Allan Fernando Reyes Poe (November 27, 1916 – October 23, 1951) was a Filipino actor and film director during the early era of cinema in the Philippines. Poe was the father of Fernando Poe Jr., who later became a prominent actor and film industry icon. Prior to his son's rise to fame, he was known as Fernando Poe; he was later referred to as Fernando Poe Sr. to distinguish him from his son....indicated that (Ronald Allan Poe's) parents are Allan F. Poe and Bessie Kelley.

[http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/iserver?page=news02_feb25_2004 The document (Affidavit for Philippine Army Personnel, Dec. 22, 1947), signed by “Fernando R. Poe” states, among others, the names of the signatory’s children, namely Elizabeth, Ronald Allan, and Fernando II] He directed the first ''

Darna Darna () is a superhero appearing in Philippine comics, Filipino comic books created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. The character was introduced during the Golden Age of Comic Books, debuting in ''Pilipino Komiks'' #77 on May ...

'' film in 1951 before he died in the same year. As a leading man, he was often cast opposite Mona Lisa (actress), Mona Lisa. He died because of

Rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

Biography

Poe was born in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, and later had six children by his second wife, Elizabeth "Bessie" Gatbonton Kelley (November 8, 1918 – March 2, 1999) of

Pampanga Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...

: Elizabeth (Liz), Ronald Allan (Ronnie or FPJ), Fernando Jr. (Andy), Genevieve (Jenny), Fredrick (Freddieboy), and Evangeline (Eva). Poe and Kelly were married in 1940 after their first two children were born. Actor Conrad Poe (CP), meanwhile, was his illegitimate son by actress Patricia Mijares. 0306jfBaliuag_Bulacan_Landmark_Interior_Museum_and_Libraryfvf_09

0306jfBaliuag_Bulacan_Landmark_Interior_Museum_and_Libraryfvf_09

The original spelling of his surname was Pou () via his father, playwright Lorenzo Pou, a Catalan immigrant from

Majorca Mallorca, or Majorca, is the largest of the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain, and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of the island, Palma, Majorca, Palma, i ...

in the

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands are an archipelago in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago forms a Provinces of Spain, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain, ...

. Pou established a mining business in the Philippines and married a Pangasinense woman named Marta Reyes.

Military career

Unfortunately,

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

intervened. Twelve days after the war officially started in the Philippines, Poe Sr., who was a member of the Reserve Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was called to active duty on December 20, 1941, as 1st Lieutenant. His first assignment was as assistant Provost Marshall of the 59th Provisionary Brigade under Gen. Simeon de Jesus, from December 1941 to January 1942. He rose to become a Platoon Leader, then the Morale Officer of the Lamao Combat Team Regiment. He saw action in Bataan—where he saved residents from a house bombed by the Japanese, carrying children and the wounded to safety. He stayed in his position till Bataan fell on April 9, 1942. With the surrender of the American-Filipino forces, Lt. Poe Sr. joined the dreaded

Bataan Death March The Bataan Death March was the Death march, forcible transfer by the Imperial Japanese Army of around 72,000 to 78,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war (POWs) from the municipalities of Bagac and Mariveles on the Bataan Peninsula to Camp ...

. He secretly joined the Panay Guerrillas under Col. Macario Peralta Jr. He became an undercover man of the Llanes Intelligence and Information Corps. These, he revealed, during his inquisition by the post-war Loyalty Status Board. He rose to become a captain, but there came a point when he had to leave his military career.

Personal life

Poe graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...

in 1935 and the degree of Doctor of Dental Medicine from the Philippine Dental College in 1942.

Death

Poe died on October 23, 1951, from

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

, shortly before the release of his last film ''Basag na Manika'' (in which he was the director). His wife reported that he had been bitten by a puppy in August, but did not get anti-rabies treatment in the mistaken belief that he did not have the virus. The same puppy also supposedly bit three of Poe's children, but they were all treated. However, in a later interview, his son Ronald Allan (then better known by the

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Fernando Poe Jr.) asserted that Poe wasn't bitten, but rather had let the puppy lick a wound to purportedly speed up the healing.

Selected filmography

* ''Eseng ng Tondo'' (1937) * '' Zamboanga'' (1937), also known as ''Fury in Paradise'' (UK) * '' Giliw Ko'' (1939) * '' Dawn of Freedom / Liwayway ng Kalayaan'' (1944) * ''Dugo at Bayan'' (1946) * ''Forbidden Women'' (1948) * ''

'' (1951)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Poe, Fernando Sr. 1916 births 1951 deaths Filipino military personnel of World War II Bataan Death March prisoners Philippine Army personnel People from Pangasinan University of the Philippines alumni People from San Carlos, Pangasinan Male actors from Pangasinan Accidental deaths in the Philippines Deaths due to dog attacks Deaths from rabies Filipino Roman Catholics Filipino people of Catalan descent Infectious disease deaths in the Philippines Neurological disease deaths in the Philippines

Fernando Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia (like the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka). It is e ...

20th-century Filipino male actors Burials at the Manila North Cemetery