MANILA, Philippines - Former LVN star Bernard Bonnin (photo) died last Saturday morning, Nov. 21, at age 70. A few years ago, he suffered a stroke that rendered him wheelchair-bound. He was last seen in the ABS-CBN TV series Palos, starring Jake Cuenca and Cesar Montano, which was based on his hit LVN starrer Alyas Palos in the early ’60s. Bernard did a guest stint in the ABS-CBN show, sitting on his wheelchair.
Bernard was introduced in Ay Pepita by LVN Pictures in 1958 and had his first starring role in Sparring Partner. It was the slippery character Palos that made him a big star.
Born on Sept. 8, 1939, in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, Bernard was the seventh of the eight children of Juan Bonnin and Lina Zayco. His first ambition was to be a pilot. In preparation for his entry into showbiz, he took up Public Speaking and Radio Announcing at the Manila Speech Clinic.
At LVN, he was paired with Lourdes Medel with whom he had a son. He had two other children with Elvie Gonzalez — Charlene Gonzalez, now Mrs. Aga Muhlach, and Richard Bonnin, now based in the US with his family. At the time of his death, Bernard was living with his non-showbiz wife with whom he had two children. Former actor JC Bonnin, now a preacher, is Bernard’s nephew.
His remains lie at The Heritage in Taguig City. — RICKY LO