Tropang Trumpo

infobox television
bgcolor=#000000
fgcolor=#FFFFFF
show_name = Tropang Trumpo
image
caption =
format = Sketch comedy
camera =
picture_format =
runtime = 1 hour
creator = Associated Broadcasting Company
developer =
starring = Mga Katropa
country = Philippines
network = Associated Broadcasting Company
first_aired = 1993
last_aired =December 1998
num_episodes =
imdb_id = 1045513
preceded_by =
followed_by = Ispup

"Tropang Trumpo" was a Filipino gag show, produced by the Associated Broadcasting Company and aired from 1993 to 1998.

History

Its original cast included Ogie Alcasid, Michael V., Gelli de Belen, Carmina Villaroel and theatre/voice actors Noni Buencamino, Earl Ignacio and Sheilou Bharwani. Tropa aired on Saturday nights and was originally directed by Jose Javier Reyes. However, when Reyes became busy with movies, former Goin' Bananas cast members Edgar "Bobot" Mortiz, Al Tantay and former Goin' Bananas headwriter Dan Salamante came in and assumed the respective posts of director and writers. Mortiz, Tantay and Salamante introduced new segments for the show, the most famous was "Battle of the Brainless", a satirical quiz show (taken from the 90's famous game show "Battle of the Brains" aired over RPN) where simple quiz questions are never answered. The show went on even when two of its main cast, Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid, left in 1995 to do another gag show for GMA entitled "Bubble Gang". The show won as Best Gag Show during the 1995 Star Awards for Television.

"Tropang Trumpo" started to decline when "Bubble Gang" rose to become one of the most-watched gag shows on Philippine television. In 1998, the show had to reformat after Edgar Mortiz, Al Tantay and Dan Salamante left due to conflict with ABC executives. At the same time, cast members Smokey Manaloto and Earl Ignacio also left to side with their beleaguered director. Mortiz, Tantay, Salamante, Manaloto and Ignacio transferred to IBC where they did a new gag show entitled "Goin' Bayabas", a spin-off of the hit 80's gag show "Goin' Bananas". In mid-1998, original "Tropa" cast members Gelli de Belen and Carmina Villaroel left, and the show struggled to survive with its relatively new cast and staff. It finally closed at the end of the year and was replaced with "Ispup".

Mga Katropa

1993-1994 (Original Cast)

* Ogie Alcasid
* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Earl Ignacio
* Noni Buencamino
* Shilou Bharwani
* Michael V.

1994-1995

* Ogie Alcasid
* Gelli De Belen
* Earl Ignacio
* Malou Crisologo
* Michael V.
* Jomari Yllana
* Mark Anthony Fernandez
* Eric Fructuoso

1995

* Ogie Alcasid
* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Earl Ignacio
* Malou Crisologo
* Michael V.
* Jomari Yllana
* Mark Anthony Fernandez
* Eric Fructuoso

1995-1996

* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Smokey Manaloto
* Earl Ignacio
* Maoi Roca
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador

1996

* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Smokey Manaloto
* Earl Ignacio
* Maoi Roca
* Caloy Alde
* Ariel "Hyubs" Azarcon
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador

1996

* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Smokey Manaloto
* Earl Ignacio
* Maoi Roca
* Caloy Alde
* Mickey Ferriols
* Ariel "Hyubs" Azarcon
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador

1996-1998

* Niel Cawaling
* Carmina Villaroel
* Smokey Manaloto
* Earl Ignacio
* Maoi Roca
* Caloy Alde
* Mickey Ferriols
* Ariel "Hyubs" Azarcon
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador
* Jake Roxas

1998

* Gelli De Belen
* Carmina Villaroel
* Anjanette Abayari
* Ruffa Mae Quinto
* Caloy Alde
* Onemig Bondoc
* Jake Roxas
* Blakdyak
* Candy Pangilinan
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador
* Daniel Pasia (later transferred to ABS-CBN's "Super Laff-In")

1998 (Final Cast)

* Anjanette Abayari
* Ruffa Mae Quinto
* Caloy Alde
* Onemig Bondoc
* Jake Roxas
* Blakdyak
* Candy Pangilinan
* Diego "Binoy" Salvador
* Daniel Pasia (later transferred to ABS-CBN's "Super Laff-In")

Directors

* Jose Javier Rayes
* Al Quinn
* Deo Directo
* Edgar Mortiz
* Al Tantay (Writer)

egments

* Battle of the Brainless
* Noon at Ngayon
* Bahaw: Ang Kaning Lamig

Trivia

* The show was best known for the word "Chicken" which was made by the staff (from “Goin’ Bananas”) and the song entitled “Caronia” which the lyrics were by Michael V.
* Jomari Yllana had left the cast due to the problem occurred between his brother Anjo Yllana and Carmina's then-husband Rustom Padilla. The problem started when Anjo uttered a joke about Rustom's gender in the sitcom "Palibhasa Lalake" (then aired over ABS-CBN), in which Carmina and Jomari were also co-stars. Carmina also left "Palibhasa" during the conflict.
* The show was reaired in 2001 every Saturdays on the same network airing in 30 minutes as Tropang Trumpo: Ang Orig.In 2007, it was reaired again. This time, it joined forces with WOW Mali!,and Ispup in the show named Comedy Bites, also aired in Saturdays and the same network.
* The show was given a tribute by rival show "Bubble Gang" in 2003 along with other former gag shows. Gelli de Belen and Carmina Villaroel reunited with Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid where they reminisced their former show's segments. Curiously, the portion "Battle of the Brainless" was not revived by the quartet during the tribute.
* "Battle of the Brainless" also had a spin-off called "Brainless Name That Tune", where contestants compete to name the tune in just a number of notes. Once the host says "Name That Tune", the music immediately plays to the number of notes requested by contestant. If the contestants answer the name of the song, the music was immediately replayed and always turns out to be a different tune. However "Brainless Name That Tune" never gained popularity due to lack of audience appreciation. "Battle of the Brainless" portion was eventually revived on the IBC gag show "Gags Must Be Crazy" in 2000 directed by Al Tantay. Edu Manzano hosted the portion and was regularly joined by Andrew E., Caloy Alde, Patricia Javier, Maureen Larrazabal and the J Brothers as contestants.
* The opening sequence of Bahaw: Ang Kaning Lamig, is also the opening of the popular daytime soap Valiente.
* Noni Buencamino later made a name for himself as a dependable character actor and was often seen in movies and soap operas aired in either ABS-CBN or GMA-7. He later shared the Asian Television Award spotlight with former "Tropa" co-star Michael V. when they won as Best Drama Actor (for "Magpakailanman") and Best Comedy Actor (for "Bubble Gang") respectively.

ee also

*List of shows previously aired by Associated Broadcasting Company
*Bubble Gang