THE fangs of death could be dreadful especially for one whose faith isn’t strong enough to enable him to either come face to face with his Creator or cushion his fall into the fires of hell. But according to Mark Twain, “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
The Philippine entertainment industry’s majestic pillar and patron of aspiring talents, German Moreno, more popularly addressed as Kuya Germs, took his final bow and made a graceful exit sans the possibility of an encore. All early morning news broadcast on Friday, January 8, 2016 covered the disheartening reports that the esteemed and well-loved Master Showman has breathed his last at St. Luke’s Hospital around 3:20 AM due to cardiac arrest. He was 82.
Although his passing was a hard blow to the bereaved family, John Nite, nephew and co-host who speaks on behalf of the Moreno clan, could only take the situation with positivity. “We are saddened by his passing but we are comforted by the thought that his legacy will live on,” he said.
A pious devotee of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, his untimely demise significantly coincided with the celebration of the Black Icon’s annual procession.
It will be recalled that just last year, January 2, 2015, Kuya Germs suffered from his first stroke and needed to undergo extensive physical and speech therapies overseas. Innately workaholic and couldn’t afford to be away from the only job he lived with, the entertainment guru eagerly returned to his regular show, ‘Walang Tulugan’ after 6 months.
Since Kuya Germs is showbusiness itself, the family decided to bring his remains to a much spacious venue to enable friends, fans, friends and colleagues to pay their final respects. Mount Carmel Church, along New Manila Avenue and near corner Aurora Boulevard, was a perfect choice.
As expected, the accessible location became an ideal avenue for celebrity ambush interviews by subject-seeker entertainment pen-pushers and the perfect movie personality sighting ground for avid fans.
During the five- day wake the entire entertainment industry literally converged at Mt. Carmel Church to bid the reputable man their final adieu… a man who had a great influence in their showbiz careers, spent and dedicated his whole life in support of the industry.
Highly motivated by the original star maker Dr. Jose Vera-Perez of Sampaguita Pictures, Kuya Germs did just the same— giving every possible break to potential and aspiring talents.
Since Kuya Germs has been dubbed as the Godfather of Showbusiness it will be much easier to enumerate the names whose lives he hadn’t touched than those that he directly came into close association.
Even while still alive, the Master Showman has been a living legend having consistently spent his life contributing to the progress and constancy of the local entertainment industry. His endearing charm and inherent amicability could inevitably kindle even opposite poles to a cohesive unification especially among principal players in the industry. Aptly gifted with that mystic magnetism that automatically draws people to him while notably armed with a potent power of persuasion that is effortlessly convincing.
I was stunned by the larger-than-life aura of the famous starbuilder during our initial encounter in one of his well-attended birthday bashes at the Sampaguita-Vera-Perez gardens in the early 70s. His charismatic handshake matched with a gentle tap on my shoulder was a concrete indication of his reputable status… a rare trait hardly ever found even among bigwigs in the business.
In many occasions since then, I personally observed how Kuya Germs selflessly shared a part of him especially among young aspirants. Dressing up Sharon Cuneta (Germspecial and GMA Supershow), Lani Mercado (his special co-host), Maricel Morales and Karen Timbol (That’s Entertainment) and intermittently sponsoring some male talents of the said daily afternoon variety show, enabled me to be in close encounter with the generous and affable TV host. He’s, indubitably, a rara avis!
Getting to know more about German “Kuya Germs” Moreno
German Moreno first saw the light of day on October 4, 1933 in Santa Cruz, Manila. The son of Jose Moreno y Calvo, a Filipino-Spanish, and Aurora Molina, and brother to Pilar Moreno-Nite, young German was forced to work at a tender age following the death of his father. Driven without choice he grabbed every opportunity that would sustain his family’s daily needs: first in his aunt’s taxi company, then sold peanuts, rice cakes and cigarettes in front of moviehouses around Quiapo and Avenida, and even became a jeepney barker.
Aspiring for a much better job away from the blistering heat and pollution, in 1957 German applied as a janitor and curtain raiser in the Clover Theater (formerly the Savoy Theater), one of the most popular live show entertainment venues owned by a rich Portuguese choreographer located at the foot of Sta. Cruz Bridge infront of Feati University in Manila. He was already 24 then.
A natural-born comedian and friendly, it was easy for him to penetrate the entertainment world. German’s comedic talent was brought to the fore via slapstick comedy skits that kept the audience in stitches together with Poleng, Tolindoy, Popoy Dacuycoy, Pugo, Aruray, Soto, Ben David, and Teroy De Guzman.
Opportunity knocked when the production needed a talent to delineate the role of Jesus Christ for its annual Lenten presentation and German was a perfect choice. He was able to work with Gloria Romero, then a rising Sampaguita Pictures contract star, who was constantly the production’s Virgin Mary.
In 1963 German graciously refused the talent fee offered by Mrs. Nene Vera-Perez, the grand matriarch of the Sampaguita Studios, after hosting an event at the Life Theater, the home cinema of Sampaguita Pictures. Instead he coyly requested for a movie role.
He was cast in “Dance O Rama,” the film version of a popular television dance program, where he was given a substantial role…as the dance exhibition partner of the lead star, Susan Roces. Numerous movie assignments came in succession… mostly supporting roles: either as the protagonist’s sidekick, comical houseboy, or anything that served as the movie’s comic relief.
His burgeoning popularity easily gave him the opportunity to explore other avenues: the radio and television. It was Eddie Ilarde who initially hired him as sidekick on CBN’s “Ngayon Naman.” Then later in 1969, he moved to dzTR as a substitute announcer for Helen Vela, Ben David, and Bingo Lacson until he was given his own timeslot.
His radio shows “Bisita Artista,” “Music Factory,” and “Guy and Pip Song Festival” gave rise to the triumvirate of Ike Lozada, Inday Badiday, and German Moreno… while simultaneously building up the unprecedented fame of the Guy and Pip tandem. The name “Kuya Germs” became a showbiz byword synonymous to a godfather to young hopefuls.
In the mid-70s he penetrated the world of television via hosting his own Sunday noontime variety shows: Germside, Germspecial, and GMA Super Show. Having realized the need for a setting to discover and develop would-be stars, Kuya Germs created “That’s Entertainment,” a daily afternoon youth-oriented show where quite a great number of nobodies were painstakingly trained, honed, and catapulted to superstardom.
Not too many are aware that Kuya Germs worked also behind the cameras when he wrote and directed three films of the hottest romantic tandem of his time, Nora Aunor (Guy) and Tirso Cruz III (Pip), in Guy and Pip, A Gift of Love ,and My Blue Hawaii.
Then, there were other shows where Kuya Germs selflessly lent his charismatic appeal aside from his already hectic radio-TV slots: “Negosyete” (1991-1994), “Superstar” (which he co-hosted with Nora Aunor every Sunday evening), and lately, “Walang Tulugan With The Master Showman” (an off-spin of That’s Entertainment) programmed from midnight ‘til the wee hours of the morning.
In keeping with his well-motivated objective to offer televiewers quality entertaining productions, he personally produced TV films and TV Specials. Indubitably, Kuya Germ’s had distinctly contributed a tremendous amount of personal involvements in literally almost every showbiz event benefiting the entire industry which all the more immortalized his unrivaled status in the Philippine entertainment industry.
Seemingly not contented with what he had contributed, Kuya Germs commenced the founding of the Eastwood City Walk of Fame in Quezon City, patterned after the Hollywood Walk of Fame in LA, California and to give due recognition to young stars’ exemplary performance Kuya Germs started to give out the German Moreno Youth Achievement Award through the annual Famas Awards Night.
Later, The German Moreno Power Tandem Award was fittingly created to recognize the most phenomenal love team in television.
His exceptional generosity coupled with his tested dependability and loyalty (he spent more than 50 years of close affiliation with the station) was appropriately recognized by GMA Channel 7 by way of a grandiose celebration in his honor highlighted with the launching of a coffee table book, “50 Years with the Master Showman, a special tribute.”
Despite still in his recovery phase after his initial stroke, due to his sheer drive to be back to what he used to do, he acted as the creative consultant of GMA’s latest Sunday television variety show, “Sunday PinaSaya,” a post he held to his last breath.
The indefatigable television host was mighty proud of the more than 60 films neatly tucked under his sleeves where the 1986 Metro Manila Film Festival film entry, “Payaso,” was regarded as his most notable film project under the helm of Celso Ad Castillo.
The Master Showman’s career that spanned more than 5 decades was justifiably rewarded and recognized by reputable award-giving bodies: Best Supporting Actor trophies from FAMAS (2009) and PMPC for Movies (2009) for “Paupahan;” Best Variety Show Host for TV (1988, 1991, 1993, 1994) from the PMPC Star Awards; and a Special Citation Award (2013) from the PMPC Star Awards for TV.
Kuya Germs knew that the universe has a way of putting obstacles along our path when we least expected them but he also knew what action to take to be able to overcome such hindrances. He really should knew it for he had been there.
It was easy for him to spot a potential star. Gifted with keen eyes and a sixth sense he knew a star when he saw one.
Remembering the man behind celebrity successes
There was tremendous outpouring of emotions and reminiscing sentimental episodes about the well-appreciated deeds of and close relationship with the great Godfather of showbiz aspirants. Read on what a few among his wards had to say:
Federico Moreno (son of Kuya Germs): “The overwhelming social media condolences and heartwarming messages lessen the burden and the pain… and now that the Master Showman has finally joined his Master, we don’t know where to begin… but the show must go on…!”
Sharon Cuneta: “I always consider him my second father and constantly heed his advice. Tatay Germs had a great impact in my career and married life…he was always there whenever I needed him. I will terribly miss him. Showbiz will never be the same now that he’s gone!”
Nora Aunor: “My entire career, especially from the start to my heydays, has been with Kuya Germs. It was him who brought me to Dr. Perez and I won’t forget that. He was the other half of my “Superstar” years. Kuya Germswas more than a father to me… my adviser…my father confessor… everything.”
Shalala (Lito Reyes in real life and Kuya Germs’ sidekick): “His passing has created a vacuum within…I won’t be where I am if not for him. Kuya Germs was very generous but also very sentimental. He constantly shed tears every time we passed along Sta. Cruz, Avenida (Rizal Avenue), and Quiapo area because he missed the significant edifices and once splendid thoroughfares where he used to peddle his stuffs or hung around to while away the time after wandering.”
Jake Vargas: “I’m sure everybody knows that I’m Tatay’s (Kuya Germs) most priority among his many talents. He acted not only as my manager but my second father, as well, since I was 16. Everything that I am now is because of Tatay. He believed so much in my capability and that trust kept me driven. I will forever miss him!”
Isko Moreno: “My life had a complete turnaround the moment Kuya Germs attached his last name to mine. From nobody, look where I stand now? There will be no Isko Moreno without Kuya Germs.”
Ken Chan: “It was Kuya Germs who was instrumental in my biggest break, “Destiny Rose.” He was one of my avid fans and critic. Kuya Germs would call my attention if my acting was bad but would praise me when he thought I was effective. Now that he’s gone, half of me went with him.”
Manilyn Reynes: “Tatay siya na ipu-push ka sa lahat ng gagawin mo…pero, kapag sikat ka na lagi ka naman niyang paaalalahanan to always stay humble and grounded. I owe to him what I am now.”
Donita Rose: “Actually Kuya Germs was the one who discovered me while watching “Lunch Date” and later, “That’s Entertainment”. He spotted me in the audience and offered me to be in his show. That opportunity inevitably changed my life and gave me a better life.”
Jestoni Alarcon: “I was a member of the first batch of “That’s Entertainment” with Manilyn and through Kuya Germs, I was given lead roles in Seiko Films. He guided my career and thought me the value of hard earned money.”
Jovan dela Cruz (designer of Kuya Germ’s glittery outfits): “I was stunned upon learning about the shocking news. He even called me Wednesday night and instructed me to make his outfit for That’s Entertainment anniversary something extraordinary. I was already in the middle of the execution when the news reached me.” In regards to wearing flamboyant and ornate wardrobes: “Actually, he wanted to inject zest and class to his every appearance and enliven viewers.”
The soft spoken veteran television host maybe gone but he left a enduring legacy that will forever be etched… a sterling heritage with paramount significance that will ineradicably remind us that showbusiness isn’t just glitz and glam but more than art imitating life.
Philippine showbiz’s one and only Master Showman finally reached the end of his journey and concluded his life’s adventure with finality. His was a life well-lived… an extended passage that needed to end in order to rest his mortality and free his weary soul from the bondage of reality’s torturing agony.
Philippine showbusiness history won’t be copiously written and told without Kuya Germs between pages for he was an integral part of it.
From Mount Carmel Church the hearse bearing his remains passed by Broadway Centrum studios on its way to Sampaguita Studios compound, (his first home studio) and later at the GMA Studios (his home station) where a necrological service was held and on Thursday, January 14, 2016, after a 9:00 AM mass at GMA Studio 7, his remains were laid to rest near his mother’s grave at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina.
You’ll forever be missed, Kuya Germs!
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