Biography

Reduced his talent fee by 60 percent if the producer is Viva Films. It was his payback to Viva for reviving his stint as film director when he was hired to direct P.S. I Love You (1981) which starred Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion.

He admits that seven out of 10 movies he made were for "bread trip" (done only for money). Projects he considered as "bread trip" are those produced by small independent movie outfits with limited budget, new director and stars. Most of the non-"bread trip" movies he made are those he personally directed. Most of the movies offered to him were accepted "except if there is a dispute in the talent fee and in the schedules."

He is the only person in the Philippines to be a Hall of Fame inductee of the FAMAS in three categories: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Director.

He is the most awarded person in the long history of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards. He garnered 6 Best Supporting Actor wins, 5 Best Actor wins and 5 Best Director wins, 3 Hall of Fame Awards and 1 Lifetime Achievement Award. He was awarded his first FAMAS Award in 1957 and his last FAMAS, a Hall of Fame for Best Actor, in 2003.

The first actor to be inducted in the FAMAS Best Supporting Actor Hall of Fame of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences in 1974.