In 1959, People’s Pictures billed its build-up star Mr. Ronald Remy as ‘This year’s new screen sensation!,’ introduced in Aawitan Kita, starring Eddie Mesa, Rosemarie Gil and Al Quinn. Ronald — Kookooritchin offcam, cousin of Zaldy Zshornack — is 22, a six-footer, single and a drama graduate of San Francisco State University.
Remy’s father was a member of the Russian navy who settled in Bicol. Although no singer or dancer, he was cast in the musical Aawitan Kita, directed by Gerardo de Leon. Co-stars Eddie Mesa and Al Quinn provided the singing and dancing, respectively. Remy later married another co-star, Lily Marquez, with whom he had a daughter, called Jackie Koo.
The Kookooritchin family was active in the born-again Christian movement, hosting a popular religious program.
Remy appeared in some 70 movies until the late ’60s, 20 of which he produced and 16 he directed. His movies included The Longest Hundred Miles, Escape to Mindanao, Bus to Bataan, No Man Is an Island, Death Is a Stranger, Kalawang sa Bakal, Kadenang Putik, No Way Out, Kulay Dugo ang Gabi, Ang Maton, Lakas sa Lakas.
The family relocated to the US in the ’70s. — RKC