- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJose Rizaldy Zshornack
- Height6′ 5″ (1.95 m)
- José Rizaldy Zshornack was born in Manila, December 30, 1940.
He finished high school at the Manila Central University, and married actress/beauty queen Shirley Gorospe, who became his leading lady in many of his pictures.
Zshornack first appeared in Sisa (1951), a film directed by Gerardo de Leon for Premiere Productions, starring Anita Linda.
The lead character comes from the novel by Jose Rizal, the "Noli me tangere," a woman who goes mad looking for her two children.
Zshornack followed up with Ukelele Boy (1957), for Larry Santiago Productions (LSP).
His first leadng role was in Barumbado (1957), but it was in LSP's Lo Waist Gang (1958), with "Fernando Poe, Jr", in which he gained recognition.
An appealing action star was born.
Other films from t this period include Kamay ni Cain (1957), Bakya mo Neneng (1957), Pusakal (1957), Tokyo 1960 (1957), Batang piyer (1958), Anak ng lasengga (1958), Wanted: Husband (1958), Asintado (1958), Viuda de Oro (1960) and Falcon (1962).
Zshornack was suave with the ladies, quick on the draw and a good with children, but, he also excelled outside the Western genre.
Zshornack's reel and real life romance with favorite leading lady "Shirley Gorospe", resulted in a string of musicals and dramas on their love life, such as Sweethearts (1957), Shirley, My Darling (1958), You're My Everything (1958), the "Hong Kong Story" episode in the film _Obra-maestra (1958)_, _Hong Kong Honeymoon (1960)_, and Fil-American Girl (1963).
When his contract with Premiere studio expired, Zshornack set up his own ZZ Productions, which made Zaldong Bangketa (1966).
He also free-lanced with over movie studios, and among the films he made in this period are: _Apatna agila (1964)_, for Lea Productions; _Nueva Vizcaya (1973)_, with Eddie Garcia, for Rosal Films (owned by "susan Roces"; Rio Tigre (1974), for Roda Films; Sacramento (1974), for Film Productions; and _Kutong Lupa (1976)_, for Rootman Productions.
Zshornack was chosen Best Actor at the Second Quezon (City) Film Festival for De la Cruz (1971).
He was twice nominated for Best Actor, by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts & Sciences ("FAMAS" qv), for Hindi na Sisikat ang Araw (1973) and Batingaw (1974).
He was also nominated by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) for best supporting actor, for his gritty portrayal of a police captain in _Kaaway ng Batas (1990)_.
- IMDb mini biography by: Full Monty (Updated by U.N. Owen 12/14)
- SpousesShirley Gorospe(1960 - ?) (divorced, 2 children)Shirley Gorospe(? - November 18, 2002) (his death, 2 children)
- He had two sons with his wife, Shirley: Garizaldy and Geno. Garizaldy later became Christine Endoso Burdick or simply Coco, a transgender entertainer.
- Named after Jose Rizal, the Philippines national hero who died on Dec. 30, 1896, exactly 41 year before Zaldy was born.
- Described golf as his "ultimate passion." In 1999, he was director of the executive committee that handled the first Erap Golf Cup, sponsored by then Philippine President Joseph Estrada.
- He finished high school at the Manila Central University.
- Wife, Shirley, became his leading lady in many of his movies. The couple's reel and real life romance resulted in a string of movies on their love life, such as Sweethearts (1957), Shirley, My Darling (1958), segment "Hong Kong" in Obra Maestra (1958), You're My Everything (1958), Pitong gatang (1959), Outside the Kulambo (1961), Hongkong Honeymoon (1960) and Fil-American Girl (1963).
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