Dante Varona

Dante Varona (born 1953) is a former Filipino actor, stuntman and film director. He is considered one of the more famous action stars of the 1970s and 1980s. One of his famous stunts involved jumping from the San Juanico Bridge in Hari ng Stunt (King of Stunts). This gave him the title of "King of Stunts".

Early life
Varona grew up in Boystown in Marikina, where children were voluntarily surrendered. According to him, his parents couldn't take of him so they left him at the care of Boystown. There, he graduated elementary and high school. Once he graduated, he reunited with his parents.

Career
In his time at Boystown, Varona developed an interest in gymnastics. He decided to apply that desire in becoming a stuntman. After joining the SOS Daredevils, a stuntmen's association, he started doubling for action stars such as Jess Lapid Sr. and Jun Aristorenas. He also signed a contract with Tower Productions.

Varona began his movie career in 1968 with Mangificent Siete Bandidas. Leading roles in his early career included Master Stuntman (1970) and Leon Dimasupil (1973). He also made the movie Gulapa (1977) with Ramon Revilla, based on the true-to-life-story of former Mayor Patrocinio Z. Gulapa of Maragondon, Cavite, and the movie Carding Estrabel: Tirador ng Malabon, based on the life story of Ricardo Luciano. In the film Ang Sisiw ay ang Agila, he had a cameo role. He then got to act with Gloria Diaz in a leading role in Kung Tawagin Siya’y Bathala. In 1981, Varona jumped the San Juanico Bridge for a scene in "Hari ng Stunt" without a harness. The stunt became a selling point for the film, which used the tagline "The most death-defying action thriller of the year!" Both Varona and the film became very popular following their release, with him gaining the title "Hari ng Stunts".

He then directed some of his films, including Raging Anger (1984), and Bangkay Mo Akong Hahakbangin (1986), which he also starred in.

Varona and his wife then started their own production company, Bathala Films. Eventually, they quit the company and moved to America, where he became a janitor. Before moving to America, he did one more film, Tiger Commando. In America, he got to join the Hollywood movie Dune Warriors, starring David Carradine, Rick Hill, Blake Boyd, and Maria Isabel Lopez.

Varona returned to the Philippines in 1996. With the help of his stuntman friend Lito Lapid, who was also the governor of Pampanga at the time, he booked a role in Tapatan ng Tapang, which also starred Lapid. In 1999, he directed Ratratan. His final film would be Ako ang Lalagot sa Hininga Mo, which was shown in the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival. After that, he returned to his life in America, this time taking a job as a security guard. There, he raised his family and now helps raise his grandchildren.

Personal life
Varona has two children. His daughter is 2001 Metropop Songfest finalist and singer Tanya Varona.

Dante is now retired from stuntman showbiz and currently resides in California.