Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Paraluman (Sigrid Sophia Agatha von Giese), actress of the Philippine cinema, 1940.

Sigrid Sophia Agatha von Giese, better known by her screen name Paraluman (December 14, 1923 – April 27, 2009), was an award-winning Filipina actress. Her contemporaries include the likes of Fernando Poe, Sr. and Carmen Rosales, she was a major contract star of Sampaguita Picture. Born in Tayabas, Quezon, her first movie at age 17 was Flores de Mayo in 1940 under the screen name of Mina de Gracia, Fernando Poe Sr. rename here Paraluman" (archaic Tagalog for "muse" )  aappearing as a leading lady  in the movie  Paraluman (1941),  After a couple more movies, WWII in the Pacific interrupted her career. 

Paraluman was widely rumored during World War 2 as a mistress of Yamashita. When Yamashita surrendered, the United States Armed Forces of the Far East captured them in the hopes to save Paraluman, her family and accomplices from the Filipino mob who wanted to kill them for being “Maka-Pili”. Paraluman begged for her life with a Filipino Lieutenant who eventually saved them. According to witness accounts, Paraluman was bald when captured due to lice infestation while in hiding. After the war, Paraluman returned to acting. However, despite her beauty, she never achieved the fame of her contemporaries like Gloria Romero, especially with the rise of Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Rita Gomez, etc.

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