Tessie Agana
- Actress
Her parents were actress
Linda Estrella and Dr Adriano Agana. She studied at St. Paul
College, Quezon City and Philippine Women's University. She married
Dr Rudy Jao, and their nine children reside with them in Gary, Indiana,
USA. Agana was discovered by Dr. Jose R. Perez, who gave her a
bit part as a solo ballet dancer in
Milagro ng birhen ng mga rosas (1949).
This was followed by
Campo O'Donnell (1950), where she played the daughter of
Pancho Magalona and
Linda Estrella. Her biggest break came when she portrayed a
mistreated waif in
Roberta (1951). The film broke box-office records and helped
Sampaguita Pictures rise again after a big fire gutted its studio. She
became the most popular child star of the 1950s, sharing top billing with
major starts such as
Pancho Magalona and
Lillian Leonardo in
Anghel ng pag-ibig (1951);
Gloria Romero in
Rebecca (1952);
Ramon Revilla and
Sylvia La Torre in
Ulila ng Bataan (1952);
Katy de la Cruz and
Norma Vales in
Cumbanchera (1952); and
Fred Montilla in
Nagkita si Kerubin at si Tulisang Pugot (1954). She was under exclusive contract with 'Sampaguita
Pictures' and did not work for any other movie company except Alta
Productions, the Agana firm which produced
Kung ako'y maging dalaga (1954).
When she was 14, her family migrated to the United States but she
returned briefly to do some movies with
Jose Mari: Love at First Sight (1960),
and Amy, Susie & Tessie (1960) (1960); and again with
Gloria Romero and
Luis Gonzales in
For You, Mama (1970) (1970), before she
married and settled in the US for good. Agana received the Maria Clara
award as Best Child Actress of the Year for her dual performance in
Eddie Romero's
Ang prinsesa at ang Pulubi (1950),
an adapatation of the famous classic,
The Prince and the Pauper (1909).
