Jess Lapid Sr.

Jess Lapid
Jess Lapid
Born	Jesus Songco Lapid; October 5, 1933; Guagua, Pampanga, Philippine Islands
Died	July 13, 1968 (aged 34); Quezon City, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Other names	JLS
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1958–1968
Spouse	Bella Flake
Children	3 (including Jess Jr.)
Relatives	Lito Lapid (nephew)

Jesus Songco Lapid (October 5, 1933 – July 13, 1968) was a Filipino actor and father of actor, diving instructor, fight director Jess Lapid Jr. He was given a movie screen name Jess Lapid. His older brother is Jose Lapid, father of Lito Lapid.

He was shot dead inside a nightclub in Quezon City on July 13, 1968.

Early life

He was born Jesus Lapid on October 5, 1933, in Guagua, Pampanga; an older brother, Jose, is the father and grandfather of movie stars-turned politicians Lito Lapid (now a Senator), and son Mark Lapid (former governor of Pampanga and now TIEZA Head) respectively. Jess started as a grip for Premiere Productions.^[1] He then became an extra in his first film from Premiere Productions, “Larawan ng Pag-Ibig” in 1961. He then shifted to being a stuntman, after finding out that they earned more than extras. ^{[citation needed]}

Career

He rose to become the top stuntman of Premiere, often doubling for more established stars—riding horses, falling from cliffs, getting shot at by villains.^[2] He had the good fortune for doubling for action movie star Fernando Poe Jr., and soon, the two would become fast friends.

When Poe ventured into film productions, he made Jess one of the regulars in his films, giving him roles that required real acting, rather than choreographed stunt actions. Jess rose to the occasion and proved to be a convincing character actor. He tried him out in “Pasong Diablo”, in 1961.

It was in the FPJ Productions, “Sierra Madre” (1963) that Poe decided to give Jess the full star treatment—from a more prominent billing to major publicity exposures. But it was Jess himself who pulled it off, by turning in a sensational performance that erased all doubts about his just being a “mere stuntman”.

It was Tagalog Ilang-Ilang Productions picked him up and eventually made him into a superstar in the movie “Kardong Kidlat” (1964) which became such a smashing success at the box office tills.^[2] At the Globe Theater where the movie was launched, a long queue of movie fans lined up around the building just to get in and watch the talk-of-the-town film.

1964 proved to be a bright and busy year for Jess, appearing in movies like “Bilis at Tapang” with Romeo Vasquez and “Vendetta Brothers” with Joseph Estrada and Eddie Garcia.^[3] He co-starred with Vic Vargas in “7 Kilabot ng Barilan”. In 1966, he got to team up with Gloria Romero in the film Batang Muntinglupa, which would be the only movie they did together.^[4] The film also starred a young Jay Ilagan.^[2] In 1968, Jess appeared alongside Poe Jr. and Estrada in “3 Hari”, an FPJ productions offering.

As he was raking it in, he invested in his own film outfit, Jela Productions, and began producing his own movies.

Personal life

Of his 3 children, one went on to follow in his footsteps. His namesake, Jess Lapid Jr. also became a movie actor, and a film and fight director, and also now currently a scuba diving instructor. He appeared in a 1980 spin-off film that made his father famous, “Ang Bagong Kardong Kidlat”. Jess Jr. capped his career with a Best Supporting Actor award for the movie “Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin” in 1993.

Filmography

Movies

Title	Role	Year
Laban sa Lahat	Jesus Lapid	1958
Ang Kanyang Kamahalan		1959
Tough Guy		1959
Krus na Daan		1960
Huwag Mo Akong Limutin		1960
Cuatro Cantos		1960
The Flash Elorde Story		1961
Baril sa Baril		1961
Mga Trigreng Taga-Bukid		1962
Batang Maynila		1962
Kambal na Baril		1962
Pitong Kabanalan ng Isang Makasalanan		1962
Markang Rehas		1962
Suicide Commandoes		1962
Dead or Alive		1962
Cuatro Condenados		1962
Asiong Meets Alembong		1962
Limang Kidlat		1963
Kung Gabi sa Maynila		1963
Ang Babaeng Isputnik		1963
Isputnik vs. Darna		1963
Kung Hindi Ka Susuko ...!		1963
Sierra Madre		1963
Ang Sangano at Colegiala		1963
Tres Kantos		1963
Sigaw ng Digmaan		1963
Patapon		1963
Ito Ang Maynila		1963
Labo-Labo		1964
Kardong Kidlat	Kardong Kidlat	1964
Bilis at Tapang		1964
Deadly Brothers		1964
Ito Ang Mga Lalaki		1965
Black Jack	Hari	1965
Tatlo sa Tatlo		1965
Labanang Lalake		1965
Guillermo Bravado	Guillermo Bravado	1965
Batang Muntinlupa		1966
Soliman Brothers		1966
San Bernardo		1966
Katapat ng Bawat Lakas		1966
Huling Baraha		1966
Pistolero	Pistolero	1966
Vagabond		1967
Umpisahan Mo at Tatapusin Ko!		1967
The Mark of Kardo		1967
Operation Impossible		1967
Marko Asintado		1967
Kidlat Meets Gringo		1967
Kardong Kaliwa		1967
Barako	He-Man	1967
Ang Limbas at Ang Lawin		1967
Alamat ng 7 kilabot		1967
Sibad		1967
Tatlong Hari		1968
Cuadro de Jack		1968
Zaragoza	Zaragoza	1968
Valiente Brothers		1968
Simarron Brothers		1968
Raton Ariel	Raton Ariel	1968
Leon Guerrero: Laban sa 7 kilabot	Leon Guerrero	1968
Killer Patrol		1968
Kardong Pusa	Kardo the Catman	1968
Journey to Hell: The Lucky 9 Commandos		1968
3 Kilabot sa Barilan	Kardong Kidlat	1968
Fandong Asintado		1973

Death and legacy

After wrapping up the movie “Simaron Brothers” with Jun Aristorenas, on the night of 13 July 1968, Lapid Sr. was shot to death at the Lanai Nightclub after an altercation between two groups of movie personalities.^[5] Jess was brought to the National Orthopedic Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. He was 34 years old. Persistent reports linked the incident to another Kapampangan actress, Nancy Roman, also his leading lady. A suspect, Mario Henson, gave himself up to the police, and at least one gunman from Angeles was implicated in the crime.

A public viewing of his body was held at the Santo Cristo Chapel, then his body was brought to his hometown on July 13, 1968.^[6] His remains is at Guagua Cemetery in Pampanga.

“Simaron Brothers” was shown posthumously at the Globe Theater, and the blurb capitalized on his sensational death by touting his last movie as a “picture that will project the living image of Jess Lapid in the hearts of millions..”.

As a belated tribute, his nephew Lito Lapid appeared as Jess Lapid in the biopic “The Jess Lapid Story”, released in 1978.^[7] He also immortalized the iconic role of Leon Guerrero, first originated by Jess in the 1968 film, “Leon Guerrero: Laban sa 7 Kilabot”.

Lapid Sr. is now remembered as one of the first stuntmen who successfully transitioned from being a stuntman to a star actor alongside Lito Lapid, Poe Jr., Dante Varona and Baldo Marro.^[8] He is also remembered as one of the best action stars of his era.^[7]

In Popular Culture

He was portrayed by his real life son, Jess Lapid Jr. was played the role his late father from the hit FPJ Movie, Epimaco Velasco Story: NBI, was released by VIVA Films, FLT Films & FPJ Productions in 1994.

References

^ "Being a movie actor | Tempo – The Nation's Fastest Growing Newspaper". Tempo. May 6, 2020. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dolor, Danny (July 24, 2011). "Jess Lapid at his peak". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ E, Baby (August 1, 2020). "Robin Padilla hinihintay tulungan si John". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ Dolor, Danny (March 22, 2015). "Gloria, Jess' one and only team-up". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ "FASTEST GUN' SLAIN". The Sydney Morning Herald. July 14, 1968. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ "Lapid comes home". The Manila Times. July 16, 2008. pp. A2. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ ^a ^b E, Baby (November 6, 2020). "Paalam, Letty…". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
^ Lo, Ricky (July 25, 2019). "Dingdong takes cudgels for industry's 'unsung heroes'". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 4, 2024.