specific capitols include:
* United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
* Numerous ...
and The Avenue
The Avenue was a rugby union stadium and training pitches in Sunbury-on-Thames that belonged to the English club London Irish since 1931 when the team bought its . The team moved one season to the Stoop Memorial Ground thereafter to Madjeski S ...
theaters. After the war, he appeared in several other films until the 1950s.[
Canuplin ended his entertainment career at the bodabil circuit where he remained until its waning years in the sixties. His last years were spent in relative obscurity in Tondo, though still recognized by his peers.
His last movie was ''Burlesk Queen'' was released in 1977 with the star of all seasons Vilma Santos.
]
Death
Canuplin died on September 4, 1979 in Manila, Philippines at the age of 75 years old.
Legacy
After his death, the playwright Manny Pambid wrote a play, ''Canuplin'', on the bodabil star's rise and fall. It was staged by the Philippine Educational Theater Association in May 1980.
Filmography
* 1930 – ''Collegian Love''
* 1940 – ''Tinig ng Pag-ibig''
* 1941 – ''Luksang Bituin''
* 1941 – ''Kung Kita'y Kapiling''
* 1942 – ''Princesa Urduja
Urduja was a legendary Women warriors in literature and culture, warrior princess recorded in the travel accounts of Ibn Battuta (1304 – possibly 1368 or 1377 AD). She was described to be a princess of ''Kaylukari'' in the land of ''Tawalisi''. ...
''
* 1947 – ''Dalawang Anino''
* 1948 – ''Waling-Waling''
* 1950 – ''Tubig na Hinugasan''
* 1955 – ''Salamangkero''
* 1961 – ''Operetang Sampay Bakod''
* 1977 – ''Burlesk Queen''
Notes
External links
*
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canuplin
1904 births
1979 deaths
Impressionists (entertainers)
People from Tondo, Manila
20th-century Filipino male actors
Filipino magicians
Cultural depictions of Charlie Chaplin