Cirio H. Santiago

Personal Info

Known For Director

Gender Male

Birthday 1936-01-18

Deathday 2008-09-26 (72 years old)

Place of Birth Manila, Philippines

Also Known As Leonard Hermes, Cirio Santiago

Cirio H. Santiago

Biography

Producer/director Cirio H. Santiago is the son of Dr. Ciriaco Santiago, who founded Premiere Productions in Manila in 1946. He has two siblings. After starting out as a producer he started directing english-language movies in the early 70s. Santiago became one of the pioneers of the "Blaxploitation" genre by being one of the first to cast black actors and especially actresses as strong action heroes. Movies like TNT Jackson (1974) became instant cult classics. In the 80s, Santiago became known for his numerous low-budget Vietnam war movies such as Firehawk (1993) which gave him a reputation as the "master of the Vietnam war genre". A long running production partnership with Roger Corman assured proper distribution of his movies in the USA. Many of today's hottest filmmakers such as Jonathan Demme, Joe Dante or Carl Franklin got their first directing jobs with Santiago. In 1995 he was named president of the Philippines Film Development Funds by President Ramos. The organization strives to uplift the quality of Filipino filmmaking to new, higher standards and to encourage production of foreign movies on location in the Philippines. Premiere Productions, headed by Cirio H. Santiago, still remains one of the biggest studios in the Philippines and went public in 1997.

Known For

Director

2014
Water Wars

as Director

2005
Bloodfist 2050

as Director

2003
1997
Vulcan

as Director

1994
Stranglehold

as Director

1994
One Man Army

as Director

1994
Ultimatum

as Director

1993
Kill Zone

as Director

1993
Angelfist

as Director

1993
Live by the Fist

as Director

1993
Firehawk

as Director

1992
Raiders of the Sun

as Director

1992
1991
Dune Warriors

as Director

1991
Field of Fire

as Director

1990
Silk 2

as Director

1989
Nam Angels

as Director

1989
1988
Equalizer 2000

as Director

1988
The Sisterhood

as Director

1988
The Expendables

as Director

1988
Fast Gun

as Director

1988
Killer Instinct

as Director

1987
Demon of Paradise

as Director

1987
Eye of the Eagle

as Director

1986
The Devastator

as Director

1986
Future Hunters

as Director

1986
Silk

as Director

1985
Naked Vengeance

as Director

1985
Wheels of Fire

as Director

1984
Final Mission

as Director

1983
Stryker

as Director

1983
Caged Fury

as Director

1981
Firecracker

as Director

1980
1978
Death Force

as Director

1978
Doble Kara

as Director

1978
Vampire Hookers

as Director

1978
Hell Hole

as Director

1976
1976
The Muthers

as Director

1975
Cover Girl Models

as Director

1974
TNT Jackson

as Director

1974
1973
Fly Me

as Director

1973
Savage!

as Director

1973
Impossible Dream

as Director

1970
A Time for Dying

as Director

1966
Wanted: Johnny L

as Director

1963
1962
1961
1960
1958
Pusang Itim

as Director

1958
Laban sa Lahat

as Director

1958
Pepeng Kaliwete

as Director

1957
Bicol Express

as Director

Producer

2006
The Hunt for Eagle One

as Co-Producer

2005
Bloodfist 2050

as Producer

2003
2003
Captain Barbell

as Executive Producer

1998
Ama Namin

as Executive Producer

1997
Wild Grass

as Executive Producer

1997
Vulcan

as Producer

1995
Terminal Virus

as Producer

1994
1993
Kill Zone

as Producer

1993
Angelfist

as Producer

1993
Firehawk

as Producer

1993
Live by the Fist

as Producer

1992
Blackbelt

as Producer

1992
Terror In Paradise

as Producer

1991
Dune Warriors

as Producer

1990
Silk 2

as Producer

1990
Bloodfist II

as Producer

1989
Bloodfist

as Producer

1989
Blackbelt II: Fatal Force

as Executive Producer

1988
Equalizer 2000

as Producer

1988
The Sisterhood

as Producer

1987
Demon of Paradise

as Producer

1986
The Devastator

as Producer

1986
Silk

as Producer

1986
Silk

as Associate Producer

1985
Wheels of Fire

as Producer

1985
Naked Vengeance

as Producer

1983
Stryker

as Producer

1981
Firecracker

as Executive Producer

1979
Up from the Depths

as Producer

1978
Hell Hole

as Executive Producer

1976
Hustler Squad

as Producer

1976
Once a Moth

as Executive Producer

1976
The Muthers

as Producer

1975
Cover Girl Models

as Producer

1974
TNT Jackson

as Producer

1974
1972
The Big Bird Cage

as Producer

1972
The Hot Box

as Producer

1971
Women in Cages

as Producer

1971
The Big Doll House

as Producer

1971
1970
The Arizona Kid

as Producer

1966
1964
The Blood Drinkers

as Producer

1958
Pepeng Kaliwete

as Producer

1958
1957
Tokyo 1960

as Producer

Writer

2002
1997
Vulcan

as Story

1987
Demon of Paradise

as Screenplay

1986
Silk

as Story

1981
Firecracker

as Story

1981
Firecracker

as Screenplay

1978
Death Force

as Story

1978
Hell Hole

as Screenplay

1976
The Muthers

as Writer

1973
1970
1959
1958
Pusang Itim

as Story

1954
Ifugao

as Screenplay

1954
Ifugao

as Story