Paraluman

"Kamukha mo si Paraluman"("You look like Paraluman") I have always heard from the popular song of Eraserheads.

But who/what is Paraluman?

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Paraluman the Street

(Paraluman Street, St. Joseph, Cainta, Rizal)

Barely few passersby knew who/what paraluman was.

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Paraluman the Actress

Sigrid Sophia Agatha von Giese (December 14, 1923), better known as Paraluman, was a legendary Filipina actress during the early cinema era in the Philippines. She was a contemporary of the likes of Fernando Poe, Sr. and Marlene Daudén and was a major contract star of Sampaguita Pictures

Personal life
Paraluman was born from a German father and a Filipina. At her prime, she was considered as the Philippine's answer to Swedish-American actress Greta Garbo because of her perfect bone structure, svelte figure, long brown hair, hypnotic eyes, an impenetrable gaze, and a face capable of registering everything.

The young Paraluman was a movie fan. She loved reading magazines about her favorite celebrities. Her interest in showbiz increased when she learned that their next-door neighbor was the big movie star, Corazón Noble. Oftentimes, she would climb over the fence to catch glimpse of the actress.

Her curiosity yielded positive result because Noble’s younger sister, Lily, noticed her. Soon, Paraluman became friends with Lily.

Career
Because of her extraordinary beauty, Paraluman was recommended by Norma, another sister of Corazón, to Luis Nolasco of Filippine Films. She was only 17 at that time. Her first movie was Flores de Mayo (1940). She first used the the screen name Mina de Gracia. It was later changed to Paraluman by Fernando Poe Sr., who signed her as a full-fledged star in X’otic Films’ Paraluman (1941). This was followed by Bayani ng Bayan and Puting Dambana.

After World War II, she came back to cinema as a contract star of Sampaguita Pictures. She then became a famous leading lady in romantic movies, but when she made a comeback, her image was repackaged by Sampaguita Pictures owner Dr. José “Doc” Pérez. She was given character roles, playing nemesis to Gloria Romero in Hongkong Holiday, then as a lame woman in Tanikalang Apoy(1959). This, however, turned to her favor because it honed her acting skills more, earning her a FAMAS Best Actress Award for the movie Sino ang maysala?.

Paraluman was also nominated four times in FAMAS: twice in 1959 for Best Actress for the movies Bobby and Anino ni Bathala, in 1972 as Best Supporting Actress for Lilet, and in 1976 as Best Supporting Actress for Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko.

Her daughter, Baby O'Brien, was a TV-commercial-model-turned-actress. Her granddaughter, Rina Reyes (O'Brien's daughter) is also an actress.

Paraluman's legendary status in Philippine showbusiness even merited her an inclusion in the lyrics of Ang Huling El Bimbo, one of the most popular songs of Filipino rock band Eraserheads.
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Paraluman as the symbol of beaty in a song

Huling El Bimbo

Last El Bimbo

by Eraserheads

kamukha mo si Paraluman
you looked like Paraluman
nung tayo ay bata pa
when we were kids
at ang galing-galing mong sumayaw
and you were so good at dancing
mapa-Boogie man o Cha-cha
be it Boogie or Cha-cha
ngunit ang paborito
but my favorite
ay pagsayaw mo ng El bimbo
was when you danced El bimbo
nakakaindak, nakakaaliw
catchy, amusing
nakatindig-balahibo
hair-raising

pagkagaling sa skwela ay
after school
didiretso na sa inyo
I'd go straight to your house
at buong maghapon ay
and the whole afternoon
tinuturuan mo ako
you would teach me

magkahawak ang ating kamay
we held hands
at walang kamalay-malay
and had no idea
na tinuruan mo ang puso ko
that you taught my heart
na umibig nang tunay

true love

naninigas ang aking katawan
my body freezes
pag umikot na ang plaka
as the record starts to spin
sabay sa kembot ng bewang
along with the sway of your hips
at pungay ng iyong mga mata
and the sparkle of your eyes
lumiliwanag ang buhay
my whole life brightens
habang tayo'y magkaakbay
when our arms are on each other's shoulders
at dahan-dahang dumudulas ang kamay ko
and my hand slowly slides
sa makinis mong braso

on your smooth arm

sana noon pa man ay
I wish that long ago
sinabi na sa iyo
I had already told you
kahit hindi na uso ay
though it's gotten old
ito lang ang alam ko
this is all I know

magkahawak ang ating kamay
we held hands
at walang kamalay-malay
and had no idea
na tinuruan mo ang puso ko
that you taught my heart
na umibig nang tunay
true love

lumipas ang maraming taon
many years passed
di na tayo nagkita
we haven't seen each other
balita ko'y may anak ka na
I heard you already have a child
ngunit walang asawa
without a husband
taga-hugas ka raw ng pinggan
I heard that you wash dishes
sa may Ermita
somewhere around Ermita
at isang gabi, nasagasaan
and one night, you were run over
sa isang madilim na eskinita

in a dark alley

lahat ng pangarap ko'y
all my dreams
bigla nang natunaw
have suddenly melted
sa panaginip nalang pala
I will now get to dance with you
kita maisasayaw
only in my dreams

magkahawak ang ating kamay
we held hands
at walang kamalay-malay
and had no idea
na tinuruan mo ang puso ko
that you taught my heart
na umibig nang tunay ...
true love ...