Love, laughter & intrigues with Eddie & Annabelle

He was one of the top matinee idols in the ‘60s and ‘70s, being the leading man of the biggest movie stars like Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes and Pilita Corrales. She was a loud, opinionated young lady from a political family in Cebu whose biggest wish was to meet her idol. After numerous scandals, court cases filed, getaways and escapades, separations and reunions, and 35 years of marriage, they now enjoy a life filled with love, laughter and intrigues, along with their six children and two grandchildren. Here are 10 things you should know about Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.

1. Annabelle on how she met her idol, Eddie Gutierrez: “Basta kung saan siya pumunta, sinusundan ko siya. Naging stalker nga ako for a while eh.”

She claims to be a huge fan of the Eddie-Susan love team, and even cut class just to watch their movies. “Naku, may araw ka din sa akin Eddie Gutierrez ka, makikilala din kita,” she swore to herself. One time, Eddie was set to do a show in Cebu, and Annabelle talked to every promoter and did everything just to meet him. They did meet, and Annabelle then took the chance to ask him out. She invited him to a resort for their first date. (“Virgin pa ako nun, di ko alam, at di din uso ang motel nuong araw.”) She recalls being so starstruck that night that she couldn’t even speak, and she was just staring at him. She shares how huge the language barrier was, and even recalls Eddie telling her to sit down and “sandal ka, sandal ka,” to which she looked at her feet and replied, “hindi ako naka-sandals!” Take note that the night didn’t end badly: there was no sex, she said, but they did kiss.

Eddie left her his telephone number (there were only landlines back then) and Annabelle escaped Cebu and lived with her friend in Manila to look for Eddie. She kept calling his number, but being a “fan,” the phone was always hung up on her. She followed him at premiere nights and shooting locations in hopes of meeting him again. “Humanda ka sa akin Eddie Gutierrez ka, kailangan maging boyfriend kita, at ma-jugjug (get knocked up) lang ako, okay na ako!” She laughs bashfully, and so does Eddie.

They finally met again through common friends, and they went on dates around once a month while Eddie was dating other girls. She read every newspaper and magazine and knew everything about him, preparing herself to be able to handle his many girls, should they get into a relationship. “Biro mo, Eddie Gutierrez, parang nanalo ako sa lotto!”

The time they dated was a very colorful period. “Lahat ng na-involve kay Eddie talagang sinusugod ko, ine-eskandalo ko talaga sila,” Annabelle shares. She recalls a time she called Channel 9 and asked to be connected to Amalia Fuentes, who was then dating Eddie. “Hoy, ang pangit pangit mo, iwanan mo si Eddie Gutierrez!” She also remembers Eddie having a very rich girlfriend from high society who she claims he was supposed to marry. (To which Eddie gives a puzzled look saying, “Alam mo storya ng buhay ko ha?” And Annabelle answers, “Wag ka magsinungaling darling, syempre tagahanga, alam ko lahat no.”) Annabelle remembers going to their house in Forbes Park and telling the girl’s mom, “I’m Annabelle Rama from Cebu, I’m Eddie’s girlfriend and I’m pregnant.” Although not true, Annabelle says she was successful because the alleged wedding did not push through. She also recalls another beauty queen girlfriend who Eddie was supposed to travel with to Spain, and she also created some kind of scandal, and the trip did not push through. But she says that the number one woman who got jealous of her was an ex-girlfriend and former leading lady of Eddie who was a big star. “Di siya ang pinakasalan kaya hanggang ngayon, mainit ang dugo nun sa akin.” She won’t give out her name, but says that if that person happens to read this, she’ll know it’s her. 

Seeing double: Eddie Gutierrez, Elvis Presley, Susan Roces and Rosemarie Sonora

Annabelle ends by saying she really did everything to get Eddie. “Pati gayuma, mangkukulam, lahat. Pero ngayon lang tumalab. Ngayon, siya na ang habol ng habol sa akin. Pero noon, ako ang habol ng habol sa kanya. Umamin ka, Eduardo.”

2. The fearless Annabelle also once backed down and flew to the United States to find peace.

“Trespassing, physical injuries, oral defamation, lahat ng klase ng demanda natikman ko,” she recalls. She said she got tired of the scandals and being in the headlines, so she decided to move to Los Angeles. “Di ko na kaya, surrender na beauty ko ‘day.”

She reveals that got herself pregnant on purpose (this was Ruffa, their eldest) just so she could make Eddie commit to her. And she even did it a second time (Rocky), in hopes that Eddie would decide to settle down. “Advice ko sa mga bagets, maski mabuntis ka, kung ayaw talaga niya pakasalan, wala din. Kailangan mahal ka talaga nung lalaki.”

3. Eddie proposed marriage to Annabelle long distance, during a phone call.

“I had a car accident in 1978. I came from a party and I was driving home, there was a stalled truck, tuluy tuloy ako dun,” Eddie recalls. He was brought to the hospital with a broken nose, ruptured intestines, and had to undergo a colostomy. It was Annabelle who invited him to join her in the States so she could take care of him. They were already separated for one year at that time, and both Ruffa and Rocky were living with Eddie in the Philippines. “Tingnan ko lang kung di ka mahirapan sa dalawang bata,” Annabelle remembers thinking to herself. So Eddie and Ruffa followed in L.A., but it took time for them to develop their relationship again. Annabelle shares that it was Ruffa who actually kept telling her dad to marry her mom.

One night, while Eddie was on a business trip in Michigan, he called to tell Annabelle that he had good news. “Pakakasalan na kita,” he said. “Wag ka magbiro Eduardo, lasing ka ba diyan,” she said. She recalls: “Sabi niya na-realize niya na ako talaga magiging asawa niya, masipag ako sa trabaho, at siguro kasi pamilya na kami. Ikaw magsabi darling,” she prods him to answer. He jokes, “eh di mo ako pinagbibigyang magsalita eh,” and they both break out laughing. At their wedding, Ruffa was the flower girl and Elvis was the ring bearer. After the wedding, Annabelle got pregnant right away with Elvis, and shortly after, was pregnant with their twins Richard and Raymond.

4. Eddie admits to being babaero in his younger years when he had “no direction” in life. All that changed when he had his family.

“Hindi ka pwedeng parang nasa high school ka all your life, kailangan mag-move on ka,” he opens up. He shares that there is so much temptation in showbiz, and back then, he didn’t care. “Sikat ka, marami kang pera, di ko iniisip ang future ko. Sige lang nang sige.” When he had his family, he decided it was time to stop and put it behind him.

On how Annabelle has stayed strong through all the women in Eddie’s life: “Pakapalan na lang ng mukha, kung sino mananalo sa amin.” There was a time she would go to his house every day, even if Eddie hated her being there. During one instance, she says he sang to her, “Please release me let me go...” To which she said, “Kahit kantahan mo ako araw araw hindi ako aalis!” Eddie disagreed with that version of the story; he said what he sang was “I want you, I need you, I love you...” (imitating his idol, Elvis Presley).

Gutierrez boys rule: Raymond, Rocky, Ritchie Paul, Elvis and Richard

5. When they were starting their life in L.A., they applied to work as a driver, maid, security guard, apartment manager, but were never accepted for any of those jobs.

Annabelle recalls a time she was interviewed by the wife of Bob Hope to be a personal assistant. That time, she hated covered-up clothes so she always dressed in mini skirts and plunging necklines. “Sabi niya, ‘Are you sure? I don’t want her?’” and the comedian got somebody not-so-attractive for the job instead. It was when they were offered to be agents to sell kitchenware for Belcraft that they really started to earn money and live comfortably. Eddie would demonstrate how to use the cookware, Annabelle would close the deal, and Ruffa would be the safekeeper of the contracts.

6. Eddie and Annabelle in numbers:

15: Age when she met Eddie.

24: Age when he met Annabelle. 

9: Number of years they lived in the US.

50-plus: Number of times they separated after having big fights.

3: Number of days, the longest they went without talking to each other.

2: Number of times a year they are in L.A. “’Pag may Pacquaio fight pumupunta kami kasi binibigyan kami ni Manny ng ticket. Yung hotel naman care of kay Gov. Chavit Singson gift niya sa amin, at plane ticket namin libre din, sa miles,” Annabelle says.

7. The most important value they teach their children is “bigayan. Kung sinong meron, tutulong.”

They know of friends who have children who fight and sue each other over money, and they don’t want it to be that way in their family. “Wag kayo mag-away sa pera,” they taught their children. “Ngayon, nakikita namin na talagang bigayan sila at nagmamahalan sila,” she shares. When Ruffa was a working teenager, she would help pay for the tuition of her siblings since she was the one making a lot of money. And now, they say it is Richard who spoils his siblings. What Richard sees they need or could use, from TVs to cell phones, he gives without their asking. “Bawal din dito yung walang trabaho, dapat sila magbayad sa pangangailangan nila para matuto sila.” Annabelle shares.

8. The Gutierrez children:

Most malambing: Elvis and Richard. “Si Richard, laging tumatawag para i-check lang ako,” Annabelle says.

A young Ruffa Gutierrez (right) with her brother Rocky. Both of them were born in the Philippines.

Most quiet: Ritchie Paul and Rocky. “Magsasalita yan pag hihingi ng allowance,” Annabelle jokes.

Most prayerful: Ruffa and Richard.

Most pasaway: “Wala eh, si Ruffa lang alam ko,” Annabelle says.

The one that makes them laugh the most: Raymond.

Who came home with the best grades: Raymond. “Yan lang ang anak kong hindi nagpa-tutor,” Annabelle says. “Si Richard yung pinakamadami kaming tawag sa principal,” Eddie shares.

Most generous: Richard. Eddie shares that during his last birthday, Richard wanted to give him a car. He told his son that more than a car, he would rather have a share in Ayala Alabang Country Club where his friends play golf. “That was P1.1 million. Binili niya yun para sa akin. Sabi ko, kapag matanda na ako at di na ako makakapaglaro, ibabalik ko to sa iyo.”

They both say that they want Ruffa to rest her heart for now, and instead focus on her kids and her work. If ever she does decide to get married again, they wish for that man to be God-fearing, hardworking, and they want him to love her and her kids Lorin and Venice forever.

Annabelle warns Richard of women that may just be using him for his fame and money, but she says she has so far liked every girlfriend he’s had.Richard names Anne Curtis, Georgina Wilson and Jewel Mische as those who Annabelle was fond of, saying it’s Annabelle who becomes sad when Richard and his girlfriends break up. She goes on to say he’s still young and has a lot of time to find the right one. “Minsan, di ko pa name-memorize yung isa, may bago nanaman. Sanay na ako.”

They also share that Richard and Raymond are their “lucky twins.” “Nung pinanganak sila, yung tenga nila nakatupi. Swerte daw yun kasi sasahod ng pera,” Annabelle shares. (She also recalls taping their ears with scotch tape while they slept, to flatten their “Mickey Mouse” ears.) When the twins were born, they share that luck poured in with career and money.

9. Annabelle is known to be extremely selosa to the point of causing a scandal. But Eddie is seloso too.

The young beauteous Annabelle with her signature cleavage.

Annabelle admits that there was a time she would spend a whole day looking for Eddie in motels and hotels to try and catch him red-handed. She also shared that it was an incident in Greenhills when she confronted him and had a scream fest and sabunutan match with a girl that was the craziest thing she did out of jealousy. “Ewan ko kung anong nangyari sa akin nuong araw, parang tanga na nanunugod at naninigaw maski wala sa lugar,” she admits. “Naging eskandalosa lang naman ako darling dahil sa iyo diba, sa totoong buhay di ako eskandalosa diba,” she says. “Hindi, napakabait mo,” Eddie quips, and they both laugh.

“Oo, nagseselos din ako,” Eddie reveals. “Minsan, kapag close siya sa mga kausap niya, nakikipagkwentuhan pero may hampas hampas pa sa braso, sinasabihan ko lang siya na di ko gusto yun,” he says shyly. Annabelle says it’s as if the world turned upside down, and now it’s Eddie who pursues her and gets more jealous. Does she like it? “Syempre naman ‘day, ngayon ko nare-realize na mahal niya talaga ako.”

10. On the key to a long-lasting relationship: “Give and take,” Eddie says.

“Kung galit, wag mong salubungin, kailangan talaga bigayan,” Annabelle says. They share that in their earlier years as a couple, they really used to fight a lot about the littlest things. When they fought, they would spend time apart to cool down, then they would fix things. “It’s really giving and taking, but it’s she who has always made the move to bring us back together,” Eddie says as he looks at Annabelle.

She shares a realization. When she was a housewife with lots of time on her hands, she used to get jealous over everything. When she got preoccupied with work, they fought less. “Busy people are happy people,” Eddie says.

They enjoy quality time together over dinners out, movies or shows. They enjoy being a foursome along with their grandchildren Lorin and Venice. They cherish Sunday nights at home with the whole family, over takeout food, wine and good conversation.

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Furry friends: Gloria Diaz, Eddie and Annabelle

Theirs is not your ordinary love story. They are not your ordinary couple. I, too, admit to being one of those who wondered how these two very different people could get along, but talking with them and seeing how they are with each other, you see that love doesn’t get any more real than that. Annabelle says: “70 na siya, mag-60 na ako, until now, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na yung idol ko, pinakasalan ako.” Eddie says: “Kapag kausap niya yung mga maids at nagsisisigaw, hindi ko gusto. Pero kapag nag-iisa naman ako, nami-miss ko yung bunganga niya.”

And those in search of love can only hope to find a love that lasts, and continues to grow, like the love of Eddie and Annabelle.

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E-mail me at askiamsuperbianca@yahoo.comor follow me on twitter@iamsuperbianca.