DOROTHY GILMORE is a singer who was a champion in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” for 12 weeks.
“Hindi yung ‘Tawag’ ngayon ha,” she tells us. “Yung original ‘Tawag’ nung 1960s hosted by Lopito and Patsy. Nauna ako ng two years kay Nora Aunor.”
But her career didn’t prosper.
“E, kasi, maaga akong nag-asawa. At 18, I became a mother. Bale apat ang naging anak ko but after 25 years, naghiwalay kami ng husband ko.
"Three of my kids are now living in the States. Ako rin, I stayed there for a while, but umuwi ako kasi mas gusto ko rito.”
Her father was a soldier in the U.S. Army stationed in Sangley Point in Cavite.
“But hindi ko na inabutan, hiwalay na sila ng mother ko. Much much later, pinahanap ko siya through the Red Cross and we were able to find him so we were reunited.”
She is based in Cavite City where she met Direk Joel Lamangan, a Caviteno.
“Madalas kaming lumalabas, along with the late actor Tony Mabesa. Nung bata ako, gusto ko talaga umacting, pero hindi nangyari. Napunta ko sa teaching.
"Naging science teaher ako sa Cavite National High. Ngayon, inalok ako ni Direk, mag-coproduce daw ako ng movie at isinama niya ako sa cast. Di pumayag naman ako kasi, ayan, finally, natupad ang pangarap kong maging artista.”
She is in the cast of both of Direk Joel’s new advocacy films, “Madawag ang Landas Patungong Pag-asa” and “Walkers”, both dramas produced by New Sunshine Films.
She plays Indang, a corrupt and domineering barangay captain in “Madawag”, and Carmen, a former whore who is at odds with her own daughter, Rita Avila, also an ex-prostitute like her.
She gives exceptional performances in both films, specially in “Madawag” where her strong and attention-getting screen presence really worked to her advantage as the film’s main contravida.
In “Walkers”, her best scene is her reconciliation with Rita where she asks for the forgiveness of Rita and her granddaughters who she has wronged.
“Bago kami mag-shoot, I wanted to take an acting workshop but the late Tony Mabesa, who was still around then, told me, you don’t need it, darling, you’re a natural,” she says.
“Pero kabadong-kabado talaga ako. But now, after the press preview, andaming bumabati sa akin so, siguro, hindi naman ako nagkamali, tama naman pala yung ginawa ko. I enjoyed acting so tuwang-tuwa ako. Now, I want to act more, nasimulan na rin lang.”
We tell her that she will be perfect in teleseryes portraying character roles, like a rich “matapobre” mother in law or a strict and dominant grandma.
“Well, why not? I’m willing to try it. My singing, tuloy-tuloy siya kasi up to now, maganda pa rin ang boses ng lola mo.
"But late bloomer ako when it comes to acting. E, ang sarap pala! So game ako to do teleseryes! May kasabihan naman na huli man daw at magaling, di ba?” she laughs.
