Images 30 years ago

One of the mistakes I commit without fail at the start of the year is writing down the correct dates on checks and letters. Putting in my mind that it is already 2007 had made me ponder what showbiz was like 30 years ago. Below are the showbiz images I have of 1977:

Nora Aunor receiving her first major acting award. In the early ’70s, Nora was named Best Actress in the short-lived Quezon City Film Festival and that didn’t count for much. When she did Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos in 1976, however, she got the critics’ nod (the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino) and won Best Actress in the first Gawad Urian. In May 1977, she was also hailed FAMAS Best Actress in glittering rites held at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel. The two acting awards elevated her status even further – from being a top singing sensation and box-office star to that of a respected actress. All of a sudden, she was no longer bakya, but an acting great. Today, Nora has more acting trophies than she’d probably care to count.

The Manunuri stages its first awards night. The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino was founded on May 1, 1976 when a group of film critics met that day at the Taza de Oro, a then popular restaurant in front of the US Embassy along Roxas Blvd. The awards presentation, however, was held in February 1977 at the CCP Little Theater. The group could then stage it in the early months of the year because they didn’t have to worry about advertising money (which comes in March) because they didn’t have TV coverage back then. But in spite of the fact that it was held in simple rites, the Manunuri old-timers claim that it was a huge success because all the winners and nominees were present – and the list of winners well-received by the public. In 1990, the Gawad Urian started doing grand productions (first in cooperation with Airtime Marketing, Inc. and now with APT Entertainment) and is now considered a major event by the local film industry.

Didith Reyes making waves. It all started at the FAMAS – on the same night Nora was proclaimed Best Actress. Didith – after languishing as a member of various musical bands – finally went solo. On this FAMAS night – with the great Rogelio de la Rosa (then ambassador to some country) in attendance – Didith was one of the spot performers. She sang a song that wasn’t familiar with her – the tongue-twisting Pandangguhan – and had the lyrics written on an idiot board. The problem was, the lining of her chiffon dress accidentally slipped and revealed her twin peaks. From that moment on, the man assigned to hold her idiot board only had eyes for the bountiful sight before him and was too distracted to remember that he actually had to turn pages. Poor Didith. She had to ad-lib her way through her Pandangguhan, and it was obvious that she didn’t know the song. But that didn’t stop producers from inviting her to their shows. On the contrary, she became in demand because that incident was much talked about. Her signature style – while singing Araw-araw, Gabi-gabi and Nananabik – had her caressing her body sensually. It all started supposedly at the PICC where the air-conditioning went full blast and she was cold and had to caress herself to keep warm. The public liked it and she continued doing that in her every performance. Months later, she was sent to represent the country in the Tokyo Music Festival and won second prize with her rendition of Hold Me.

Didith became an even more sought-after star after that (even top politicians were after her – she was that desirable). She also conquered the movie scene, but without much success because she was already a troubled soul by then.

Sometime last year, Didith was in the news again – all black and blue – after her live-in partner supposedly beat her up. Last week, Aster Amoyo wrote in The Philippine STAR’s sister publication, Pilipino Star, about how she had helped Didith find work in a beauty salon. But Didith – so wrote Aster – had picked up old habits: She’s back to drinking and picking up fights with people around her.

BBC-2 reviving Tayo’y Maghapi-happy. In the mid to the late ’60s, MBC 11 had a noontime show called Tayo’y Maghapi-happy and this was hosted by former Sampaguita star Jean Lopez and Bayani Casimiro.

BBC-2 revived the show in summer of ’77 – but only with Jean Lopez – and called Tayo’y Maghapi-happy Hour and a Half (it ran from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.). But while it was a good alternative to Student Canteen (then lording it over), the program was unable to stand competition. In a few months, it had to say goodbye.

The metropolis abuzz with rumors that Maritess Revilla had died due to some dreadful disease (it got uglier – and deadlier – with each retelling). Rumormongers "killing" celebrities still happen today. (How many times have they "killed" Dolphy and Sharon Cuneta in the past two decades?) The only difference between then and now is that we have 24 Oras, TV Patrol and, yes, Ricky Lo to correct such rumors and assure fans that their idols are alive and well. Back in 1977, news programs didn’t bother with showbiz and Maritess obviously did not come forward and use media to correct the rumor (decent people usually just keep quiet). If it’s any consolation to Maritess, this former Camay Girl (she reigned longest) who did only nine films (playing leading lady to superstars – Fernando Poe Jr. and Dolphy no less) and three TV shows (On With the Show, Ay Mali and Noontime Matinee) had such great impact on show business that people were still talking about her three years after she left the movies and television to marry Iking Araneta. I guess that’s what happens if you are one of the loveliest faces in the history of local business. Maritess is obviously still alive and still very beautiful and could be mistaken as the older sister of daughter Bianca Araneta.

Channel 7 producing Ms.ellaneous. It wasn’t the first feminist show. Channel 7 had put up one before with Babs Hontiveros and BBC-2 even had a daily one with June Keithley (Over the Saya) in 1973.

But Ms.ellaneous – hosted by Tina Revilla, Maan Hontiveros and Yogi Dominguez – was sleek and technically well-polished (it was first directed by Maria Montelibano, and later, by the late Mitos Villarreal).

In the ’80s, the show moved to Channel 4 where it was eventually canceled in 1984. It will always be remembered as one of the best-produced programs on Philippine TV.

(Yogi, who left the show after only a few years to join husband Vincent Zaragoza in the US, and later in Paris, is in town. She spent New Year’s Eve with Ali Sotto’s family, husband Omar and son Chino, at the Manila Polo Club. Ali says Yogi is as pretty as ever.)

Hajji Alejandro getting unofficially crowned as the Kilabot ng mga Colegiala. The year before, it was Rico J. Puno who was the biggest male singer in the country. Hajji (from the Circus Band) came in, but conquered a different crowd – the colegialas (it was June Keithley who got the credit for giving him the title – supposedly while introducing him in a show she was hosting). Hajji is still very much around and very visible in the concert scene.

Vilma Santos going daring in Burlesk Queen. The Sweet Sixteen had donned a two-piece swimsuit in the Nakakahiya series prior to that, but in Burlesk Queen, she gyrates before an all-male crowd. But this was the turning point of her career. After this, you associate her only with award-winning performances (eight Urian, five FAMAS – oh, there’s too many to count).

Vilma, by the way, was hailed Best Actress in the 1977 Metro Manila Film Festival – the first time this annual movie event was rocked with scandal (they withdrew the awards).

Thirty years later, Vilma Santos had long become an acting legend and one of the most respected politicians in the country. And the Metro Filmfest? Hah! It’s still plagued with controversies.

Some things never change even after three decades.