Lani Oteyza: ‘Pretty Baby’
In the mid-‘50s, a pretty American mestiza selling cigarets on the sidewalk of Manila’s Rizal Avenue was discovered for the movies. She is Elizabeth Barnes, more popularly known as Lani Oteyza on the big screen. ‘Pretty Baby’ she was called by the entertainment media.
Lani starred in, among others, Prinsesa Naranja, Pilyong Kubrador and Naku, Ang Maynila!
Her stint on the big screen was cut short when she married Al Quinn (Alcuin Pastrano), choreographer, actor and movie-TV director. They resided in the United States. The marriage ended in divorce.
In a way, Lani lives on as Lani Mercado is named after her. Years back, movie writer Nora Calderon introduced an aspiring actress to Ethel Ramos and Ricky Lo at the famous El Oro office along Escolta in Manila, where many movie distribution offices were located. The young girl, Candy Hernandez, reminded them of Lani and right then and there ‘baptized’ her Lani. The surname Mercado is after her half-sister Millie Mercado.
Lani Mercado became Mrs. Bong Revilla, former Cavite governor and senator. She herself entered politics, former congresswoman and incumbent mayor of Bacoor, Cavite.
But back to the original Lani (Oteyza), the Pretty Baby of the ‘50s. Years back, she visited Manila to visit a son who briefly joined the movies. But nothing much is heard from her these days. — RKC
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