Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. (; July 25, 1928 – July 10, 2012), better known by his stage names Dolphy, Pidol, and Golay, was a Filipino comedian and actor. He is widely regarded as the country's "King of Comedy" for his comedic talent embodied by his long roster of works on stage, radio, television and movies. Early life and education Quizon was born at Calle Padre Herrera (now P. Herrera St.) in Tondo, Manila, on July 25, 1928. His parents were married on July 14, 1925, in Malate, Manila. His father, Melencio Espinosa Quizon (December 5, 1899 – May 14, 1972), was a ship engine worker from Bulacan stationed in the Atlantic Gulf. His mother, Salud de la Rosa Vera (February 5, 1903 – September 12, 1986), was a seamstress and a school teacher. He had four brothers and five sisters. Quizon began studying at the age of six, and was enrolled in public schools. He attended the Magat Salamat Elementary School and Isabelo de Los Reyes Elementary School until the seventh grade. For his secondary education, he studied at the Florentino Torres High School until his sophomore year. He was an average student, although his grades fluctuated. Quizon sold peanuts and watermelon seeds at movie theaters as a boy, which enabled him to watch movies for free. He was about thirteen when World War II started. He did odd jobs including shining shoes, attaching buttons at a pants factory, sorting bottles by size, working as a stevedore at the pier, trading, and driving the calesa. In his free time, he regularly watched stage shows at the Life Theater and the Avenue Theater. His favorite performers included the comedy duo Pugo and Togo and the dancers Benny Mack and Bayani Casimiro. Quizon started performing onstage during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. When he turned 17, Benny Mack got him a job as a chorus dancer for a month at the Avenue Theater and subsequently on the Lyric Theater. He also appeared in shows at the Orient Theater. "Golay" was his first stage name. During air raids, they would interrupt the show and run for the air-raid shelter in the orchestra section together with the audience. If no bombs fell and exploded, the show would then resume. Career Early career He starred in his first movie when he was 19 with Fernando Poe Sr. in Dugo at Bayan (I Remember Bataan),