Spanky Manikan facts for kids

Spanky Manikan (born March 22, 1942 – died January 14, 2018) was a talented Filipino actor. He was well-known for his work in theater, movies, and television shows.

Spanky Manikan won several awards for his acting. In 1981, he was named Best Supporting Actor at the Metro Manila Film Festival and the Catholic Mass Media Awards for his role in the movie Himala. He also won the Best Supporting Actor award at GMA's Bahaghari Awards in 1995 for the TV movie Parola. Later, in 2014, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the PMPC Star Awards for Bamboo Flowers. On December 1, 2014, he received the Best Actor (Non-Musical) award from the Aliw Awards for his performance in the play Mga Ama Mga Anak.

Acting Career

Spanky Manikan started his acting journey in theater. He joined the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) in 1972, performing in a play called Halimaw. He acted with many other theater groups too, like Dulaang UP, the Manila Metropolitan Theater, Bulwagang Gantimpala, and Tanghalang Pilipino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). He performed in many plays, including Kabesang Tales, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Henry IV (Pirandello), and Mga Ama Mga Anak.

His acting career also included many local and international movies. He worked with famous Filipino directors like Lino Brocka on films such as Maynila sa Kuko Ng Liwanag and Bona. He also worked with Ishmael Bernal on Broken Marriage and Himala. Spanky Manikan appeared in films made by American and European directors too, like Behind Enemy Lines, Saigon Commandos, HBO's A Dangerous Life, and Amigo.

On television, Spanky Manikan was a familiar face in many popular shows. He played roles in series like My Love From The Star, FPJ's Ang Probinsyano, Ikaw Lamang, and Walang Hanggan. He was known for his strong performances in various roles on different networks.

Health and Passing

In August 2017, Spanky Manikan was diagnosed with a serious illness, stage-4 lung cancer. He passed away on January 14, 2018, at the age of 75, due to lung cancer.

Awards and Recognition

Spanky Manikan received several awards for his acting:

• In 1982, he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Metro Manila Film Festival for his role in the movie Himala.
• He also won the Catholic Mass Media Awards Best Supporting Actor for Himala in the same year.
• In 1995, he received the Best Supporting Actor award at GMA's Bahaghari Awards for the TV movie Parola.
• In 2014, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the PMPC Star Awards for Bamboo Flowers.
• On December 1, 2014, he was honored with the Best Actor (Non-Musical) award by the Aliw Awards for his performance in the play Mga Ama Mga Anak.