NORA AUNOR aka Guy
(Nora Cabaltera Villamayor)

Iriga, Camarines Sur 21 May 1953.
Movie, stage, and television actor, singer, producer.

Her parents are Antonia Cabaltera and Eustacio Villamayor. She is separated from actor Christopher De Leon, with whom she has one child, actor Ian De Leon, and two adopted daughters, actors Lotlot De Leon and Matet de Leon. Lotlot is married to actor Ramon Christopher, son of actors Eddie Gutierrez and Pilita Corrales. Actor Eddie Villamayor is her brother. She has two adopted children, Kiko and Kenneth.

Aunor began her career doing the round of amateur singing contests. Under the tutelage of her aunt and uncle, Belen and Saturnino Aunor, who took her under their custody and from whom she got her screen name, she emerged champion in the nationwide show, Tawag ng Tanghalan. Her successful stint in Tawag as well as in Darigold Jamboree led to her phenomenal rise as a major star of the Philippine movie industry, which accorded her the title “superstar.” This led to Sampaguita Pictures contract with star builder Dr. Jose R. Perez who cast her in the films like Way Out in the Country, 1967, Cinderella A-Go-Go, 1967, All Over the World, 1967, and Ye-Ye Generation, 1968. Her subsequent appearance in the films of Tower Productions like Musical Teenage Idol, 1968, and Teenage Escapades, 1969, led to the filing of a lawsuit by Sampaguita Pictures Inc. (SPI) and its sister company, VP Pictures (VP), for breach of contract. The case dragged on for two years while Aunor made films with the two litigants, transferring from Tower to SPI-VP long before the lawsuit was resolved. Among her films from Tower are Teenage Jamboree, 1970, Two for the Road, 1970, Darling, 1970, Nora in Wonderland, 1970, and Tomboy Nora, 1970, while for SPI-VP she made Young Love, 1970, Nasaan Ka, Inay? (Where Are You, Mother?), 1970, Guy and Pip, 1971, Always in My Heart, 1971, and My Blue Hawaii, 1971, among others. The case was finally decided in favor of SPI-VPE in 1974 by CFI Judge Ulpiano Sarmiento. Meanwhile, Aunor had turned movie producer, naming her company Nora Villamayor (NV) Productions. With the help of Dr. Perez, who loaned her his studio and film equipment, NV produced its initial film, Carmela, 1973. This was followed by Super Gee, 1973, Paru-parong Itim, 1973, Ander Di Saya si Erap (Erap is a Henpecked Husband), 1973, As Long as There’s Music, 1974, Banaue, 1975, Nińo Valiente, 1975, and Batu-bato sa Langit (Bird in the Sky), 1975.

As singer and recording star, Aunor has recorded several albums, among them Nora Aunor Sings: Mga Awiting Pilipino (Nora Aunor Sings Filipino Songs), Awitin ng Puso (Songs of the Heart), Mga Awiting Pamasko (Christmas Songs), and Ang Tindera (The Vendor).

Her TV musical variety show ran for over two decades, starting as the Nora-Eddie Show with Eddie Peregrina in 1967, becoming The Nora Aunor Show in 1968, and Superstar from 1971 to 1989. She returned to television in 1993 with a new drama series simply titled, Nora.

On stage, she performed in two major Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) productions, Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo (Once There Was a Moth), 1992, and DH (Domestic Helper), 1992. She also appeared in Trojan Women with Cecile Guidote-Alvarez.

Aunor belongs to the Hall of Fame of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) as a five-time best actress awardee for the following pictures: Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (Three Years Without God), 1976, Ina Ka ng Anak Mo (You Are Mother to Your Child), 1979, Bulaklak sa City Jail (Flower in the City Jail), 1984, Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit (Count the Stars in the Sky), 1989, and Andrea, Paano ba ang Maging Isang Ina? (Andrea, How is it to be a Mother?), 1990. She is the only actor who received the Gawad ng Natatanging Pagkilala (Special Recognition Award) from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) for having won the best actress award six times: for Atsay, 1978, Ina Ka…, Himala (Miracle), 1982, Bulaklak…, Andrea…, and Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M. (The True Story of Pacita M.), 1991. She received another best actress award from the MMFF for Muling Umawit ang Puso.She is the recipient of six Urian best actress awards for Tatlong Taong…, Bona, Bilangin…, Andrea…, The Flor Contemplacion Story and Bakit May Kahapon Pa. She won the best actress award from the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) for Bilangin…,Andrea…., Ang Totoong Buhay… and Flor Contemplacion. The Catholic Mass Media Awards (CCMA) chose her best actress for Bakit Bughaw ang Langit and Bulaklak…, and the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) gave her the Star best actress award for ‘Merika, Andrea…, Totoong Buhay… and Flor Contemplacion. She has also received nominations form Urian for her other films like Ikaw Ay Akin (You Are Mine), 1978, and Bakit Bughaw Ang Langit? (Why the Sky is Blue?), 1981.

Aunor was chosen one of the Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) in 1983. She is the youngest recipient of the FAP Lifetime Achievement Award, 1993, for her outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema.

**L. Pareja
**Copied from the CCP Encyclopedia, FILM, p. 205-206