Sampaguita Pictures was established in the last quarter of 1937.

Its first feature length film was Bituing

Marikit, starring Elsa Oria and Rogelio dela Rosa. It was a box-office hit. The company has continued to
make films in the action, musical, horror and suspense genres.

Before the Second World War began, and the Japanese occupied Manila, several Sampaguita films
enjoyed box office success in the region. Some of them employed the famous tandem of Carmen
Rosales and Rogelio dela Rosa, like Panambitan, Pagsuyo, Jazmin and many more. But the first film made
at the Sampaguita studio by Carmen and Rogelio was Takipsilim.

After the war ended, Sampaguita made several war pictures in 1946, including Guerilyera, with Carmen
and newcomer Celso Baltazar, Maynila, the comeback picture of Corazon Noble and featuring a little girl
Tita Duran, and Isumpa mo Giliw, with husband-and-wife team Angel Esmeralda and Corazon Noble.

After several war musicals became popular, and the studio created a new star team with real husband
and wife Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. They made several hits including Bulaklak na Walang
Pangalan, Huwag Ka ng Magtampo, Sa Isang Sulyap mo Tita, and Sa Isang Halik mo Pancho.

In 1950, the studios were hit by fire and hundreds of film prints were destroyed. But in 1951, they top-
billed the unknown little girl, Tessie Agana, the daughter of Linda Estrella, in her first lead role in
Roberta, with another child actor Boy Alano and the movie was one of the biggest hits of the year.

In the early fifties several actors appeared in the studio's productions, including Alicia Vergel and her
husband Csar Ramrez in Ukkala, Diwani, the Philippine folk hero Bernardo Carpio, MN and many more.

In 1952 the half-Filipino half-American Gloria Romero made her first full-length movie as the partner of
Cesar Ramirez in an action costume picture Palasig.

Another famous husband and wife team were Rita Gomez and Ric Rodrigo. They were popular together
in their movie Diyosa.

The infamous tandem of husband and wife duo Lolita Rodriguez and Eddie Arenas made some dramas
together, like Kundiman ng Puso, Busabos, Cicatriz and Mapait na Lihim. The two later divorced. Arenas
is still active in Philippine cinema while Rodriguez moved to the United States.

Another husband-and-wife team in the 1950s were Amalia Fuentes and Romeo Vasquez. Fuentes made
her last appearance for Sampaguita in 1964, before leaving for another studio.

Though not as well remembered, many supporting actors and actresses, such as Imelda Concepcion and
Nelly Baylon worked in the Sampaguita system.

Susan Roces took her first lead role as a boxer in Sabungera opposite Luis Gonzales, but the movie was
not a box office hit. Fuentes and Roces are famous for their rivalry when they made the movie Cover
Girls in the 1960s.

By that time, a new manager, Dr. Jose R. Perez, took over the reins of Sampaguita.

In 1960, Sampaguita made Pitong Pagsisi supported by 20 Sampaguita stars, including the return of
Paraluman who reigned in the studio in the late 40s.

In 1971, the studio was merged with that of Vera-Perez Productions to form Sampaguita-Vera Perez
pictures, but despite its fling with musicals, especially with the Nora Aunor-Tirso Cruz III tandem
culminating in the 1971 movie Guy and Pip, the studio closed a decade later after its last success Batch
81. The company has been absorbed by Unitel Pictures, where Sampaguita's film library resides.

In 1995, the company ventured into television with GMA Network; they produced the drama anthology
Pira-pirasong Pangarap which lasted until 2003, which started another co-production Nagmamahal,
Manay Gina. The TV shows were hosted by Gina de Venecia.

All movies were aired on television via GMA News TV's Pinoy Cine Klasika every Sunday afternoons.
Starting May 2011, selected movies from Sampaguita Pictures aired worldwide on GMA Life TV, under
the movie blocks: Reel Life, Pinoy Cine Klasika and Ginintuang Telon.

Filmography[edit]

1930s[edit]
1938 - Bituing Marikit also known as Beautiful Star
1938 - Alipin ng Palad a.k.a. Slave of Fate
1938 - Dahong Lagas a.k.a. Fallen Leaves
1938 - Himagsikan ng Puso a.k.a. Rebellion of the Heart
1938 - Inang Mahal a.k.a. Beloved Mother
1938 - Madaling Araw a.k.a. Dawn
1938 - Mapait na Lihim a.k.a. Dark Secret
1938 - Paru-parong Bukid a.k.a. Meadow Butterfly
1938 - Tigre (Ang Taong Halimaw) a.k.a. Tiger (The Monster)
1938 - Walang Pangalan a.k.a. Nameless
1939 - Ang Magsasampaguita a.k.a. Sampaguita Vendor
1939 - Gabay ng Magulang a.k.a. Parental Guidance
1939 - Lagot na Kuwintas a.k.a. Broken Necklace
1939 - Pasang Krus a.k.a. Burden Cross
1939 - Siya'y Aking Anak a.k.a. He is my Child
1939 - Takipsilim a.k.a. Twilight

1940s[edit]
1940 - Estrellita a.k.a. Little Star
1940 - Gunita a.k.a. Memory
1940 - Jazmin
1940 - Lambingan a.k.a. Expression of one's love