Biography

Olivia Cenizal

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Gloria Maigi was born in 1926 into a musical family in Imus, Cavite. She was married early, having eloped at age 19, to composer Josefino Cenizal, who was working for the Premiere Productions. Accompanying her husband to these functions, she often bumped into the filmmakers Santiago brothers. Gloria was beautiful and brainy. At the urging of Cirio H. Santiago, she appeared in the film Palahamak (1955), directed by Artemio Marquez. Premiere, heretofore without a viable female lead, soon found they had a leading lady to rival the other studios' females. She was given the screen name "Olivia" because of her resemblance to Hollywood actress Olivia de Havilland. Her husband's name, she retained. Ms Cenizal was often cast as a princess or deity, although she could prove her dramatic mettle as well. Other film appearances include Minera, Ha Cha Cha, Pangako ng Puso, Pandango ni Neneng (with Rogelio de la Rosa), and Pitong Maria (all 1955); Desperado, Margarita, Prinsipe Villarba and Haring Espada (all 1956); Libre Comida, Bicol Express and Prinsipe Alejandre (all 1957); Man on the Run (1958), with Zaldy Zshornack; Water Lily (1958), with José Padilla; and Obra Maestra (1958). Ms Cenizal sang in her movies too, and in real life she played the cello. She stopped making movies in the 1970s but resurfaced to do cameo roles in 1990s films. In 1989 she joined the cast of Pahiram ng Isang Umaga, starring Vilma Santos and Eric Quizon.
- IMDb mini biography by: Full Monty

Took up Home Economics at the Holy Ghost College.
Courted by composer Josefino Cenizal when she was just 14, they eloped when she was 19. Cenizal, who was a musical director for films, asked her to accompany him to movie functions, and she was spotted by the Santiago brothers.
Grew up in a musically inclined family; the youngest, she played the cello; her eldest sister Sonny played the piano, and the second girl, Nieves, played the violin.
Given the screen name "Olivia" because of her resemblance to Hollywood actress Olivia de Havilland.
She sang in most of her movies; she played the cello in real life.

"I did not want to become an actress at first." -- on her initial reluctance to enter the movies. Filmmaker Cirio H. Santiago prevailed on her, and she went on to become one of Filipino cinema's most beautiful actresses.
"My parents were very conservative. They wanted me to pick another man. I had plenty of suitors at that time [1940]. One of them was Carlos Fernandez, whose family owned a shipping line." -- on her husband Josefino's persistent courtship of her from 1940-1945. Her parents initially disapproved of Josefino as a would-be son-in-law.

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