Remembering Jean Lopez

The name Jean Lopez most probably no longer resonates among the millennials and especially not with the Gen Z set. There is another famous Jean Lopez, all right, but he — not she — is an American taekwondo expert of Nicaraguan descent.

The Jean Lopez I am paying tribute to in this space today was a very popular movie and television personality here in the Philippines from 1960 till 1976. She was known for having a face that looked like a doll. No, not a Barbie doll, but the typical old-fashioned doll little girls played with from the time it was still called muneca in this country. In the Philippines, a doll is now manika or manyika in the vernacular.

There was no news about Jean Lopez for a very long time — until, sadly, she said goodbye for good last 1 September. Posts on social media still generated a lot of comments even if she had been absent from the local showbiz scene for exactly half a century. On Facebook, she is still remembered as the actress “who looked like a doll.”

She was born Barbara Jean Hammond. Her maternal great-grandparents were from Barcelona, Spain. Somewhere along the way, American blood was mixed into the lineage and that must have been the reason Jean Lopez looked like a doll.

Her father was Alfred Hammond, while her mother was the former Milagros Lopez. Jean spent all her academic life at Santa Isabel College, where the students were put under strict supervision by the nuns. Jean finished secretarial science before working as a steno-typist in a private firm.

In 1960, a family friend who knew executives at Sampaguita Pictures presented her to producer/star-builder Dr. Jose R. Perez. “Oh, she looks like a doll!” That was the initial comment made by Dr. Perez, who immediately signed her up as one of the talents at Sampaguita Pictures.

Among her leading men in her home studio were Jose Mari Gonzalez and Greg Martin. In Tanzan the Mighty, a comic adaptation of the Tarzan series, she was cast as the love interest of Dolphy, who was already on his way to becoming the king of comedy.

When Jean joined Sampaguita Pictures, there were already two queens in the film company: Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes. Gloria Romero just got married that time and was about to slow down in her film career, but was still considered a queen by the studio.

Jean had all the potentials to become a movie queen, except that the top tier was already crowded. She also faced competition with the arrival of beauty queens-turned-actresses Josephine Estrada and Cynthia Ugalde, who were her contemporaries. Jean had an edge over them, however. She had spunk that spilled all over the big screen.

A girl of many talents

Sampaguita Pictures did not exactly know what to do with her since she had so many talents. Yes, that becomes a problem in an industry that likes to pigeonhole its artists.

In the case of Jean, she could sing, dance and do both drama and comedy. Although she was no taller than 5’3”, she was also fit to become a model. She was in demand as a product endorser during her time. Jean once became the face of Coca-Cola and a popular bed mattress.

At Sampaguita Pictures, the resident female villains were — in chronological order: Etang Discher, Bella Flores and Zeny Zabala. Her film studio for a time cast her in villainous roles and she proved to be effective. She could be packaged into an antagonist with style, an image that did not suit Zeny — and, especially, not Bella.

Jean spoke fluent English and was perfect as a villain with an aristocratic background. In the movies, she could be a threat to the leading lady from the slums when fighting over one man. The idea did not prosper. Her contract at Sampaguita Pictures expired and Jean chose to be a freelance artist.

As an independent talent, one of her film projects was The Sound of Buwisit. By the sound of it, isn’t it obvious how the title was culled from the blockbuster Hollywood movie, The Sound of Music? But don’t judge a film by its title.

Produced by Kayumanggi Cinema, Inc., The Sound of Buwisit starred no less than the iconic love team of Nida Blanca and Nestor de Villa. Jean’s leading man in this movie was Jose Mari Gonzalez. As writer and director, it had Felicing Constantino, who mounted practically all the successful musical comedies of LVN Pictures.

Noontime show host

Toward the late 1960s, Jean tried the TV medium when she was offered by the Elizaldes to join MBC Channel 11. In those days, the fiercest rival of ABS-CBN when it came to entertainment content was MBC. The king of noontime shows was ABS-CBN, which produced some of the most unforgettable lunchtime programs even during the pre-martial law days: Student Canteen (yes, it started on ABS-CBN), Magandang Tanghali (headlined by the father of Francis M., Pancho Magalona), Bigay-Hilig and Stop, Look & Listen.

Channel 11 fielded Tayo’y Mag-hapi-hapi on its noontime slot. Jean Lopez was the main host and was supported by the greatest tap dancer in Philippine entertainment, Bayani Casimiro. Tayo’y Mag-hapi-hapi became a threat to ABS-CBN’s midday programming. Jean had the gift of gab and could run a one-hour show just talking from start to finish. Of course, the program had song numbers, too. It had one of the best musical directors on TV — Verling Villapando.

Jean was no great singer, but could certainly carry a tune. She even became a contract artist of D’ Swan Records, which was owned by the brothers Mike and Luis Lee. Jean was able to record almost a dozen songs for this company. Her biggest hit was the cover version of “Downtown,” which was originally sung by Petula Clark.

On Channe 11’s early evening slot in the late 1960s was Alright, Okay, which was hosted by Romano Castellvi and Nancy Roman. Romano, nicknamed Billy, was the son of pre-war silent actor Jaime Castellvi. It was Jaime who first helped Gloria Romero get into the movies.

Jean and Romano

Since Jean and Romano worked for the same network, it was easy for a romance to develop between them.

Romano began as a dancing matinee idol in entertainment, but found bigger fame when he shifted to action films that were mostly inspired by James Bond movies. It was no secret in the showbiz industry that Romano fell head over heels in love with Jean. “Binakuran” was how their colleagues termed it. In other words, Romano made sure he secured Jean for himself — not allowing anyone with romantic intentions near the love of his life.

On the big screen, Jean and Romano also appeared in the musicales I’ll See You in September and in Together Again, where they co-starred with Dolphy and Nida Blanca. Since they were really in love with each other, their onscreen chemistry was electrifying.

Jean and Romano got married in September 1969. Their wedding even made it to the cover of the pre-martial law Graphic Magazine. The union produced two children. The daughter is Barbi, a combination of Barbara and Billy. The son is Billy Jean. No, Romano and Jean did not borrow the name from the Michael Jackson song, Billie Jean. They were ahead of Jacko.

In 1976, BBC Channel 2 revived Tayo’y Mag-Hapi-hapi, but since it ran for one hour and a half, it was retitled Tayo’y Maghapi-hapi Hour and a Half. The program did not last very long since it was pitted against the top-rated Student Canteen on Channel 7. Soon after, Jean and Romano migrated to Canada.

A real doll

Some 20 years ago, Jean made a short visit to the Philippines and met up with the local press at Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato. I was not in that mini reunion since it was an older generation of movie journalists that was invited — the group of Ethel Ramos and Ricky Lo. I never had the chance to meet Jean in my entire life since she left for Canada long before I started in show business. I wish I had known her in person for everyone said that she was “nice and fun-loving.”

Last year, her colleagues at Sampaguita Pictures checked on her via Facebook. She assured them that she was fine and happy. Unfortunately, while preparing for prayers with Romano on the first day of September, Jean suddenly collapsed and apparently never recovered. She was 86 years old.

The news of her death saddened her friends in the industry. They will miss her. To them, she didn’t just look like a doll. Friendly, sweet and kind, Jean Lopez — they say — truly was a doll.