Atay-Atayan, Dely

Dely Atay-Atayan (Adelaida Marquez Fernando-Cruz) was a radio, television, and stage actor, and a singer. She was born in Tayabas, Tondo, Manila on 17 March 1914. She died in Parañaque on 30 August 2004. She studied at Rizal Elementary School, Torres High School, and Philippine Normal School up to the second year. Her father Amado Fernando was a painter and composer, mother Carmen Marquez, a singer, and brother Fernando aka Ading Fernando was an actor, scriptwriter, and director. When first spouse Alejandro Villegas, aka Andoy Balunbalunan, died, she married Catalino Cruz, aka Jockey Tenoy. Her only child with Villegas, Alfonso, is a dancer, while Alfonso’s three daughters, Ann, Armi, and Aida, are actors. Her great-grandson, Manuel Villegas Quizon II, also the grandson of Dolphy, is an actor and singer.

Atay-atayan was 15 when she first joined amateur singing contests in Binondo, where her family lived. She then landed a stint as a kundiman singer at the Palace Theater, touring the country as a member of a bodabil troupe from 1930 to 1934. It was also during this period when she began to sing on KZIB with her brother Ading. She also performed at the Clover Theater with comedians Dolphy, Aruray, the duo Pugo and Togo, Casmot, Balot, Panchito, and Chiquito. When she married Villegas in 1934, they became partners in Radio Variety Revue Company performing on stage and on the air. Radio programming manager G. S. Fernandez gave her the moniker Dely Atay-atayan while Matty Torres gave her husband the nickname Andoy Balunbalunan. Their nicknames (atay is Tagalog for liver while balunbalunan is chicken gizzard) led to their theme song “Awit ng Manok” (Song of the Chicken). Producing the most popular blocktime programs, the couple was the biggest earner among prewar radio blocktimers, making over one thousand pesos a month, a fabulous sum when top-level government employees earned 30 to 35 pesos a month. Some of their songs, interspersed with comic routines, were critical of the colonial condition at the time, such as “Alila” (Slave). Moreover, the husband-and-wife team sang radio commercials, the most popular being Kiko Baterya (Kiko Battery) and Alviz Tailoring.

She was tagged as “queen of laughs,” “sweetheart of the airlanes,” and Gracie Allen of the Philippines (referencing the American comedienne, half of the George Burns and Gracie Allen Show). She was outstanding in such radio shows as Tang-tarang-tang (Daddy-O), Gabi ng Shell (Night of Shell Company), and Ay, Neneng (Oh, Neneng). She formed a quartet called the Ancient Fox with Pugak, Lopito, and Doro de los Ojos. Even during the war, she continued performing comedy at the Life Theater and at the Manila Grand Opera House under the direction of Lou Salvador Sr.

Her first movie was Lakambini (Muse), 1940, opposite Balunbalunan. She made some five dozen films, including the popular movies of Premiere Productions, like Bulaklak at Paru-Paro (Flower and Butterfly) and Kumander Sundang (Commander Dagger), 1948; Padre Burgos (Father Burgos), 1949; Kenkoy (Comic), 1950; Mr. and Mrs., 1956; Pitong Gatang (Seven Gantas), 1959; Nobody’s Child, 1970; Mahiwagang Kris (The Fantastic Kris), 1975; and Buhay Misis (Life of a Housewife), 1983. Her other films include I Won, I Won: Ang Swerte Nga Naman (I Won, I Won: How Lucky of Me), 1985; Si Baleleng at ang Gintong Sirena (Baleleng and the Golden Mermaid), 1988; Everlasting Love, 1989; and Chickboys, 1994.

From the 1970s to the 1980s, she concentrated on TV, appearing as the moralizing mother-in-law in the long-running comedy series John en Marsha (John and Marsha), 1973-1990, with Dolphy and Nida Blanca. Written and directed by her brother Ading, John en Marsha, one of the longest running television sitcoms, was the program for which she is best remembered. She reprised her TV role in several movie spinoffs of the series from 1974 to 1991. Atay-Atayan also appeared in another popular television show, Iskul Bukol (Truants), from 1977 to 1990, starring the comedy trio of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon. Like John en Marsha, this series also spawned movie adaptations and remakes.

Atay-Atayan received the Pambansang Akademya ng Telebisyon sa Agham at Sining (PATAS) Award as Outstanding Actor, 1977, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, 1978. She also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) at the age of 81 during ceremonies held at the Philippine International Convention Center in 1993. In 2001, the Film Academy of the Philippines honored Atay-atayan with another Lifetime Achievement Award.