TWO SHOWBIZ denizens have returned to their creator: actress Shirley Gorospe and director Don Escudero. Don started his career as a production designer for Marilou Diaz Abaya’s “Tanikala” in 1980. He won awards for his work in films like “Oro Plata Mata” and “Virgin Forest”, both directed by Peque Gallaga, for whom he also did “Unfaithful Wife” “Once Upon a Time”, “Scorpio Nights”, “Isang Araw Walang Diyos”, “Tiyanak” and the classic “Manananggal” episode of the very first “Shake Rattle and Roll”. He started directing in 1994 for “Multo in the City” and the acclaimed “Hindi Magbabago”. Most of his films were with Regal Entertainment. He also megged “Taguan”, “Impaktor”, “Laging Naroon Ka”, “Halik” and “Nag-aapoy na Lamang”. A good friend of Director Joey Reyes, he succumbed to colon cancer on July 11 at the age of 55.
SHIRLEY Gorospe was Miss Philippines California of 1956. She had a Pinoy dad and a Portuguese mom and was recruited by Premiere Productions to be the leading lady of Zaldy Zshornack in such films as “Sweethearts”, “Shirley My Darling”, “Ang Kanyang Kamahalan” and “Hongkong Honeymoon”. They fell in love on and off cam, got married in 1958, and lived together as husband and wife for 43 years. Zaldy passed in 2001 due to heart disease and diabetes. They had two sons: Gary, who became Coco, and Gino, who has three kids. She passed at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in L.A. on July 10
