Tirso Silvano Cruz III (born April 1, 1952) is a Filipino actor, comedian, and singer. He was the Chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines after one year and seven months for personal reasons. Regarded as a "matinee idol", Cruz is a FAMAS Award and Gawad Urian Award recipient.

Early life

Tirso Silvano Cruz III was born at 2:46 AM on April 1, 1952, at University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Sampaloc, Manila to Tirso Bailey Cruz, Jr. and Elma Acosta Silvano. He is the grandson by paternal line of musician Tirso Muñoz Cruz Sr. and María Loreto Lagrosa Bailey, and by maternal line of Tomas Silvano and Petra Acosta. Loreto's father, Lewis Edwin Bailey, was an American soldier, from Stowe, Vermont, and was the son of French Canadian immigrants.

Personal life

Cruz married Erlinda "Lynn" Erillo Ynchausti (born 1959) in 1981. The couple have two sons and one daughter, TJ (October 22, 1981 – November 21, 2018), Bodie (born 1983) and Djanin (born 1988). Bodie Cruz was a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother: Season 2. On November 21, 2018, his eldest son TJ died of cancer, at the age of 37. Cruz was raised a Roman Catholic, but converted to Evangelical Christianity in 2009. On July 5, 2022, he was appointed by President Bongbong Marcos as the chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines replacing Liza Diño. Cruz III has resigned as FDCP chairperson effective March 1, 2024 citing personal reasons. Rica Arevalo is the appointed OIC and head-project development officer for Film Education Division and Film Festivals Division.

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Gawad Urian Awards Golden Screen Awards *Star Awards for Movies Metro Manila Film Festival Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival TV Awards

Nominated