Ronald Allan K. Poe was the son of Filipino actor Fernando Poe Sr. , a native from San Carlos, Pangasinan and Elizabeth "Bessie" Kelley, a Filipino-American. He was born in Manila on August 20, 1939.
In 1953, Poe finished his secondary education to San Sebastian College. He continued his education at Mapua Institute of Technology and University of the East and took the course theater arts. His father died from rabies at age 35, leaving the young Poe as the family's breadwinner; to support his family, he dropped out of school. Poe married actress Susan Roces (Jesusa Sonora) in a civil wedding in December 1968. They later married in a religious service and among their primary sponsors were then President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda. The couple adopted a daughter, Grace Poe, who became a senator.
During the latter part of his career, Poe was defeated by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the 2004 Philippine presidential elections. His long career as an action film star earned him the nickname "King of Philippine Movies" Poe was posthumously declared a National Artist of the Philippines for Film on May 23, 2006 by President Macapagal-Arroyo. The award was confirmed by President Benigno Aquino III on July 20, 2012, and was presented to his family on August 16.
Roland Allan Kelley Poe - National Artist in Film
