Gloria Lerma Yatco (June 22, 1922 – August 25, 2019),[1] better known by her screen name Mona Lisa, was a Filipina film actress. Known by the screen name Fleur de Lis before and during World War II, she was one of the renowned Filipina actresses of the late 1930s and 1940s.

Career

She was paired with Ely Ramos in LVN Pictures' Giliw Ko, along with LVN's first leading actress Mila del Sol and Fernando Poe, directed by Carlos Vander Tolosa, where she made history as the first actress to appear in a Filipino film wearing a bathing suit.

After WWII, she came back to the limelight as Mona Lisa, top billed with Teddy Benavidez in Kalbario ng Isang Ina (1946) and Siyudad sa Ilalim ng Lupa (1949) opposite Fernando Royo.

Mona Lisa paired with some of the Philippines' finest actors of the 40s like Ricardo Brillantes in Batang Lansangan, Pag-ibig at Patalim (1948) opposite Teddy Benavidez and Hanggang Langit (1947) with the Philippine actor known as "The Great Profile" Leopoldo Salcedo.

In the mid-40s, Mona Lisa paired several times with Action/Drama actor Fernando Poe in movies like Intramuros (1946), The 13th Sultan and Sagur, both in 1949.

Before the war struck Manila, Mona Lisa paired with famous debonair actor of the 40s Serafin Garcia in the movie Tinangay ng Apoy in 1940 and second lead only to the Philippines' newest screen siren of the early 40s Paraluman opposite Fernando Poe.

Mona Lisa portrayed a war-shock civilian in 1952's Ulila ng Bataan opposite Sampaguita Pictures girl wonder Tessie Agana and Buhay Alamang (Paglukso'y Patay), along with Sampaguita actor Fred Montilla combined with premier actress Anita Linda also in 1952.

She resumed her film career in 1970 after an absence of nearly two decades, and remained active in the industry where she got a Best Supporting Actress Award for Insiang, and another Best Supporting Actress Award for the Metro Manila Film Festival in 1977 consecutively, where she portrayed a sex hungry mother of Insiang played by Hilda Koronel.

Some of her films from the mid to late 70s were as a supporting actress to lead actors such as Rio Locsin in Risa Jones: Showgirl! (1979), Atsay (1978) with Nora Aunor, Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak (1978) with Vilma Santos and Bembol Rocco, Mananayaw (1978) with Chanda Romero and Phillip Salvador, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw (1976) with Charito Solis, and Itim (1977) with a promising talent and rising star Charo Santos.

Her last movie Mother Ignacia was released in 1998, in which she plays a nun in a Catholic church.

Death

Lisa died in her sleep on August 25, 2019, at her home in Manila, three years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, at the age of 97.[2]

Awards

• In 1983, she was nominated as Best Actress in 1983 for Cain at Abel
• In 1999, she won as Gawad Urian for Lifetime Achievement Award
• In 2005, she won as Lifetime Achievement for Gawad Lino Brocka award

Selected filmography

Notes

External links

• Mona Lisa at IMDb