Johnny Manahan

Manahan was born as Juan Ledesma Manahan on February 11, 1947, in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines. His parents were Dr. Constantino Perez Manahan and Elvira Ledesma Manahan, a socialite and television host (Two for the Road). Manahan attended high school at the Ateneo de Manila in 1964, and finished his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, AB Art History, in 1969.

Before becoming a director-manager, Manahan was a visual artist, painter, and sculptor. He received the "Special Citation" award at the Paris Biennale of Art in 1979.

Manahan began his career directing for television soon after his studies around 1971. He was a freelancer and directed shows for the various local channels such as Two for the Road (GMA), For the Boys (IBC), The Big Big Show (BBC/City2), and Kaluskos Musmos (RPN). Right after ABS-CBN re-opened in 1986, he was appointed as a resident director at the network. He directed the leading shows of the history of local television, such as Chika Chika Chicks, {{Lang|fil|Palibhasa Lalake}}, Tonight with Dick and Carmi, Abangan Ang Susunod Na Kabanata, and I Am What I Am.[http://push.abs-cbn.com/features/5362/johnny-manahan-continues-to-create-magic/ "Johnny Manahan continues to create magic"]. Push. Retrieved 2014-05-14.

In April 1992, Manahan, then the program director, and Freddie Garcia, then ABS-CBN executive vice president and general manager, formed the idea of creating a stable of new stars exclusively for the network.{{Cite web|url=http://starmagic.abs-cbn.com/aboutus.html|title=History of Star Magic|website=Starmagic.abs-cbn.com|access-date=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309105252/http://starmagic.abs-cbn.com/aboutus.html|archive-date=9 March 2014|url-status=dead}} This gave birth to Talent Center. In its early years, the Talent Center's project was Ang TV. The show auditioned thousands of people and accepted chosen ones into the program. The series soon led to mall shows, live concerts, and record albums. It also became a springboard for the careers of Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal, Camille Prats, Victor Neri, Angelica Panganiban, Angelu de Leon, Sarah Geronimo, Geoff Eigenmann, Gio Alvarez, and Paolo Contis among others. The Talent Center continued its search through the launching vehicle Star Circle in 1995.

While he was busy discovering and developing new talent, Manahan continued to direct television shows, movies, concerts, and specials. In particular, he directed the first collaboration of Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano, a major concert in September 2009 at the Mall of Asia concert grounds, as well as concerts of international singers Barry Manilow, Diana Krall and Andrea Bocelli in the Philippines.[http://www.pep.ph/guide/tv/5194/pmpc-honors-johnny-manahan-as-2009-lifetime-achievement-awardee/1/3#focus "PMPC honors Johnny Manahan as 2009 Lifetime Achievement Awardee"]. Pep.ph. Retrieved 2014-05-14.

He is the man behind the television coverage of the Miss Earth pageants, the Christmas and anniversary specials of ABS-CBN, celebrity weddings and debut specials, election specials, and many more. In addition, he also managed the grand world tours and concerts outside the country which includes ASAP '05 in the U.S. and Japan, Wowowee in Las Vegas, Chicago and Hawaii, and the Star Magic World Tour in Canada and the U.S., among others.[http://www.pep.ph/guide/tv/5194/pmpc-honors-johnny-manahan-as-2009-lifetime-achievement-awardee/1/2#focus "PMPC honors Johnny Manahan as 2009 Lifetime Achievement Awardee"]. Pep.ph. Retrieved 2014-05-14.

Manahan held various positions in ABS-CBN management. He was the Director in the Talent Center (1992-1994); Program Director in the Production Department (1994-1996); and Vice President in the Talent Development & Management Center (1996-2003); Senior Vice President of ABS-CBN's Star Magic (2003-2007). He retired in 2007 but remained as Head and Consultant of Star Magic until 2020.

In 2020, following the closure of ABS-CBN for not having its franchise renewed by the congress and National Telecommunications Commission, Manahan signed up as Production Consultant with Brightlight Productions, an independent company owned by former Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Albee Benitez. Brightlight Productions secured a blocktime agreement with TV5, allowing Manahan to handle two variety shows: the daily noontime show Lunch Out Loud and the now-defunct Sunday noontime musical variety show Sunday Noontime Live!.{{cite web|title=Albee Benitez: From gaming mogul to television game changer|url=https://www.pep.ph/guide/tv/albee-benitez-a4399-20200929|website=PEP.ph|date=September 29, 2020|access-date=July 13, 2021}} Following his departure, Joane Laygo, who was an assistant director in ASAP, replaced Manahan as the director of ASAP. {{cite web|title=Battle of Sunday variety shows in the new normal: ASAP Natin 'To vs All-Out Sundays|url=https://www.pep.ph/guide/tv/154096/asap-natin-to-vs-all-out-sundays-a724-20200930-lfrm|last=Anarcon|first=James Patrick|website=PEP.ph|date=September 30, 2020|access-date=July 13, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/celebrities/laurenti-dyogi-to-head-abs-cbn-star-magic|title=Laurenti Dyogi to head ABS-CBN's Star Magic|publisher=Rappler|date=September 25, 2020}}

In July 2021, Manahan returned to GMA Network by joining its talent management arm, GMA Artist Center as a consultant.{{cite news|title=Johnny Manahan now officially a Kapuso|url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2021/07/13/2112208/johnny-manahan-now-officially-kapuso|last=Severo|first=Jan|newspaper=Philippine Star|date=July 13, 2021|access-date=July 13, 2021}}{{cite news|title=Johnny Manahan a.k.a. Mr. M is now a Kapuso!|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/chikaminute/795128/johnny-manahan-a-k-a-mr-m-is-now-a-kapuso/story/|last=Layug|first=Margaret Claire|website=GMA News Online|date=July 13, 2021|access-date=July 13, 2021}} The said agency is later rebranded as Sparkle in January 2022.{{Cite web |last=Malig |first=Kaela |date=2022-01-15 |title=Mr. M reveals story behind GMA Artist Center's new look and name 'Sparkle' |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/chikaminute/818309/mr-m-reveals-story-behind-gma-artist-center-s-new-look-and-name-sparkle/story/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}

Manahan was a mentor to a number of people who went on to become well-known in show business in the Philippines; among these are Star Magic talents Piolo Pascual, Claudine Barretto, Jolina Magdangal, Camille Prats, Patrick Garcia, Paolo Contis, Angelica Panganiban, Sarah Geronimo, Melai Cantiveros, Diether Ocampo, Jodi Sta. Maria, Bea Alonzo, Winnie Cordero, Andrei Felix, Geoff Eigenmann, Heart Evangelista, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson and John Lloyd Cruz.

On March 16, 2024, a surprise 5 star-studded tribute party 'Night of 100 Stars' to ‘Mr. M’s 77th birthday on February 11, 2024, held at Newport World Resorts, became a multiple reunion of the nation’s top stars.{{cite news |last1=Mallorca |first1= Hannah |title=Bea Alonzo, Julia Barretto kiss, make up at Johnny Manahan's tribute party |url= https://entertainment.inquirer.net/546972/bea-alonzo-julia-barretto-interact-at-johnny-manahans-tribute-party|accessdate=March 18, 2024 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=March 17, 2024}}

:from 1971 to 1986

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;As Director

• Love Me from What I Am: Maricel Soriano (BBC-2 / 1985)
• The Big, Big Show (BBC-2)
• Mana (BBC-2)
• 2+2 (BBC-2)
• Julian Talisman (RPN 9)
• Kaluskos Musmos (RPN 9)
• Alab ng Lahi (RPN 9)
• Model (RPN 9)
• Musmos Pa Si Boss (IBC 13)
• For the Boys (IBC 13)

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;As Guest Director

• Two for the Road (GMA 7)
• In the Money (IBC 13)
• Mga Kwento Ni Lola (RPN 9)
• Dina (BBC 2)
• Late Hour with June & Johnny (GMA 7)
• Kuarta o Kahon (BBC-2)
• Love Me For What I Am: Maricel Soriano (BBC-2)
• The Sharon Cuneta Show (IBC-13/ABS-CBN-2)

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;Film

;Television series

;Reality and variety shows

;Specials

;Film

;Works

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• [https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/kapusoprofiles/fashion/61/mr-m-man-on-a-mission/kapusoprofiles GMA Network profile]

{{Star Magic}}

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Category:1947 births

Category:Filipino film directors

Category:Filipino television directors

Category:Filipino male film actors

Category:Living people

Category:Radio Philippines Network people

Category:Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation

Category:Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation people

Category:ABS-CBN executives

Category:ABS-CBN people

Category:Star Magic personalities

Category:GMA Network (company) executives

Category:GMA Network (company) people

Category:TV5 Network people

Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni

Category:Male actors from Bacolod

Category:Filipino screenwriters