Pip turns 50+ on April Fools' Day

“Friends, let’s celebrate Pip’s 50+ birthday on April 1, Friday at …” I cannot print the location of the party being planned because I doubt if the entire town is invited.

Anyway, that was a text message from Lyn Ynchausti, the loving wife of Pip, who is Tirso Cruz III to you and to all his fans in the ‘70s.

Yes, the ‘70s — so long ago and we constantly tease Pip about his age. Actually, we dare joke about his being 50+ (isn’t that discounted?) because he doesn’t look his age. He never did. Maybe because he had always maintained such trim and lean figure.

I am paying tribute to Tirso Cruz III today to tell the current young generation that he has achieved a lot, lot more than just being able to balance himself in stilettos as the cross-dressing uncle of Regine Velasquez in I Heart You Pare.

He will always be among the most popular matinee idols ever produced by Philippine movies. A member of the musical Cruz clan, his film debut was when he was just but a year old — as Baby Jesus in a Nativity scene in a local movie about the life of our Lord.

Pip didn’t return to the movies until he was in his teens and was partnered with Nora Aunor. As a love team they were more popularly known as Guy & Pip and they made several box-office hits.

But like most other male stars in love teams, his career dimmed when the partner was launched as a solo act and became an even bigger name — alone. This happened to Edgar Mortiz, who was Vilma Santos’ first screen partner. There was a long lull in Edgar’s career until he joined the group Goin’ Bananas. Today, he is very active in show business as a television director.

The fate of Nora’s other screen partner, Manny de Leon, was tragic. Nobody knows what happened to him after their love team was dissolved.

Pip is luckier because though he suffered setbacks in his profession, he is still around. Oh, but he limped his way through the decades until he found stability in his career again.

There was even a time he took the sexy route — unsuccessfully. Toward the ‘80s, Regal Films had a casting coup when he was put in a triangle with Nora, his ex-girlfriend, and Christopher de Leon, her ex-husband. But Pip was inactive again for a long stretch of time after that.

It wasn’t until Lily Monteverde took a gamble and revived the Guy & Pip love team in Till We Meet Again in 1985. That was a monstrous hit and was followed up with Together Again only a few months later. Again, that was a box-office success, especially since it was a Metro Manila Film Festival entry.

Nora and Tirso didn’t get together again until Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit, which took years to finish — no thanks to the superstar’s erratic schedule (and behavior, as some insiders claimed).

But Bilangin was worth the wait. Directed by Elwood Perez, it was an epic that established Tirso Cruz III as an actor of note. Despite his having won acting honors in the now-defunct Quezon City Film Festival (in And God Smiled at Me and For You Mama) when he was still a matinee idol, he wasn’t taken seriously as a performer.

Bilangin changed all that. He won award after award for it, along with leading lady Nora Aunor.

There were heartbreaks again later despite the film’s success. A film outfit tried to cast him as the leading man of Vilma Santos in Kapag Langit ang Humatol, except that the theater owners (who are even more powerful today) preferred then reigning matinee idol Richard Gomez to romance the star for all seasons in this movie project. It was a hit and Pip was left out in the cold.

But really, there is truth to the saying: You cannot put a good man down. He played an offbeat role in Kahit Buhay Ko and was crowned Urian Best Supporting Actor in 1992. He finally found his niche as a character actor and proved to be reliable and versatile. One of the most competent to this day.

The talent obviously had always been there, but the years and the heartaches helped season him more and is now looked up to as an actor of top caliber. He is now hardly out of work because of his good reputation as an onscreen talent since producers and directors are aware that he will always deliver quality performance.

Today, he is among the most respected members of local show business. Respect begets respect. (His children are also most respectful and could teach other showbiz kids a lesson or two on courtesy and politeness.)

In his case, he shows his respect through his professionalism. Also, he had always been one of the easiest people to deal with in the world of entertainment. I don’t know of anyone in the industry who has anything bad to say against him.    

Part of his professionalism is his effort to stay in shape since this is a business where looks have to be maintained — or else …

And so as you turn 50+ (again, isn’t that discounted?), I salute you, Pip, for all your accomplishments and for looking great at any age.