Goodbye, Pretty Boy!

The last time I saw Romeo “Bobby” Vasquez was in March 2015 at a despedida hosted by good friend Pempe Rodrigo at her house in New Manila, Quezon City, more than a week after the cremation of Liezl Martinez (Bobby’s only daughter with Amalia Fuentes). The event served as a reunion with colleagues Susan Roces (one of his perennial leading ladies in Sampaguita movies); Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda; fellow Sampaguitans Liberty Ilagan, Eddie Gutierrez, Lito Legaspi and Barbara Perez (with husband Robert Arevalo); Boots Anson-Roa and husband lawyer King Rodrigo; Gloria Sevilla; Eddie’s wife Annabelle Rama; Chuchi de Vega; and Pres./Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

He was the usual Bobby, well-loved by fans and friends who knew him for being happy-go-lucky. Over a sumptuous dinner prepared by Pempe, the gentlemen regaled the ladies with recollection of anecdotes (you know, adventures men dabble in), making the ladies blush. “He looked so healthy, so fit,” recalled Manay Ichu. “He was health-conscious. As far as I knew, he didn’t smoke and, if ever he did drink, it was only social drinking.”

That’s why when Canada-based Baby K. Jimenez relayed the sad/shocking news that Bobby died at 9:55 Tuesday (May 2) morning in L.A., the initial reaction was incredulous, “What!?!” It was Bobby’s niece who broke the news to Baby who was on a pilgrimage in Nazareth but she didn’t have the details yet. Bobby turned 75 on April 9.

Pempe confirmed the sad news.

“I learned that Bobby suffered a stroke after his birthday and he was rushed to the hospital,” said Pempe. “While in the hospital, he suffered a second stroke. He had also been complaining of pain in the wound from a stabbing incident years ago. Then, he was diagnosed having cancer of the liver.”

Another Funfare source said that Bobby was actually diagnosed with liver cancer last year yet but he must have kept it secret. In fact, when he came home early last year and attended the wake for German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, he showed no sign at all of being sick, not even at an event a few weeks ago when, at a party for his son, he clowned around to the enjoyment of the guests.

Asked to speak, Bobby admitted that he served as curtain-raiser at the Clover Theater when he was 13 (“So I could watch stage shows for free”) and it was Kuya Germs, then working as janitor at the theater, who encouraged him to try showbiz. 

Born Ricardo Sumilang on April 9, 1942 in Tayabas, Quezon, Bobby was discovered by Sampaguita Pictures and groomed by studio head Dr. Jose R. Perez not only as a romantic idol but also as a dramatic actor. He was introduced in the 1956 drama Sino Ang Maysala? for which he won Best Actor at the Asian Film Festival for his role as a juvenile delinquent. It was followed by Ako ang Maysala, also directed by Armando Garces, before he was launched as the titular role in Pretty Boy. Paired with Amalia and Susan, Bobby starred in several Sampaguita movies (Mga Anak ng Diyos; Bobby; Amy, Susie, Tessie; Siete Amores, etc.) before he turned free-lancer. Among his last movies was The Vizconde Massacre with Kris Aquino, directed by Carlo J. Caparas for his and wife Donna Villa’s Golden Lions Films.

“He was very naughty but very lovable,” according to Manay Ichu, Doc Perez’s daughter who served as fashion consultant of Sampaguita stars. “During the premiere of Sino ang Maysala? at the Life Theater, the program included short remarks from the stars. Bobby went up the stage and said, ‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,’ took a long pause because he obviously forgot his speech, and said, ‘Good night!’.”

Added Manay Ichu, “He was one of my Lola’s favorites. My Lola was Mommy Vera. Isa si Bobby sa nangungupit sa portamoneda (my Lola’s bag) ng kanyang baon for his outing. But he was a very good actor; very intense in his craft. He brought sunshine with him wherever he went. Just thinking and speaking about him brings joy to our minds and hearts. His one big heartache was losing his daughter Liezl. That really broke him. It was an indescribable grief.”

In October 2014, seven months before Liezl died, Bobby came home to bond with Liezl and her family, including Liezl’s husband Albert Martinez and the couple’s children Alyanna and Alfonso.

“I lost a very good friend and a great lolo to my kids,” grieved Albert. “He never failed to greet me on my birthday…never a dull moment when we were with him.” (Note: Amalia is recovering from a stroke she suffered while vacationing in Seoul in October 2015. It’s not known if somebody has informed her about Bobby’s death.)

Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos also did several movies with Bobby, one of which was Swing It, Baby with Tito, Vic & Joey.

“He became close to my family,” recalled Vilma. He was the godfather of my niece Carla. Close kami! I will pray for the repose of his soul and strength for his family.”

Baby K was with Bobby and Susan during the shoot of the movie Gumising Ka, Maruja.

“We had lunch in Beverly Hills a few years ago,” recounted Baby who hasn’t stopped crying until press time yesterday. “He recalled our days in Maruja and he said that I was family to him. Kasi he didn’t have to tell me ‘off the record’ when we talked because I respected his privacy.

“He remembered details of events where we were together. One time, we were at a hotel bar and the band started playing a boogie tune. He danced with me non-stop.”

Liberty Ilagan, who also starred in a few films with Bobby, remembered him for his debonair ways.

“I was around 14 and not yet in showbiz when I went to watch Student Canteen,” said Liberty. “Bobby was a guest and when he saw me, he immediately approached and talked to me. I said, ‘Sorry but I don’t talk to strangers.’ A few years later when I did a screen test at Sampaguita, guess who was my partner — yes, Bobby! He teased me, ‘Oh, you’re the I-don’t-talk-to-strangers girl, huh.’ We laughed about it.”

Bobby was supposed to come home to attend Pempe’s 77th birthday on May 13.

Said Pempe, “He told me, ‘I will try, I will try.’ I will miss him, especially when I am in the US because he always volunteered to be my driver, hatid-sundo sa akin. Mabait na tao, but very secretive.”

So secretive that, no wonder, Bobby kept his illness a secret even from friends…maybe he wanted them to remember him as the jolly good fellow that they loved so much, and will miss him terribly.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)