Who was Weng Weng ?
Weng Weng's first movie part is believed to be that of the baby Moses in the 1972 Filipino biblical epic "Go Tell It On The Mountain", which also starred future Philippine president Joseph Estrada as the adult Moses.
Another of his early roles was in the 1973 sci-fi film called “Moon Boy from Another Planet”. He played a small alien who accidentally crashed here on Earth and befriended a poor Filipino boy.
In 1980 Weng Weng was introduced to the King of Philippine Comedy, Dolphy. Dolphy, with his film outfit – RVQ Productions, produced the spy-spoof hit film "The Quick Brown Fox" starring Dolphy and introducing Weng Weng as his Kato-inspired sidekick. This was Weng Weng’s first big budget role and movie.
RVQ then produced a sequel the following year, “Da Best In Da West”.
In 1981, Peter and Cora Caballes produced "For Y’ur Height Only". This was Weng-Weng's first and most famous lead role. Directed by veteran Filipino stunt director Eddie Nicart, Weng Weng played a secret service agent code named Agent 00. (Inspired by the James Bond films).
Weng Weng was a 2 foot, 9 inches (83cm) tall Fillipino action film star. He mainly starred in James Bond rip-off / spoof films in the 1980's.
His real name was Ernesto de la Cruz (September 7, 1957 – August 29, 1992).
He is listed in the Guinness World Records as the shortest adult actor in a leading role.
He was born in Baclaran with a medical condition known as primordial dwarfism.
According to his brother Celing de la Cruz, when his mother gave birth to Weng-Weng, his size was “no bigger than a small coke bottle”, this forced Weng Weng’s parents to place him in the care of the hospital incubator for the first twelve months of his life. During this time, the doctors were advising the de la Cruz couple that Weng Weng might not survive but miraculously he did, and being devoted Catholics, the couple showed their devotion to their faith by dressing and parading a young Weng Weng as Santo Niño each year for the annual Baclaran parade.
As a child, he was also avid martial arts enthusiast. He trained hard and became a skilled fighter. His former martial arts instructor introduced him to Liliw Productions’ Peter Caballes, an independent film producer. Peter and his wife Cora Ridon Caballes shopped Weng Weng to other film producers and cinema outfits which landed his early roles in movies, playing a little child, a small animal, or an alien from outer space.
It was a blockbuster hit and he became an overnight Philippine sensation.
Six more films were made in the 1980's with Weng Weng getting top billing.
At the height of his popularity, Weng Weng was invited by then First Lady, Imelda Marcos to the Malacañang Palace in honor for his contributions to Philippine cinema. He was named an honorary Philippine Secret Agent and presented a custom-made .25 caliber pistol by then Vice Chief of Staff General Fidel Ramos. He was a familiar sight as a guest on popular TV shows, film festivals, and awards nights.
Weng Weng became a household name and constantly in demand for appearances on TV chat shows, shopping centres and political rallies.
In 1990 he was awarded a special citation for services to the Filipino film industry by then first lady Imelda Marcos and joined her at the presentation in a special karaoke "duet" version of "My Way". An unauthorized recording of their performance was later released on bootleg cassette and sold 200,000 copies.
Weng Weng demonstrated martial artistry in his films. He trained in many disciplines including Jeet Kune Do under fellow Filipino Dan Inosanto and the hybrid martial style Ju Gran Chaud which he was taught by Ju Gran Chaud's founders Laurent Painchaud and Matthew "Granimal" Granahan who travelled through Southeast Asia and Compton preaching the discipline.
Film and television roles dried up by the late 1980s and his fame came to a halt. In the last years of his life he lived in poverty and his health deteriorated.
In 1992 Weng Weng, age 34, died in Pasay City, possibly of a heart attack, a common cause of death among those suffering from primordial dwarfism. The life expectancy for primordial dwarfism is 30, and those afflicted frequently develop vascular complications resulting in heart attacks.
Posthumous Interest
Weng Weng is the subject of Australian cult video store owner-turned-guerrilla filmmaker Andrew Leavold's documentary, titled The Search for Weng Weng. Leavold has ascertained that there are 11 confirmed Weng Weng films, with a further 2 awaiting verification. Three Dolphy films (Da Best In Da West, Stairiray, The Quick Brown Fox) are in the TV archives in Manila, but the Liliw Productions titles are still owned by producer Cora Caballes, and she claims they are on Betacam and stored somewhere in Manila.
Weng Weng's online recognition grew in April 2007 with the release of a "Weng Weng Rap" video by The Chuds and John R of R Room. This video was picked up by Australian music forum Fasterlouder.com.au, making Weng Weng a popular meme amongst members.
In 2008, the Brazilian comedy show Hermes & Renato made a parody dubbing of the Agent 00 movie "The Impossible Kid". The parody was called "Um Capeta em forma de guri" (A Devil in a boy body) and portrayed Weng Weng as a mischievous and wicked little boy.
In 2010 the Canadian comedy show "This Movie Sucks!" played "The Impossible Kid" and hinted at later playing more Weng Weng films. The topic of the episode was movies which interest was revived through various means, in reference to Weng's Internet "resurrection." That same year, a documentary film that dealt with the Filipino movie exploitation craze of the 1970s and 1980s, Machete Maidens Unleashed, paid a special homage to Weng Weng's movie career.
