JOAN PAGE WAS THE BLONDE sensation of post-war Philippine show biz, from 1948 to 1952. She starred in Sampaguita Pictures? ?Ang Asawa Kong Amerikana,? with Oscar Moreno. She was also the fantasy of Eddie San Jose on the popular radio show, ?Edong Mapangarap.? Joan accomplished all this after she unexpectedly became the headliner of Manila Grand Opera House?s ?Phil-American Extravaganza? in 1948.

Joan and I became friends when the late stage-film-TV-radio luminary, Tita Muñoz, introduced us to each other. Two years ago, I spent a few days in her home outside Los Angeles.

I asked Joan, now 85, for her impressions of some personalities she met when she was still active in the biz. Her candid replies:

Kissing scene

Fernando Poe Sr.: ?He insisted on a kissing scene if we ever made a film together. He was imposing, tall, big and charming.?

Rosa Rosal: ?She was feisty, full of life and fun to be with. I was with her the first time she donated blood to the Blood Bank.?

Gloria Romero: ?I only met her in 2005, during my nostalgic visit to Manila. By then, we were two old women.?

Dolphy: ?I first met him in LA, for a show.?

Pancho Magalona: ?Charming. He was very much a gentleman.?

Tita Duran: ?She gave me a recipe for chicken curry cooked in coconut milk.?

The Manila Grand Opera House: ?I distinctly remember the motorcade from the airport. I was greeted by signs announcing the ?Philippine-American Extravaganza,? starring Joan Page. The Americans in the troupe hated me, so I spent my time with the Filipino performers.?

President Elpidio Quirino: ?I sang ?Bayan Ko? in Ilokano for him at Malacañan Palace.?

Armi Kuusela, the first Miss Universe: ?Lovely person.?

Erlinda Cortez, her close chum: ?We performed together for the 20th BCT in Korea. I wore a patadyong, so I soon was feeling cold. Erlinda quickly covered my back with a fur coat she brought along.?

Katy dela Cruz: ?She taught me the Tagalog tunes (?Magtanim Ay ?Di Biro? and ?Dahil Sa ?Yo?) that became my signature songs. Thereafter, I learned more songs in the different regional languages.?

Tita Muñoz: ?I met her after the Korean War, and we became close friends.?

Great friends

Bert and Daisy Avellana: ?Great friends. When they quarreled, they told me they described each other as the ?unexpurgated so- and-so!??

Norma Blancaflor: ?She told me that women who have a widow?s peak (both of them do) are always horny!?

Oscar Moreno: Initially, there was silence. Then, after some thought, Joan whispered, ?He was my first leading man.?

Tyrone Power (who was in the Philippines for ?An American Guerrilla in the Philippines?): ?He was polite and very much a gentleman.?

And, Linda Christian (Power?s wife then)?: (Silence).