1. Soxie Topacio

Truth is, Soxie Topacio was an esteemed theater director who was a pioneer at the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). But he made his mark as a comedian playing a nosey gay neighbor in an early ‘80s sitcom called Duplex, which starred another comedic icon, Ading Fernando (not included, yet, in Reborn).


2. Yoyoy Villame 

A well-loved Visayan novelty singer who wrote and sang “Mag-Exercise Tayo”, “Magellan”, and “Butse Kik”. With those songs, he could have been a great history teacher, too!


3. Richie D’ Horsie 

Ricardo Reyes in real life, he played sidekick to Tito, Vic and Joey in countless projects, but his antics in Iskul Bukol is most remembered.


4. Tiya Pusit 

Played a half-witted maid with an annoying voice in the ‘80s sitcom Eh Kasi Babae, with beauty queen Gloria Diaz.


5. Zorayda Sanchez 

First caught the attention of TV viewers in Goin’ Bananas, yet another ‘80s show, which was the forerunner of shows like Bubble Gang. She was often the target of slapstick, but fact: she had graduated with a degree in journalism, cum laude, at UST, and was a scriptwriter before she became a comedian.


6. Noel “Ungga” Ayala

One of Joey De Leon’s discoveries when he ventured into doing comedy movies solo. He was “Ungga” because that was his name in Starzan: Shouting Star of the Jungle (1989) and it stuck. 

7. Panchito 

The original Big Nose of Philippine comedy. He was Dolphy’s sparring partner since their bodabil days. But while Dolphy would emerge as King, Panchito’s body of work is nothing to sneeze at (not even with his nose). 


8. Rene Requiestas 

Although Rene would find fame first as Joey De Leon’s greatest sidekick before striking it out on his own, he really came into his own via the seminal Pinoy satire news show Sic O’ Clock News. His antics, often involving breaking the fourth wall, was novel back then. Another fact: He played a key role in Ishmael Bernal’s camp classic Salawahan as a gay fashion designer. Hilarious. 





9. Tado Jimenez 

First appeared in a ‘90s DIY comedy show called Strangebrew, aired in the TV experiment of now-defunct rock station NU 107. Far as we can recall, he was the first comedian who successfully fused a rock aesthetic into his persona. 


10. Ike Lozada  

The original Big Guy of Philippine comedy, he rode the wave of the Pinoy bubblegum pop craze in the ‘60s in movies starring the likes of Susan Roces. He also got in on the Vilma Santos-Nora Aunor rivalry as a Vilmanian. The comic most associated with Nora Aunor is also in this roll call.


11. Chokoleit 

The most recent addition to the Dead Comics Society, he was among the key players in the development of our comedy bar scene. 


12. Blakdyak 

In 1997 Blakdyak burst into our music scene by fusing reggae with novelty, coming up with the hit “Good Boy”, containing a lyric that became a famous punchline, “Ang bait mo naman sana kunin ka na ni Lord.”


13. Sammy Lagmay 

We know him from ‘90s sitcoms on ABS-CBN like Chika Chika Chicks and Abangan Ang Susunod na Kabanata. In Abangan he was a Homer Simpson kind of dad, and that image became his trademark.


14. Palito

What you might not have known about Palito: he was a super drummer a la jazz great Gene Krupa. But if it’s movies we are remembering, hands down it’s Rambuto and James Bone 008! Classics!


15. Babalu

“Nang-aano ka eh!” Enough said. 


16. Redford White

Redford’s last great run was probably as Eric Quizon’s buddy in the ‘80s TV sitcom Buddy En Sol, our take on Perfect Strangers. But one movie that is forever etched in AO’s mind (because some of us are old like that) is now an obscure one, but a TV classic in the early ‘80s: Darakula, where he fused Dracula, James Bond, and Superman in one movie!



17. Larry Silva

We remember him more fondly in Okay Ka Fairy Ko as Pipoy, Enteng Kabisote’s (Vic Sotto) right hand man in his butingting everything shop. But before that he was a suking kontrabida to many action films.   


18. Mang Tomas (Tommy Angeles)

Our memory of him is specific to Home Along Da Riles, where he played the role of the owner of the sari-sari store where the sunog-baga boys held court as tambays.


19. Bentong

We don’t remember him much for his work on TV and in movies, but in his prime he was a noontime show laugh machine with Willie Revillame in Magandang Tanghali Bayan and Wowowee. 


20. Bernardo Bernardo

Bernardo took on a more sosyal gay image in his run as a comedian. In Home Along Da Riles he was the gay boss in the office where Kevin Cosme worked as a messenger.


21. Choppy

One half of the Porkchop Duo whose act was mainly musical standup. They took the Dolphy-Panchito formula of translating English songs to Filipino to comic effect and made it their signature act. 


22. Cachupoy

Our own Charlie Chaplin. He never starred in his own movie, instead always joining an ensemble cast, peddling his brand of clumsy forgetfulness as punchline.  


23. Chiquito

The third biggest comedian after Dolphy and Panchito, Chiquito’s string of movies in the ‘70s and ‘80s rank among the classics, mostly film adaptations of Pinoy comics characters, like Mang Kepweng, Barok, and Asiong Aksaya.


24. Dolphy

The King Of Comedy. If we may kindly suggest to creator Alan Czar Santos: Instead of putting him in the center with the gang, you should put him in the clouds, as God. 


25. Ben Tisoy

Easily one of AO’s favorites! The guy who always shakes both of his hands near his face when he spoke. We remember the classic Ben Tisoy joke: He is riding a jeep, sabit-style. “Mama, bayad ho” he goes…but he shakes both hands. He falls off the jeep. “A-hi-hi-hi, Ano ba yan?!”


26. Elizabeth Ramsey

Known more for her comic style of singing. But man, when she sings funk and soul, she is Tina Turner!


27. Carding Castro

The other half of Reycard Duet. He was the funny one. Their brand of musical comedy is a classic formula for town fiestas, and that same formula was what brought them to the glitzy shows in Las Vegas.


28. German Moreno

Kuya Germs did start out as a comedian in the ‘60s. He is the guy we refer to as most associated with Nora Aunor, with Ike Lozada going the other way. He co-hosted the ‘70s-‘80s primetime variety show classic Superstar with—who else?—the Superstar Nora Aunor. 


29.  Mely Tagasa

The prototypical terror teacher. She developed this character as Miss Tapia in Iskul Bukol.


30. Joy Viado

Joy is actually a versatile actress, if you look at her body of work. But it’s the character of the loud big-mouthed woman that we remember her most. 


31. Dencio Padilla

The classic probinsyano character—tampipi, local accent and all. Also Fernando Poe Jr’s favorite sidekick.


32. Tintoy

Among all the comedians in this roll call, Tintoy could probably be referred to as the cult favorite. He always played support to everyone else, but he was adept at delivering the good lines. His crew cut hair was a great selling point.


33. Porky

The other half of the Porkchop duo. 


34. Bert “Tawa” Marcelo

Now this guy is a much-missed classic. His trademark laughter, Bulakenyo accent and everyday guy demeanor was always a hit in the movies he appeared in. He’s holding a beer mug because he was an iconic San Miguel beer endorser back in the day, delivering a classic line, a bar order: “isang platitong mani.”