MANILA, Philippines (4th UPDATE) – Dolphy, dubbed the country’s “King of Comedy,”whose body of work on stage, movies and television mirrors the history of Philippine entertainment, died on Tuesday night. He was 83.
With his lean physique and humble demeanor, Dolphy’s memorable characters, notably as the down-on-his-luck family man John Puruntong in the long-running sitcom “John and Marsha,” effectively captured the travails of the common Filipino who is able to find humor even in the direst situations.
Dolphy died after a five-year battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to his long-time partner, actress and singer Zsa Zsa Padilla.
"We would like to inform the public that Mr. Rodolfo 'Dolphy' Quizon, passed away today, at 8:34 p.m. due to multiple organ failure, secondary to complications brought about by severe pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute renal failure," the Makati Medical Center said in a statement.
"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 hospital said.
