The Philippines' undisputed Comedy King, Rodolfo 'Dolphy' Quizon, passed away shortly after 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, his family announced that evening. Dolphy has died yesterday, July 10, 2012, 15 days before his 84th birthday on July 25.
"My dad is now with his Creator," Dolphy's son, the actor-director Eric Quizon, said. The elder Quizon had been confined at the Makati Medical Center (MMC) since June 9. He would have turned 84 on July 25. Dad Dolphy is survived by partner Zsa Zsa Padilla and his 18 children.
Rodolfo Vera Sr. in real life, Dolphy was dubbed as the one and only Comedy King, and was best known for his portrayal on TV as John Puruntong in "John En Marsha" and as Kevin Cosme in "Home Along Da Riles".
Dolphy starred in more than 200 films in 7 decades, the last two were the MMFF 2010 entries "Father Jejemon" and "Rosario".
A few days ago, Dolphy's family said that the veteran actor's pneumonia was under control. He had underwent another round of dialysis and blood transfusion to boost his immune system.
"We join the entire Filipino Community in praying for the soul of Mr. Quizon and his dearly beloved family and friends. To the Quizon Family, we extend our deepest condolences," the MMC said.
Dolphy's COPD - an illness that results in breathing difficulty and worsens over time - was diagnosed five years ago. According to Quizon, his father's COPD had progressed to Stage IV.
Most people suffering from COPD are smokers or used to smoke. About 600 million people worldwide suffer from COPD, according to the World Health Organization. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States, which has more than 12 million people diagnosed with the disease.
His career started from the days of on-stage vaudeville to radio, the advent of television, the spread of movies, and finally the full blooming of the Internet.
