Actor, stuntman, and Weng Weng's co-star in D'Wild Wild Weng. I met Robert Miller through Franco Guerrero and ended up good drinking buddies with him. Robert and I would often meet up in Quezon City (esp. at a beerhouse opposite the old Magnatech, where many of the old goons would congregate), have a beer, shoot the shit, and occasionally get down to the serious business of interviewing - on tape for The Search For Weng Weng book, and on film for my documentary The Last Pinoy Action King (2015).
Robert passed away in February 2020 after a brief hospital stay. Paalam, kuya Robert.
From The Search For Weng Weng book (2017): Stuntman and character actor Robert Miller joined the SOS Daredevils through his friend Rolan Falcis. His first film was FPJ Productions’ Mga Batang Estibador (“The Young Stevedores”; 1969) opposite Paquito Diaz and Robert Jaworski. “During the days, we were trained to help each other out, and if there is work, we practice. May it be karate, fencing, or stunts, car, motor, we will rehearse before we go to the shoot, we are not allowed NOT to be prepared. Two or three times a week we train. From 2 to 5 or 2 to 6. We do all the routines from tumbling, fights, free fall. If the scene needs fencing, you will practice fencing then. If karate, you will do karate. If it needs motorcycles, there are motorcycles for everyone there. Often you have to create the scenario, you understand the camera, lights - exit left, enter from the right side, these kinds of things. Where will you go closer, where will you dip. That is the way to emphasize things [on camera].”
Robert Miller used the same techniques when, as a young man, he was transfixed by action films and komiks. “I was still not in the movies but when I get home, my four sisters would see me acting in front of the mirror, I was already shadow boxing - pak, pak, pak! They were thinking I had gone nuts, they didn't know I have a komik book and reading the lines. So when I got in [to movies], I just needed small corrections, I already played the part at home. That is what I teach the new ones: use the mirror, when you need to get angry... Look!”
Andrew Leavold: Mr Miller, thank you so much for being a part of our Rudy documentary.
Robert Miller: This is important to me, because Rudy is a nice guy.
Let’s talk about your entry in film making and becoming a stuntman. Then character actor, then featured actor.
Well, I’m a member of SOS Daredevils.
Let’s talk about how you got into movies in the first place.
I was working at the pier—I had aspirations of becoming a seaman or a voyager—when a production team came to film at the pier for a project titled Mga Batang Estibador ["The Young Stevedores"; 1969], and they recruited me. That was the beginning; someone invited me to work [in the industry]. Ever since then, and up to this day, that has been my line of work.
And then you get to work with Rudy before Rudy becomes famous?
Yeah, that’s right. I worked with Rudy [in Bertang Karengkeng/"Bert The Flirt"; 1976]. I started in 1970, and Rudy probably started around ’75. But he was only in a supporting role back then. Our leads were Vilma Santos and George Estregan Sr. We filmed in Nasugbu, Batangas, and we stayed there for quite a while. In those days, a film production usually took about a month. We became friends; he had a fight scene with the lead actor, so I had to teach him how to throw punches - Rudy was still quite new to the industry at the time. But even then, you could already see that he was a good-natured person - that was already there. Later on, he became a lead actor; we crossed paths again, and by then, he was already a star! Hahaha.
What was Rudy like at that time, before he became a superstar?
He remained the same, even after he became a superstar. He was always quiet - a truly kind person. Even when he was a superstar, he was just like he had been when he was an extra - he would simply sit there, and if you called him, he would come over. You’d tell him what to do, and he’d do it. I suppose he might have changed a bit.
So all the way through 70’s, 80’s and into the 90’s, action, action, action. And the people you work with were making so many movies. Why do you think that action films were so popular in the 70’s, 80’s? What was it that audience got excited about?
Maybe that was just the trend back then. In those days, our action movies were truly big-budget productions - we were actually on par with international films. Then, a trend of cost-cutting took over; things took a turn for the worse, and the quality declined. Even now, I don’t think that kind of scale has returned - I’m not entirely sure, though. But I suspect it hasn’t - I mean, I still don’t have any work, haha!
And at that time the premiere stunt team in the Philippines was SOS Daredevils...
It’s probably due to my attitude, as well as the nature of the work. Back in the day, our approach was to help out our colleagues on set; and whenever there was a specific task, we would really train for it. Whether it involved karate, fencing, stunts, or handling cars or motorcycles - we would train, because when you arrive on set, you simply aren't allowed to show up unprepared.
One of Rudy’s fighting instructors - in fact his main fighting instructor from the time he was becoming big - was Baldo Marro. Can you tell us a little bit about Baldo Marro, how was he came into the industry?
He was a stuntman - he was actually an SOS back in the day. He was the one who choreographed the fight scenes; he knew exactly how to handle them because, as stuntmen, we were already trained in action sequences back in the gym. Once the director explained the scenario - for instance, where a fight scene should take place - you’d immediately start planning it out. You’d decide, "We need a table to get smashed, we need a bottle to break" - that’s how it worked. Baldo was one of the best at that. There were plenty of skilled guys - Val and many others - but Baldo just happened to get along really well with Rudy.
Who were the top SOS fight instructors in that time, in the mid 70’s?
There were many of them, but back then, Baldo was still on his way up. There were others like Avel Morado - and Ato [Renato] Morado, too - so at the time, Baldo was still like a beginner, just starting to make his way up. Then he got along well with Rudy; Rudy was pleased with his work, which is why they stayed together for a long time.
What do you remember about Renato Morado?
Yes, he was one of the pioneers - one of the very first. Him, his brother Avel, and others - they were heavily involved in action-oriented work. Then there were people like Mario Escudero in fencing, and Johnny Montero; they were the SOS members who came before us.
You became a fight intruction yourself?
Yeah, all of us, actually.
What was that progression that you followed from stuntman to actor to fight director?
Sometimes you create a scenario, you know, considering the camera and the lights - like exiting stage left and entering from the right, or determining where to move in for a close-up, or where to reach for a prop. It’s all about setting things up in a way that emphasizes those specific moments.
Now I guess everybody remembered the moment that Rudy became a superstar and that was Baby Ama. What kind of effective Baby Ama have, was it like a big explosion.
Well it’s for Rudy. He got the role, the movie is beautiful in terms of the action, drama. Everybody likes the movie. And Rudy went up. Because… nice story.
What was it about Rudy that made him connect with an audience through Baby Ama?
Perhaps it’s because Rudy started from the bottom, as an extra, that he truly understood the pulse of the masses. I remember once, when we were in a movie together, he had to "shoot" me; he made it clear it was "walang personalan, trabaho lang" ["nothing personal - just work"]. He actually said that to me as a line in one of our films. But there’s no doubt that Rudy was a good actor. He was kind and talented, which is why people loved him. And that was just who he was - not just in movies, but everywhere he went, he remained the same person. He was a truly kind man; I miss him. He was a good guy.
You work with Rudy a lot. There was probably more than 40 films were you are one of the goons. Let’s talk about this period in film, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s. It was always the group of goons that are fighting the bida, the henchman of the kontrabida. It’s just same group. Let’s just talk about that same group, who were the goons?
At all time every leading man wants us because we are trained. We’re able to make scenes look realistic, which is why lead actors often request us.
It’s always the same guys, who were those guys?
There were quite a few: Mabanza, Chito Guerrero, Franco... there were many. Sometimes I can’t even recall their names anymore since we rarely see each other these days. But they’re all trained. And Rudy is very careful - he doesn’t want anyone getting hurt during fight scenes. He’d always ask, "Can you handle this? Or maybe not? I don't want anybody to get hurt!"
From a stuntman to an actor's point of view what was Rudy like as an action performer... Is he a good fighter?
Yes yes, he’s good. Because he trains a lot. He trained boxing, he trained tumbling. He really committed to his role. He even trained in boxing and tumbling.
Did he ever train with the SOS guys?
No, they actually have their own gym at their place. For instance, there’s Baldo, or Val Iglesias, or whoever the instructor on duty happens to be, back when he [the protagonist] had already become a star.
Let's talk about Val, what do you remember about Val Iglesias?
He was also part of the SOS group - we were in the same group, actually. If Baldo was busy, Val would step in; they would take turns. It was pretty much the same thing...
They are like a team?
Yes.
So kinda like Fred Esplana and Jay Grama. Like those two were always together. What was training like for an SOS Daredevil?
Two or three times a week we train. From 2 to 5 or 2 to 6. You do all of that—acrobatics, fight sequences, free falls. Whatever the film requires - if it’s fencing, you do fencing. If it’s karate, you do karate. If it involves motorcycles, everyone there gets a motorcycle.
Kung-fu films were huge… 70’s into the beginning of the 80’s. Did all of the SOS guys have to train in kung fu?
Yes, we have a kung fu guys ‘’Ha, huwa, yahhh, waaaa….’’ That’s the step, the step of the movement. It looked like karate haha. You’ll get a kung fu player, thats were doing. And that time kung fu is.
At some point in the 90’s, the action films start to die. Why do you think that action films died?
There were maybe piracy, budget cuts - there are a lot of factors.
How did it affect you?
It’s not just me, there are so many other workers affected. It’s like suddenly going hungry, having no food left, and being unable to pay the electricity bill. Work just suddenly dried up.
So it was like a whole generation of stunt guys, supporting actors and action films and all of a sudden "walang trabaho!" Were you able to move into television?
That’s a different group. In television, you need to have stars, you need to have... That’s why I don’t know them anymore, and they don’t know me either. Besides, at my age, I can’t exactly line up for those roles anymore. I really hope the action genre makes a comeback, at least on TV. Because when there’s action, a lot of people get work.
You have the priviledge of being able to work with all of the big action star. FPJ, Erap, Tony Ferrer. Let’s rate them, who was the greatest action star as far as you're concerned?
I think all of them. Of course Fernando Poe is the King, he has the title. But all of these are great, they are all action stars that time such as Ramon Revilla, Joseph Estrada. Then came Rudy, Bembol, Lito Lapid, so many more.
Now Lito was a different kind of action hero to Rudy. Let’s talk about the difference between Rudy’s films and Lito’s films.
Well, Lito, he started out in stunts. He was a stuntman, so most of his films were stunt-heavy. Rudy, on the other hand - well, his films were also action-oriented... both were in the action genre, but they appealed to different crowds. Or perhaps the audiences were nearly the same, given that they sometimes appeared in the same movies. I suspect that, back then, the audience for action films was essentially one and the same. I recall times when we were near a factory - as people left the cinema, you’d see them throwing punches at each other. If someone on screen jumped, they’d jump too.
Some people say that Rudy was the logical successor to FPJ’s crown but also some people say that Lito Lapid was the logical successor, why?
Because they were the ones who followed him. After FPJ, naturally, they became his successors -"juniors," so to speak. In fact, Lito and FPJ actually made a movie together. Rudy and FPJ never did. But they were the ones - they possessed that inherent kindness.
Do you think that Lito could have edge or may have surpassed Rudy at the box office if things were different?
Probably not; it’s likely about the same. Since both of their films consistently perform well - and they are, in fact, box-office draws - it’s hard to imagine them competing directly. It’s as if their releases happen simultaneously. Besides, I suspect they coordinate with each other, saying things like, "I’m releasing mine at this time, so you can release yours then." It wouldn't be ideal for two major stars to go head-to-head; that’s why it’s the bookers' job to ensure their release schedules don't overlap. In terms of their standing, they’re quite similar—the only difference is that Lito eventually became a politician.
Senator Lapid has been a very successful politician. Why do you think that he had such great success in politics?
Perhaps it’s because of his kind nature. As I once told him, everything just fell into place for him - it was all about timing. Originally, he had no intention of entering politics. When Mount Pinatubo erupted, he owned a piggery and a poultry farm, and he gave everything away to the people. He also took part in rescue operations; being a former stuntman, he was well-equipped - he had ropes and all sorts of gear. He was already working as a director at the time, focusing on action films, so he had all the necessary equipment on hand. Following that, it was the people themselves who urged him to become a politician.
But also Erap was the most succesful actor-turned-politician. What do you think that Erap’s strengths were in politics?
It’s the same with Erap - they were among the pioneers. They established Mowelfund, always keeping the welfare of their peers in mind. They didn’t just think of themselves; they were genuinely capable of helping others. You can see that even now - take Erap, for instance, and especially Lito.
Rudy tried to go into politics and it didn’t worked. Why do you think Rudy could just not transition from actor to politics?
That’s something we can’t quite figure out. Back then, his campaigns were - my goodness - incredibly strong. You know how it is with politics; sometimes, there’s this mysterious "magic" involved that’s hard to explain. He’d have huge crowds at his rallies, but when the election came, those supporters were nowhere to be found. I really can’t answer why that happened. Perhaps it just wasn’t meant for him - maybe it simply wasn’t his destiny. It just wasn’t his path.
You were at Rudy’s wake. What do you remember about the time just after Rudy just passed? Were you one of the stunt guys who are helping to control the crowd?
No, I actually went there and reported it. At that time, even when I didn’t see him personally, I would hear news that he was in the hospital - he was constantly in and out of the hospital. I’m not sure about the details regarding Rene, but when he was at the wake - and Lolit Solis happened to be there - it was because Rene was her closest buddy. I used to call him "President" back then, because he had essentially become the "president" of the action scene.
When we talk about how people are remembered, do you think that that’s what makes a real action hero?
Perhaps it’s kindness - their good nature. To help others, you have to be incredibly kind; if you were mean-spirited, you wouldn’t help anyone. Both of them were truly kind-hearted people - that’s why they cared for others. If they weren’t kind, they could have easily just said, "I’m here enjoying a good meal, so you’re on your own." But they weren’t like that; they wanted you to share in whatever they were eating. I believe it was that inherent kindness that drove them to help others.
How are you going to remember Rudy as a person?
Cheerful, always ready to greet people. Much like Fernando Poe - they share that same trait. They are always warm, ready to say hello, and quick to smile. You’ll never see them with a frown; the moment they see you, they’re already smiling. They’re just like FPJ in that regard - always smiling, kind-hearted, and quick to laugh. Even if they don’t know you, they’ll still greet you with a smile.
Do you think those glory days of action films - 70’s, 80’s - will ever come back?
I truly hope so. I really do. It would be great for the generations to come.
Do you think that anyone will ever fill the shoes of someone like Rudy or FPJ?
I certainly hope that happens. Who knows? And if that time does come - and I’m still around to see it - even if I’m not part of it myself, I’d just be happy to see that glory return.
Would you agree that the crown was passed down from FPJ to Rudy?
No, another crown maybe. That crown belongs to FPJ. Others - like Rudy or Lito Lapid - might have come along, but the crown still belongs to FPJ. They just followed in his footsteps.
Because there were lots of new generation of actions stars that came in with Rudy. There were Anthony Alonzo, Ace Vergel, Rhene Imperial, all of these guys and then Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Jeric Raval at iba pa at iba pa. So you’re saying that FPJ was the only king.
Yes, for me.
All these other guys, they are like...
They’re just... hanging around. Or they come second, or... they just follow. Fernando Poe came first, after all.
So really there’s only one King.
And I often heard Fernando Poe say back then, "Look after our colleagues - help them out; their pay is so small compared to ours." It all stemmed from him. It was as if he were the father and they were his children; that’s why everyone who worked with Rudy turned out to be such good people. Something like that.
Why do you think that people need an action hero? The common tao watching the films on the big screen, why they need a hero?
It’s about hope in life. Because if the hero you admire can do such things, maybe you can, too. That’s really all there is to it - that’s why you become a fan. Even though I’ve been in the film industry for a long time, I became part of that world too, because the way they portrayed things made it feel like you weren’t just watching a movie. It’s where you find hope - if you have absolutely nothing, maybe you’ll find a job; if you’re being severely oppressed, maybe you’ll find a way out of that oppression. Something like that.
Who were your action heroes growing up?
All of them—Fernando Poe, Joseph [Estrada]—they were active in the 60s, while I came along in the 70s. Before I even started working in films, I’d be in front of the mirror at home, acting out scenes and throwing punches - pow, pow, pow, pow! My four sisters thought I’d lost my mind; they didn’t realize I was holding a comic book and acting out the dialogue. Since I hadn’t appeared in any movies yet, by the time I finally did, I only needed a few minor adjustments - I already knew what to do because I’d been practicing at home. It was all just me and the mirror - channeling that anger - because it was something I truly loved. That’s how I became a stuntman, and I’ve kept at it ever since.
Why does everyone love the bad guy?
They don’t actually love the villain - they hate him! It’s just that they often say it as if it were real. They get so carried away - especially when you visit parts of Mindanao. The older folks there, they’ll hate you, calling you a "traitor, a traitor!" But it’s just a movie, haha! They tell us, "You guys are so good" -because it really looks that authentic. Many of my colleagues have suffered injuries or even died. Back in the day, everything was done by hand - I’m "old school," as I like to say. When it comes to stunts, it’s essential to study the craft thoroughly - even if it means risking a broken bone or two. You just have to try your best to avoid getting hurt.
So the guys would have been FPJ, Erap, Jess Lapid Sr...?
It’s like this: you don’t really have to worry about anything, because whoever you’re working with, the approach is always the same. For instance, in films like this—no matter who your co-star is—the kindness is always there. They’ll ask things like, "Have you eaten? What are you having?" or "Is your sleeping arrangement okay?" It doesn’t matter which lead actor you’re working with—they act as our leaders, alongside the director. Especially in action films.
If there was a formula for a successful action film, what would that formula be?
I suppose the current trend involves terrorists - that sort of thing - because that’s where you get the big-scale elements... like bombings or terrorist attacks. The only catch is that it’s expensive.
In Philippine cinema, there’s a tendency for audiences to love the villain—the anti-hero. An actor like Rudy could play a real-life gangster like Baby Ama, an NPA member, or a Muslim revolutionary from Mindanao. Why did people love the anti-hero just as much as the hero? Why was a character like Baby Ama so successful, even though he was a gangster—not a hero, but a criminal?
Perhaps it’s because these characters were truly oppressed. Of course, there are genuinely wicked people—actual goons—who victimize our fellow citizens. That’s a reality; there really are such malevolent individuals among us. Take the case of Baby Ama—that was based on a true story. People found satisfaction in it, perhaps because they feared the same thing might happen to them. That’s why these issues need to be addressed—especially by our officials—to deal with those "goons in uniform."
People also loved villains played by actors like Max Alvarado, Paquito Diaz, and Romy Diaz.
It’s because their performances felt so real. The audience would get swept up, thinking, "They’re truly wicked - look at them! There they go again - shoot them down!" Even though, in reality, Max Alvarado was actually quite a handsome man. I’ve heard people in certain circles remark, "You’re all so good - it’s like it’s actually happening!" Back in the day, during a shoot, the instruction would be, "Alright, you’re playing this role - portray it well," which forced you to really concentrate. Whenever we were filming, we gave it our all. Before the cameras rolled, I would mentally rehearse the entire scene - so when the action started, I already knew exactly what to do. Actually, yes... once, I was screaming - just screaming - and when they yelled "cut," everything went black. I thought I’d gone blind! Yes, a total blackout! "Arrrrrrrrww!" When I closed my eyes, it vanished - what on earth happened to my vision?
So, when you’re a "bad guy"—say, a henchman—how do you prepare for the role? How do you channel your inner evil?
It’s all in the script. The director guides you. They walk you through it. Sometimes, they’ll even explain your entire role - "Here’s how we’re going to shoot this" - that’s what great directors do. They’ll say, "The story goes like this, and your part is to land a punch right here." But if you aren't playing a villain, you might just be a shopkeeper - hahaha! That’s how those characters were back then... something like that. You get the idea, then there’s a fade transition, and suddenly you appear on screen. The director trains you - that’s what a director is for! They’ll watch your performance and say, "Give me a little bit more."
And on that note, cut!
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| Robert signs my Rudy Fernandez book |
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