553. Is that Who I Think He Is? VICTOR WOOD, in Angel Face Ad, 1967

 

Before he became sensationally famous in the 70s as the undisputed “Jukebox King”, singer Victor Wood was a struggling showbiz aspirant looking for his own place in the sun. By 1967, diminutive singer Nora Aunor was starting to blaze trails, breaking barriers for small, brown, Filipino looking talents, who had been bypassed for fairer mestizos and mestizas. She paved the way for the rise of more-Filipino looking singing stars like Tirso Cruz, Edgar Mortiz, Manny de Leon, Perla Adea, Espie Fabon, and many more.

Refusing to be tagged as just another American mestizo singer-actor, Victor Wood joined the showbiz bandwagon, and took every available job he could find that would elevate his visibility. He started joining casting calls for advertising models and in 1967, actually bagged a supporting role for an ANGEL FACE print ad.

ANGEL FACE was a major brand of cosmetic products introduced successfully in the late 1950s in the Philippines. Its most popular brand was the ANGEL FACE Foundation Powder, and by the mid 60s, was one of the country’ best-selling brand, supported by bid advertising budget, and with advertising professionaly handled by leading ad agency J. Walter Thompson.

 “All set for an afternoon sail at the Yacht Club is Diane Berrier and friend Victor Wood on board the Trident”—so says the caption. The 21 years old Victor cut a lean, striking figure beside the American model—even if he seems fascinated more by the ocean view than the fresh natural look of her ANGEL FACE.

After this ad was launched, Victor Wood bagged a few small parts in 1968 films by Sampaguita pictures: “May Tampuhan Paminsan-Minsan”, “Magic Guitar”, “Donata”. In 1969, he did lightweight teenybopper films: Teenage Escapade, the Mad Generation, Born to be Wild, Paula.

But it was in his recordings that Victor Wood gained notice. In 1970, he launched his Vicor album “I’m Sorry My Love”, which became a hit. This was followed by “Mr. Loney” ,  “In Despair”, “Fraulein”, “Eternally”, “Lonely Teardrops’, “Vaya con Dios”, “Crying Time”—all certified monster hits. Suddenly, Victor Wood became a hot star, and soon he was ding movied in starring roles with his hit songs as titles: “Malaguena, (1972), “Innamorata”, and “You Are My Destiny” (1973).

He appeared in big movies like “Annie Batungbakal”, and he was in the title role in “Victor Wood, Disco King” (1979), and covered Freddie Aguilar’s international hit, “Anak” in Indonesian. When his career cooled off, he migrated to the U.S. with his family (he was married thrice). He made news again when Wood ran for the Senate of the Philippines in  2007 under the KBL, but lost. He died due to COVID-19 complications on 23 April 2021.

 SOURCES:

Victor Wood, wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Wood

Victor Wood, Filmography: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1047421/

The Victor Wood Playlist: https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2021/05/12/2097497/victor-wood-playlist

 

480. Jukebox Queen, EVA EUGENIO for THREE FLOWERS POMADE (1979) and TOSHIBA (1983)

Chanteuse EVA EUGENIO (b. 22 Jan. 1946), was a successful pop singer dubbed as one of the country’s "Jukebox Queens", so called because of their hit songs that were popularized via jukeboxes, that were music entertainment staples for the masses. The pay-for-play jukeboxes were once available in places of leisure and convergence like in billiard and pool halls, beer gardens, restaurants, cabarets and downtown establishments.

Jukebox Queen EVA EUGENIO ALBUM COVER

Eugenio shared the title with Claire dela Fuente and Imelda Papin, singing melodramatic songs that spoke of anguished love, troubled relationships, and broken feelings---themes that resonated with the common tao. They were all sung in similar styles, with a lot of angst, sensuality, verging on tearful sentimentality.

The titles of her hit songs, recorded under Polyeast Records, conveyed it  all: “Tukso”, a massive hit in 1979, “Pag-ibig na Walang Dangal”, “Kaligayahang Pansamantala”, “Gulong ng Palad)”(1980), “Kasalanan Ba?”, “Umaga Na, Wala Ka Pa” (1981) and “Uhaw” (1982).

At her peak, she made the rounds of top TV shows, top clubs and hotels, out-of-town engagements nationwide, and was a much-sought after performer in the Asian entertainment circuit. She even ventured into movies and even made one based in her song: “Hoy,Tukso! Layuna Mo Ako”, ” with Joseph Estrada.

Eugenio’s popularity among the masses was not lost among advertisers. Legendary adman Minyong Ordoñez of Basic Advertising, chose her to resurrect a dying pomade brand THREE FLOWERS BRILLIANTINE, that has been around in the Philippines since the 1950s. He created the theme “Lalaking Disente” (man of decency), which very much described the image of a Filipino gentleman—handsome, well-groomed, polished, a true cavalier—qualities that are fast disappearing in these modern times.

WATCH 3 FLOWERS "LALAKING DISENTE" TVC HERE:

The quick fix for that of course, is the tried and tested THREE FLOWERS BRILLIANTINE. It was Eugenio who sang a paean to this man who has captured her heart at first sight--“hindi ko mailihim ang damdaming sa aking dibdib, na nagsasabing ika’y mahalin…Lalaking Disente. Eugenio sang it so intensely, moving men to rediscover the old brand and revert back to being the gentlemen that they were.

TOSHIBA WITH EVE EUGENIO, 1983

THREE FLOWERS BRILLIANTINE was Eugenio’s most renown endorsement project, but it wasn’t the last. Four years after, she bagged another lucrative deal with TOSHIBA, a leading Japanese electronic company that specialized in audio and video appliances like Bombeat, Beta and VCRs. She did a local print campaign and had the chance to go to Japan and promote the TOSHIBA brand in malls and trade shows.

EVA IN A TOSHIBA EVENT IN JAPAN

Today, EVA EUGENIO continues to accept bookings for shows, and ocassionally appear as guests on TV noontime shows, and in game shows, the most recent of which was in “I Can See Your Voice PH”, a mystery music contest franchise.

SOURCES:

Eva Eugenio, Wikipedia and FB Page

Three Flowers Pomade, Lalaking Disente, uploaded by 4 A’s Philippines, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4wAzNXxJFo

250. Where Is He Now? JAIME GARCHITORENA, Commercial Model, Singer, Actor

From the late 70s to the 80s, the physical fitness craze hit the Philippines, fanned by aerobics phenomenon, plus the renewed interest in jogging,  running and working out. Athletic shoes suddenly became status symbols—they were not just functional, but also fashionable and cool to wear. Those decades saw the unprecedented rise of scores of multinational brands in Philippine sports and department stores—Grosby, World Balance, Nike, Converse, Asics, Adidas, PUMA.

The brands Adidas and PUMA are intertwined as the latter was founded in 1948 by German Rudolf Dassler, who, with his brother, Adolf, had jointly formed the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik ( Dassler Bros Shoe Factory) in 1924. But their business relationship was contentious, so the two brothers split , leaving Adi Dassler to form Adidas while Rudy established PUMA.

It was in 1980s decade that PUMA athletic shoes were marketed and promoted in the Philippins as thousands of  fitness buffs took to the roads to run. In 1984, PUMA launched its PUMA Running Shoes, which had technologically advance features based on their barrier-breaking footwear research. The design incorporated shock-absorbing cushion on the shoe edge, and took into consideration foot and heel pressure that led to the integration of soft, micro-cellular rubber  into the forefoot wedge.

The PUMA Running Shoes print ad featured a relatively unknown mestizo model, JAIME GARCHITORENA. It was not the last piece of advertising he would do, and in 1981, he also was the signature model for ADDIn Men's running shoes, distributed by Shoe Expo. 

Jaime is the son of Sandigan presiding judge Francis Garchitorena and Vicky Garchitorena of Ayala Corp. His siblings include sisters Teray,  Isabel, and brothers Rafael and Carlos. He spent his high school years at Xavier School, his college eyears at the Ateneo.  In his teens, Jaime was more into music, singing jingle studies for composers; his excursions into commercial modeling were few and occasional.

In 1990, Jaime finally had a breakout hit as a singer when he sang the jingle for a Close-Up commercial in 1990, entitled “Just a Smile Away”, composed by APO Danny Javier, who insisted on writing a full song, and not just a 30 sec. jingle. The jingle became his signature song which appeared in his first album of the same title, produced by OctoArts International. There were two other hits from that album”  "Would It Matter" and "You Are".

With his trademark ponytail, good mestizo looks on a lean frame, Viva offered him a recording as well as a movie contract in 1992 , that saw the release of his self-titled Pilipino album.  His movie career was shortlived, however, completing 2 movies for Viva Films: Jesus dela Cruz at ang mga Batang Riles (1992) and Andres Manambit: Angkan ng Matatapang (1992 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture). In both movies, he was lumped with actor Joko Diaz, Keempee de Leon and Kier Legaspi.

WATCH JAIME GARCHITORENA AT RYAN MUSIKAHAN 1990

Other than occasional guestings, Jaime’s showbiz career really never took off, opting to finish school instead. His last appearance was in an obscure film called The Dominant Eye (2000), an action-drama that starred Robin da Roza.

SOURCES:

THROWBACK: Jaime Garchitorena - Just A Smile Away (Ryan Ryan Musikahan, 1990), uploaded on youtube by Sunflower Madness Channel 14 Sep. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-G3_5sMv8Q

Jaime Garchitorena: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1114025/bio