This article is about the Filipino production company. For the American cinema chain, see Regal Cinemas. For the American 1950s films, see Robert L. Lippert.
In the beginning, Mother Lily Monteverde (1938–2024) and her husband Remy put up a popcorn stand at the Podmon Theater (now LRT-2 Recto Station) in C.M. Recto, Manila (which served as the head office of Regal before it moved to the Valencia studio and eventually to the Tycoon Center in Ortigas Center, Pasig). Regal Films started as a distributor of foreign films, such as That Man from Istanbul, Marsha and All Mine to Give, pouring funds for Mother Lily to produce a local movie. In 1976, Mother Lily asked permission from her father to produce her first project, Kayod sa Umaga, Kayod sa Gabi and it became a big hit then in theatres.[4]Alma Moreno was the first star who had an exclusive contract with Regal, becoming the first of the Regal Babies.
In the early years, Regal Films mostly produced local movies with a "mature" and "daring" style, although it produced more "wholesome" pictures later on. In 1987, it ventured into local television; Regal Television produced several entertainment programs in the '80s, '90s and 2020's aired on five different channels, ABS-CBN 2, GMA 7, IBC 13, RPN 9 and TV5.[5]
Some of the studio's notable films include:
Scorpio Nights - a controversial 1985 erotic thriller film directed by Peque Gallaga.
Shake, Rattle & Roll - The first instalment was produced and released in 1984 by Athena Productions while the subsequent films were later produced and released by Regal Films itself.
Live Show (aka Toro) - a film released in early 2001 which was met with controversy for its provocative scenes.
Petrang Kabayo at ang Pilyang Kuting
Television
In the late 1980s, Regal Television was a weekly Sunday programming block featuring the country's biggest artists from Regal Films (e.g. Gabby Concepcion, Snooky Serna, Manilyn Reynes, Sheryl Cruz, etc). In 1987, Regal co-produced Mother Studio Presents with GMA Network and featured monthly guest artists; and Regal Drama Presents with ABS-CBN and featured Maricel Soriano. In 1989, ABS-CBN took over the majority of her production on the latter program and renamed it The Maricel Drama Special. The movie studio had short-lived specials as well as mini-drama series celebrating the country's other elite artists or upcoming movie stars.
