22-07-2025
Veteran director Fritz Ynfante passes away at 84
The veteran television director Fritz Ynfante has passed away.
A family member, Peachy Ynfante-Talanay, confirmed his death to GMA News Online on Tuesday.
Ynfante passed away at 6:30 a.m. on Monday at the age of 84.
His cause of death was not immediately known.
Per Ynfante-Talanay, whose mother is a second cousin of Direk Fritz, her uncle would have turned 85 on August 4.
Direk Fritz was known for helming various TV shows, including the popular music variety show "Penthouse Live," which starred Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez as co-hosts. The show ran on GMA Network in the '80s.
Aside from Direk Fritz's work behind the camera, he was also an actor, starring in the 1998 GMA Pictures film "Jose Rizal," as well as Lino Brocka's "Gumising ka... Maruja" (1978) and "Mananayaw" (1978), among others.
He had also served as a consultant of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.
On Instagram, Nievera paid tribute to Direk Fritz as he shared a photo of the two of them together along with a heartfelt caption.
"He gave me my first pair of wings as a TV host on a television show called 'Penthouse Live' and was a true believer of the Pops and Martin team. He always trusted us with his direction and his gazillion changes on every script," he wrote.
According to Nievera, Direk Fritz was instrumental in his television career, adding that he was also among the first who helped transform Fernandez from concert princess to concert queen.
"Tito Fritz I will forever be grateful. I will miss you. Thank you for all you did not just for me, but for all of us whose careers you scolded and molded until each of our dreams came true. I love you!"
—CDC, GMA Integrated News
