Paraluman

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is de Torres and the surname or paternal family name is von Giese.

Sigrid Sophia Agatha de Torres von Giese (December 14, 1923 – April 27, 2009), known professionally as Paraluman, was a Filipino actress whose career spanned four decades. Dubbed as the Greta Garbo of the Philippines,^[1] she is often cited as one of the greatest screen figures in the country.^[2][3] She first appeared in the film Flores de Mayo (1940)^[4] and rose to fame in the self-titled film opposite Fernando Poe Sr. She has since appeared in over 90 motion pictures including several foreign films such as Elephant Girl (1951) and Surrender - Hell! (1959).^[5][6] She has received two FAMAS Awards and has been inducted at the Eastwood City Walk of Fame.^[7][8][9]

Paraluman
Born	Sigrid Sophia Agatha de Torres von Giese (1923-12-14)December 14, 1923 Tayabas, Tayabas Philippine Islands
Died	April 27, 2009(2009-04-27) (aged 85) Parañaque, Philippines
Occupation(s)	Actress model
Years active	1940–1985
Spouse(s)	Brigido Sibug Tony O’Brien Yoshifume Abe

Early life

Paraluman was born in Tayabas to Lothar von Giese, and Tecla de Torres, who was herself from Tayabas.^[10] Educated at Assumption College, the young Paraluman herself was an avid movie fan. She loved reading magazines about her favorite celebrities. Her interest in showbiz increased when she learnt that their next-door neighbour was the actress Corazón Noble, and she would often climb their fence to catch glimpse of the actress.^[11] Her curiosity yielded positive results because Noble's younger sister, Lily, noticed her and they soon became friends.

Career

Her extraordinary beauty led the seventeen-year-old Paraluman to be recommended by another sister of Corazón Noble, Norma, to film producer Luis Nolasco. Her first movie was Flores de Mayo (1940), and she initially used the screen name Mina de Gracía. She was rechristened "Paraluman" (archaic Tagalog for "muse" or "magnetic needle") by Fernando Poe, Sr., who signed her as a full-fledged star in X’otic Films' Paraluman (1941). This was followed by the actresses' roles in the films Bayani ng Bayan and Puting Dambana.

After World War II, she came back to cinema as a contract star of Sampaguita Pictures. She then became a famous leading lady in romantic movies, but when she made a comeback, her image was repackaged by Sampaguita Pictures owner Dr. José "Doc" Pérez. She was given character roles, playing nemesis to Gloria Romero in Hongkong Holiday, then as a disabled woman in Tanikaláng Apoy (1959). She won a FAMAS Best Actress Award for her role in Sino ang Maysala?

Paraluman was also nominated by FAMAS four times: twice in 1959 for Best Actress for the movies Bobby and Anino ni Bathala, in 1972 as Best Supporting Actress for Lilet, and in 1976 as Best Supporting Actress for Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko. Her last films were Viva Films' Kailan Sasabihing Mahal Kita in 1985 and NV Productions' "Tatlong Ina, isang Anak" in 1987 as one of the spinster aunts of Miguel Rodríguez.

Personal life

Paraluman's first marriage was to Yoshifume Abe, which ended in divorce. She remarried in December 1949 in Manila to airline pilot Anthony Joseph "Tony" Barretto O'Brien, the son of Peter O'Brien and Dolores Barretto y Barretto of Zambales. Baby O'Brien, her daughter from her first marriage to Abe, took her stepfather's surname and was herself a television actress and advertising model. O'Brien's daughter, Rina Reyes, is also an actress.^[12]

Death

Paraluman died of cardiac arrest from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases complications on 27 April 2009 at her home in Parañaque. She was 85 years old.^[13]

Filmography

Paraluman's film credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref(s)
1940	Flores de Mayo	Mina de Gracia		[14]
1941	Paraluman			[15][16]
	Palaris			[17]
	Bayani ng Buhay			[18]
	Puting Dambana			[19]
	Manilena			[20]
1947	La Paloma			[18]
	Ina
1948	Amapola			[21]
	Sor Remedios			[18]
	Awit ng Bulag			[22]
1949	Good Morning Professor			[23]
	Biro ng Tadhana			[24]
	Kaputol ng Isang Awit			[25]
	Pinaghating Isangdaan
1950	Batong Buhay			[26]
	Sinag sa Kalbario			[15]
	Dalawang Bandila			[27]
1953	Now and Forever
	Highway 54			[28]
	May Karapatang Isilang			[29]
1954	Sarawak
	Pusong Ginto			[30]
1955	Sintu-Sinto			[31]
1956	Lydia			[32]
	Babalu			[16]
	Rodora	Rodora		[33]
	Gigolo			[34]
1957	Hongkong Holiday			[28]
	Veronica	Veronica		[35]
	Sonata			[36]
	Taga sa Bato			[37]
	Sino ang Maysala?			[38]
1958	Anino ni Bathala	Dolores		[28]
	Ulilang Anghel
	Tatang Edyer
	Bobby
	Elephant Girl			[28]
1959	Ipinagbili Ko Ang Aking Anak			[28]
	Pitong Pagsisisi
	Tanikalang Apoy			[28]
	Kahapon Lamang			[28]
	Surrender - Hell!	Pilar
	Baby Face			[28]
	Rosana Rossini			[28]
	Kamandag
1960	Isinakdal Ko Mag Aking Ama
	Kuwintas ng Alaala
	Amy, Susie & Tessie			[28]
	Estrela Mondragon
	Limang Misteryo ng Krus
1961	5 Yugto ng Buhay			[39]
	Dalawang Kalbaryo ni Dr. Mendez
	Harangan Man ng Sibat
	Makasalanang Daigdig
	Sa Linggo ng Bola
1962	The Big Broadcast
	Magbayad ang May-utang
	Ako ang Katarungan			[28]
	Pitong Puso
	Pitong Makasalanan
1963	Pitong Kabanalan ng Isang Makasalanan
	Tagumpay ng Langit
	Ang Class Reunion	Ms. Dimalanta
	Pedring Arenas, Alyas Ice Pick
1964	Moro Witch Doctor	Selisa Noble
1965	Isinulat sa Dugo
1966	Bakit Pa Ako Isinilang?
	Ang Tao ay Makasalanan
	Nais Ko Pang Mabuhay
1967	Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak	Victoria
1969	Stoney	Margaret Suwono
1970	The Losers	Mama-San
1971	Lilet	Amanda
1972	Daughters of Satan	Juana Rios
1973	Super Gee
1975	Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko
	Dugo at Pag-ibig sa Kapirasong Lupa	Vicente's wife
	Mother and Daughter
	Alat
1976	Nahirit, Nasipol Ang Biyaheng Bikol
	Malikot na Mata Maraming Nakikita
	Malamig, Mainit ang Magdamag
	Ikaw... Ako Laban sa Mundo!
1977	Pulot-gata: Puwede Kaya?
	The Lineman
1978	Ligaya Mo ay Kasawian ko
1979	Bakit May Pag-ibig Pa?
1985	Hello Lover, Goodbye Friend	Rita Delgado-Smith
	Kailan Sasabihing Mahal Kita	Luz Tuazon

In popular culture

• Filipino rock band The Eraserheads mentioned her in the opening lyrics of Ang Huling El Bimbo.
• She is also mentioned in the lyrics of the songs Binibini by Filipino pop group The Rainmakers
• The song Paraluman by Filipino singer and model Adie is about a woman whose beauty is like hers.
• A Filipino rock band, Paraluman, is also named after the late actress.^{[citation needed]}
• Ahtisa Manalo paid tribute to Paraluman with glamorous curls in her latest sepia-colored photo shoot.