# Jess Lapid

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. He then became an extra for Premiere Productions, and shifted to being a stuntman after finding out that they were paid more.

## 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. He had the good fortune for doubling for action movie star Fernando Poe Jr., and soon, the two would become fast friends.
In May 1960, during a visit to Cebu City, Lapid managed to shield fellow actor Zaldy Zshornack from knife-wielding assailants, receiving three stab wounds in his right arm while Zshornack fired two warning shots to scare away the assailants.
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. Poe 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. 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 films like Bilis at Tapang with Romeo Vasquez and Vendetta Brothers with Joseph Estrada and Eddie Garcia. 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. The film also starred a young Jay Ilagan. 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
### Film

| 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. 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. 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. 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. He is also remembered as one of the best action stars of his era.

## In Popular Culture

* He was portrayed by his son, Jess Lapid Jr., in the 1994 film Epimaco Velasco: NBI.