Teresita Rigo Durango Magalona (born Teresita Rigo Durango; September 30, 1928 – April 27, 1990), known professionally as Tita Duran, was a Filipino film actress who began as a child actress. She was the first successful child star of Philippine cinema.

Career

Duran joined a movie in her early career as an eight-year-old child abandoned by her mother in 1936 family-drama of Awit ng mga Ulila ("The Songs of the Orphans"). In 1938, Sampaguita Pictures spotted the child and cast her in a tear-jerker movie titled Inang Mahal ("Dear Mother"). Her second movie for Sampaguita was Ang Magsasampaguita (The Sampaguita Vendor). Duran made two movies under LVN Pictures: Pangarap ("Dream") and Sawing Gantimpala ("Lost Prize") both in 1940. After World War II, she made a comeback in her studio Sampaguita Pictures. She joined in a war film with Carmen Rosales titled Guerilyera and typecasted in numerous musical films paired with some of Sampaguita's finest actors. Her last movie with Sampaguita was Isang Halik Mo Pancho. She made Maria Went to Town under Deegar Cinema Inc. Her career is similar to that of Hollywood's Shirley Temple.

Personal life

Duran was married to Pancho Magalona on October 2, 1948. She was the mother of Francis Magalona and grandmother to Maxene Magalona. Duran was also the aunt of singer and television personality, Regine Velasquez, as Velasquez' father was Duran's first cousin.

Death

Tita Duran died on April 27, 1990 in Manila, Philippines.

Filmography

Film