Rodolfo "Rudy" Valentino Padilla Fernandez (born March 3, 1952, screen name Rudy Fernandez[1] — June 7, 2008), also known as "Daboy", was a multi-awarded Filipino actor and producer. He came to prominence as an action star in the Philippine cinema during the 1980s up to the early 1990s.
rnandez was born in Manila, the son of film director
Gregorio Fernandez.
[2] Both his parents were from
Lubao, Pampanga, which he considered his hometown.
[3] He made his film debut at the age of three, appearing in
Luksang Tagumpay (1956), which was directed by his father. He also appeared in another film of his father's,
Emily (1960).
Fernandez started his active film career while a student at the
University of Santo Tomas, when he was signed to a contract by
Sampaguita Pictures in 1970.
[2] He was first featured by Sampaguita Pictures in
For Your Mama (1970), then paired with
Connie Angeles in
Sweet Matutina (1976). Fernandez spent the next few years in teenage parts until he made his breakthrough as an action star with
Bitayin si Baby Ama (1976).
[2] His viability as an action star was further enhanced with the box-office success of
Ang Leon, Ang Tigre at ang Alamid (1979).
[2]
Beginning with
..Baby Ama, a
biopic of a well-known Filipino criminal, Fernandez specialized in portraying true-to-life characters. One of his notable
action films is
Markang Bungo (Skull Mark), a film based on a true story, where he portrayed the well-known
Baguio City police officer Bobby Ortega, was released in 1992. From this film came a signature line of Fernandez's, "
Walang personalan, trabaho lang" ("All business, nothing personal"), which has since been cited as among the most memorable quotes in Philippine cinema by
QTV's Ang Pinaka television program.
[4] Iligpit si Bobby Ortega, Markang Bungo 2 (Execute Bobby Ortega, Skull Mark 2) is a sequel that was released in 1995. Aside for portraying a real police officer, he was cast in the lead roles for the biopics of Filipino politicians Vincent Crisologo and
Ping Lacson. In the film
Lagalag: The Eddie Fernandez Story, he starred as Eddie Fernandez, a Filipino actor during the 1970s and the father of
Pops Fernandez.
With the decline of production of Filipino action films during the 2000s, Fernandez turned to television roles. In the short-lived
GMA Networksitcom Da Boy, en Da Girl, he starred opposite
Rosanna Roces. He also played as a supporting role in other TV series in GMA like
Twin Hearts and
Atlantika. He was also the host of the docu-drama "Kasangga".
