Hindi naman naging mahirap na paaminin si Garcia upang isiwalat ang kanyang edad.
Mananatili naman kasi siyang ageless sa mata ng kanyang mga movie fans.
“In the 1980s, a reporter wrote a feature story that put my age at 10 years older,” ani Garcia.
Hindi naman umangal si Garcia tungkol sa kanyang edad, pero hindi ito pinalagpas ng aktor na si Ramon Revilla Sr. “Ramon said I should demand an erratum.
He felt wronged because he is two years older than I am,” ani Garcia.
Isa pang usap-usapan tungkol kay Garcia ang umano’y pag-inom niya ng mahigit isang dosenang nutritional supplements na siya umanong sekreto ng aktor.
Hindi naman ito itinanggi ni Garcia: “After breakfast, I take about 20 supplements: vitamin A, B, C, D … Iron. One each … since I don’t like multivitamins.”Noong 1970s, si Garcia o mas kilala sa showbiz bilang si Manoy, ay sumasalang sa Spartan physical fitness regimen.
Ngayon ang kanyang libangan ay target shooting. “It’s good exercise,” ani Garcia.
“It keeps me mentally alert and physically fit. I go to the firing range thrice a week and spend the entire day there, running and sweating.”
Dagdag pa niya: “It teaches gun owners the safe handling of firearms.
There’s a great sense of camaraderie among gun enthusiasts, too. The shooting community in the Philippines has over 3,000 members.”
Sumasabak din siya sa mga tournament sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa.
Bago sumabak sa pelikula, si Garcia ay isang sarhento sa military police ng Philippine Scouts, na nasa ilalim ng US Army matapos ang World War II.
“I joined the service when I turned 17,” gunita niya. “I was part of the 116th MP Company, the Ryukyus Command, assigned in Okinawa, Japan, from 1946 to 1949.”
Nang bumalik sa bansa, nagpalista siya upang pumunta sa Okinawa pero iba ang naging plano ng kanyang kaibigang si George Sanderson. Ipinakita niya kay Garcia ang isang screen test.
Naghahanap noon ang actor-director na si Manuel Conde ng bagong star para sa costume flick na “Siete Infantes de Lara.”
Naalala ni Garcia na mayroon noong mahigit 40 aplikante at pito lamang, kasama siya, ang nakapasok.
Ang anim pa ay sina Sanderson, Johnny Monteiro, Albert Madison, Jaime Castellvi III, Terry Campillos at Mario Montenegro.
Sinanay sa stunt
“We trained in fencing and stunts for three months,” ani Garcia. “In the morning, we lifted weights and in the afternoon we had sword-fighting lessons.”
Ito ay noong 1949. “Manuel’s son Jun was only 10 years old. As an adult, Jun (Urbano) became Mr. Shooli on TV and in the movies.”
Hindi pinangarap ni Garcia na maging aktor. “Everything was strange to me,” aniya. “Our family and I used to live on Gilmore Street, near the studio of Sampaguita Pictures.
One time, while I was on a month-long furlough, I caught the shooting of a movie starring Oscar Moreno, the father of Boots Anson-Roa.”
Si Roa ang naging madalas na katambal ni Garcia mula noon.
Nang siya ay maging contract star ng Sampaguita, siya ay naging madalas na kontrabida.
“I always played the guardia civil with the thin mustache,” he said. “That was because I spoke Spanish. My grandfather was a captain in the Spanish Army.”
Itinuturing niya ang sarili na masuwerte dahil nakatrabaho niya ang mga magagaling na director kasama ang dalawang National Artists for Film—Conde at Eddie Romero.
Magandang halimbawa
Sa naunang panayam, sinabi ni Romero na si Garcia ay naging magandang halimbawa na nagtagumpay sa pagpapagaling ng kanyang kakayanan.
“A good actor is born. There are a few exceptions.
The one I am proudest of is Eddie,” ani Romero. “In the beginning, he was clumsy. But he refused to give up. Now, he is a fine actor.”
Aminado naman si Garcia na marami siyang natutunan kay Romero sa paggawa ng pelikula.
“He knew exactly what he wanted to achieve. His background as scriptwriter helped a lot. He was a disciplinarian and was particular about punctuality, but was very cool on the set.”
Ang pananatli niya sa Sampaguita ang nagtulak sa kanya upang maging maayos sa pagtatrabaho.
“Our producer, Dr. Jose Perez, and his wife Azucena were quite strict.
They imposed fines on tardiness. Romeo Vasquez’s take-home pay would be almost down to zero because of the penalties.”
Sa kanyang 12 taon sa Sampaguita, nakakuha si Garcia ng mahahalagang punto mula sa mga master directors na sina Octavio Silos, Nardo Vercudia, Armando Garces, Mar S. Torres at Olive La Torre (ama ng singer-actress na si Sylvia La Torre).
“Sampaguita gave me my directorial break right before I went freelance in 1962,” aniya.
Ang una niyang dinirek ay “Karugtong ng Kahapon,” na pinagbibitahan nina Rita Gomez, Ric Rodrigo, Marlene Dauden at kanyang “Siete Infantes” costar na si Montenegro.
“Nanganay ako. But as a new actor, I had vowed that, in 15 years, I would direct,” aniya. “I learned by hanging out in the studio.
Nagbabad ako sa editing room. I consulted the directors and cinematographers.”
Maganda ang naging pagtanggap sa “Karugtong” at ibinigay rin sa kanya ang drama movies series na “Historia de un Amor,” “Mga Anak sa Pagkakasala”at “Ang Manananggol ni Ruben.”
Nagpayabong
Noong 60s, ginamit ni Garcia ang kanyang natutunan sa military training sa mga action films na tinatampukan ni Tony Ferrer bilang si secret agent X44 Tony Falcon.
“James Bond was very popular at the time,” ani Garcia. “Tony’s brother, Atty. Espiridion Laxa, thought of a local version.
I directed nine X44 movies, including ‘Sabotage,’ ‘Modus Operandi’ and ‘Kontra Senyas.’”
Hindi siya naging mapili sa mga trabahong ibinabato sa kanya. “I grabbed everything thrown my way.”
Naging reputasyon ni Garcia ang maging isang reliable at competent person sa industriya.
Nanalo siya sa Famas ng best supporting actor award para sa 1957 film na “Taga sa Bato.”
Lima pang Famas best supporting actor trophies ang sumunod: sa pelikulang “Condenado” (1958), “Tanikalang Apoy” (1959), “Ito ang Pilipino” (1966), “Dugo ng Bayani” (1969) at “Nueva Ecija” (1973).
Noong 1975 siya ay nalagay sa Famas Hall of Fame. “After winning five times, you are elevated to the Hall of Fame. But I had won six times before they thought up a Hall of Fame,” aniya.
Nakuha rin ni Garcia sa Famas ang best actor sa pelikulang “Decolores” noong 1968 at “Tubog sa Ginto” noong 1971, best director sa “Pinagbuklod ng Langit” noong 1969.
Muli siyang napasok sa Hall of Fame bilang direktor noong 1991 at aktor noong 2004.
Nangiti naman siya ng maalala ang shoogting ng “Pinagbuklod ng Langit,” ang ikalawang bio-pic kay dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos (matapos ang “Iginuhit ng Tadhana,” na ginawa ni Mar S. Torres, Conrado Conde at Jose de Villa).
“My staff grew fat while making that movie,” aniya. “Ninety percent of the film was shot in Malacañang Palace and the First Lady was always sending carts of sandwiches and juice drinks to the set.”
Naging linya naman niya ang pagganap sa mga role ng mayayaman at sikat nang bumalik siya sa pagdi-direk noong 1980s para sa Viva Films.
“Producer Vic del Rosario and I created what we dubbed the Viva look—like a beautifully wrapped gift, even if the story is actually empty.”
Bukod sa teenybopper flicks ni Sharon Cuneta (“PS I Love You,” “My Only Love,” at “Friends in Love”), siya rin ang nagdirek ng adaptations ng ilang komiks novels (“Paano Ba ang Mangarap,” “Sinasamba Kita,” “Magdusa Ka”).
Galing sa babasahin
Sinabi niya na marami rin siyang nagawa na mula sa mga babasahin. At nabanggit niya ang dalawang tagpo sa “Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-Ibig” ni Vilma Santos noong 1987.
“Cinematographer Romy Vitug and I waited until late afternoon, when the columns at the back of the Manila Film Center formed long shadows.
For another scene, we waited until dusk so the funeral procession would be reflected on a pond in the cemetery.”
Sa dekada 90 si Garcia ay naging tampok sa mga true-life action movies kasama na rito ang “Alfredo Lim: Batas ng Maynila,” “Boyong Mañalac: Hoodloom Terminator,” “Judge Max Asuncion: Hukom Bitay” at “Mariano Mison … NBI.”
“When I played these real-life personalities, I did lots of research. If my character was still alive, I would interview him. If not, I’d watch video footages,” ani Garcia.
Sa kabila ng kanyang mga naabot, hindi naman umiwas si Garcia sa mga out of the box projects gaya ng “Manoy.”
Isa sa kanyang mga paborito ang obra ni Lino Brocka na “Tubog sa Ginto,” kung saan gumanap siya bilang ama na bading.
“It was a meaty role. Other actors turned down the part,” ani Garcia.
“They were worried about their macho image. I think it was the first time that the story of a gay man was tackled explicitly onscreen.
My lover was played by Mario O’Hara, who later became a director himself.”
Noong 1978, ginawa niya ang istorya ng domestic helper sa pelikulang “Atsay” at bilang direktor ay tinulungan niya si Nora Aunor na naging best performer sa Metro Manila Film Festival.
Ito ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na ang best performer award ay ibinigay ng MMFF.
Bago pa man sumikat ang mga independent filmmakers ay sinusuportahan na ito ni Garcia.
Noong 2000 aiys ay lumabas sa short film ni Raymond Red na “Anino,” na nanalo ng Palme D’Or sa Cannes International Film Festival.
“Raymond just called and asked me to work with him,” gunita ni Garcia. Ang naging tanong lamang ni Garcia ay “When do we shoot?”
Pagbabalik ng Cinemalaya
Taong 2005 ng gampanan niya ang lead role (bilang isang senior citizen na malapit ng pumanaw) sa “ICU Bed #7” ni Rica Arevalo na naging entry sa unang Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival kung saan siya nanalo ng best actor.
Ngayon si Garcia ay babalik sa Cinemalaya sa obra ni Jun Lana na “Bwakaw,” isang kalahok sa Directors’ Showcase section.
Hindi alintana ni Garcia ang maliit na budget ng indie films basta maganda ang role na ibibigay sa kanya.
Sa “Bwakaw,” ang kanyang papel ay isang matandang dog lover na mayroong malalim na sekreto.
“It’s a complex character … the script (by Lana) is well-written.
We spent 10 days, during Holy Week, in Quezon province to finish the film.”
Sinabi ni Lana: “We shot non-stop. Near the end, people were collapsing.
Not Tito Eddie. Dedicated and detailed, he is a director’s dream. He’s a hard worker like none I’ve ever seen.”
Inilarawan ni Roa si Garcia bilang isalng “absolute professional, a dyed-in-the-wool artist and craftsman.
He is the epitome of discipline and is compassion personified.”
Ayon naman sa aktor na si Madeleine Nicolas na nakasama ni Garcia sa obra ni Marilou Diaz-Abaya na “Ikaw ang Pag-ibig”: “I was tasked to look after Tito Eddie on our set in Naga. For our trip back to Manila, we were supposed to meet at the hotel lobby at 10 a.m. Tito Eddie was already in the van by 9:30 a.m.”
Ganito rin ang sinabi ni Mike Tan, costar ni Garcia sa GMA 7 soap opera na “Legacy.” “He would arrive on the set ahead of everyone, even the production assistants.”
Ala-ala ni FPJ
Pinuri rin ni Lovi Poe, isa pang artista sa “Legacy”, si Garcia. “I would see him intently reading his script. He’s a perfectionist, but flexible at the same time.”
Sinabi ni Lovi na na-excite siya na nakatrabaho si Garcia na ilang beses na naging kontrabida sa pelikula ng kanyang amang si Fernando Poe Jr.
“FPJ was a complete professional,” ani Garcia na ang pinatutungkulan ay ang Da King.
“When he was directing, he refrained from drinking [alcohol]. He was totally focused.”
Hindi na naging surpresa ng lumabas ang pangaln ni Garcia sa mga posibleng ideklarang national artist kasama sina Dolphy, dating Pangulong Joseph Estrada, Aunor at Santos.
“I don’t aspire for that,” ani Garcia. “If it comes, well and good.
As I always say, awards are just a nice bonus for a job well done.”
Mayroon naman siyang simpleng payo sa mga kasalukuyang artista: “Love your work.
Come to the set prepared. Don’t give your directors headaches. And avoid chismis.”