My song of the day

Our very own Malaysian Legend - P.RAMLEE

GETARAN JIWA


________________________________________________________________________

P. RAMLEE


BORN       Teuku Zakaria Teuku 
                   Nyak Puteh
                   March 22, 1929(1929-03-22)
                   Penang, Malaysia

DIED          May 27, 1973(1973-05-27) (aged 44)
                  Jalan Dedap, Taman P. Ramlee 
                  (formerly Taman Furlong)
                  Setapak, Kuala Lumpur 

SPOUSE   Junaidah Daeng Harris 

                  (1950-1954,deceased 1988),

                  Noorizan Mohd.Noor 

                  (1955-1961,deceased 1992) 

                  Saloma 

                  (deceased 1983)

 


Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee PSM, AMN, DA(P) (Sarawak), (22 March 1929–29 May 1973) was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter,composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra (especially in Aceh due to his ancestry).

BIOGRAPHY 
P. Ramlee was born Teuku Zakaria bin Teuku Nyak Puteh.His father Teuku Nyak Puteh was a sailor from Indonesia,and later marries Che Mah Hussain.He was born on the first day of Eid festival,which is 22 March 1929.
He attended Sekolah Melayu Kampung Jawa and Sekolah Francis Light primary schools. Next he went to the famous Penang Free School secondary school until the World War broke out. During the Japanese Occupation years in Malaya, he continued his studies at the Japanese Navy Academy. When the war ended, he reconvened his studies in Penang Free School. He was very active in sports.

CAREER
His first musical instrument was ukelele. Later he turned to guitar and violin under the coach of the Penang Free School brass band leader, Mr. Kamaruddin. He later joined the orchestras Teruna Sekampung and then Sinaran Bintang Sore. In 1947, he won the first place in a song competition organized by Penang Radio.
P. Ramlee's first role was in the movie Chinta 1948. In 1949 he was cast in the film. His career continued to flourish that between the years 1948-1955, he had acted in 27 films. Seven years after his acting career started, P. Ramlee directed his first film Penarek Becha. In 1957, P. Ramlee would act in the first of his Bujang Lapok comedic films that he acted along with Aziz Sattar and S.Shamsudin, which are still popular among the modern Malay film watchers. During his career he directed and acted in sixty-six films, and had more than 360 songs to his credit.
He returned permanently to Kuala Lumpur after years with Shaw Brothers in Singapore; however,he would never expect that his permanent return would mark the begin of his downfall.His final film was Laksemana Do Re Mi in 1972 and his last song and lyrics was Air Mata di Kuala Lumpur (Tears in Kuala Lumpur),before his death in 1973.In his last song,the lyrics depicts his crushed feeling and series of disappointments and setbacks upon returning to Malaysia after years in Singapore.

FAMILY
P. Ramlee was married three times. His first marriage was to Junaidah (a divorcee and daughter of comedian and actor Daeng Harris who used to help him a lot in his early acting days) in 1950 but the marriage ended in a divorce four years later. Junaidah bore him two children, Mohd Nasir (1953–2008) and Arfan (1954–1998). Arfan was brought up by Junaidah after their divorce. (Agenda Daily Insight News 18.12.2008). His second marriage was to a member of the Royal family of State of Perak, Noorizan Mohd. Noor in 1955 but it also ended in a divorce in 1961. His last marriage was to Salmah Ismail, who was a very famous singer known as Saloma on 21 November 1961.
P. Ramlee brought up many children in his family. He adopted 5 children: Sazali (born 1958), Betty, Zakiah @ Zazaloma (born 1963), Sabruddin @ Badin (1966–2007) and Salfarina @ Dian of Chinese origin and brought up the 3 children of his spouse and ex-spouses, Addul Rahman (Junaidah's son), Norma (Noorizan's daughter), Armalie (Saloma's son with A.R.Tompel).

DEATH AND LEGACY
On the 29th of May 1973, P. Ramlee died at the age of 44 due to a heart attack and was buried in Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur. His untimely death was a huge shock to the nation, and a sense of collective guilt began to spread nationwide, as prior to his death, he had been discredited and rejected by his own nation, citing that he was then a 'has been', and his songs and film were no longer marketable.
In 1986 (13 years after his death), in honor of his contributions to the Malaysian entertainment industry, the P. Ramlee Memorial was built in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. In 1982, Jalan Parry, in the center of Kuala Lumpur, was renamed Jalan P. Ramlee in his honor. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Malaysian honorific title Tan Sri, and later in 2009, the honorific title of 'Datuk Amar' by Sarawak State Government. The Chief Minister of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud, an avid fan of P. Ramlee, presented the award to his adopted daughter, Dian P. Ramlee, in a ceremony honoring veteran artists in Kuching..On 31 October 2010, a 90-minute documentary on his life was aired on History Channel Asia.



AWARDS
His award-winning films are:

• Anakku Sazali (My Son Sazali): Best Male Actor,4th Asian Film Festival (Tokyo,1957)
• Hang Tuah (Legend of Hang Tuah): Best Musical Score,3rd Asian Film Festival (Hong Kong 1956) and Official screening at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival in 1957.The first and only P.Ramlee movie to be filmed in color.
• Ibu Mertuaku (My Mother in-law): Most Versatile Talent,10th Asian Film Festival (Tokyo,1963)
• Madu Tiga (Three Wives): Best Comedy,11th Asian Film Festival (Taipei,1964)
• Nujum Pak Belalang (Pak Belalang The Fortune Teller): Best Comedy,7th Asian Film Festival (Tokyo,1960)
• Pendekar Bujang Lapok (The Three Warrior Bachelors): Best Comedy,6th Asian Film Festival (Kuala Lumpur,1959)
• Sumpah Orang Minyak (Curse of The Oily Man): Best Black and White Photography,5th Asian Film Festival (Manila,1958)

While his other hononary awards are:

• Ahli Mangku Negara (AMN),conferred by His Majesty Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail in 1962.
• Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM),carrying the title 'Tan Sri' by HRH Sultan Azlan Shah in 1990.
• Darjah Yang Amat Mulia Bintang Kenyalang Sarawak "Datuk Amar Bintang Kenyalang (Posthumous)" ( D.A.(P) ),carrying the title 'Datuk Amar' by the Sarawak State Government in 2009.
• Hononary Doctorate in Performance Arts,2005

FILMS
Here are the films he acted and also directed.Besides than that,he also responsible for composing,creating Music Scores,Original Stories,and other in his film. All of his films are now under the property of Shaw Organisation.
(Titles in Bold are the films acted and directed by himself,and other film he acted unless stated):

1972

• Laksemana Do Re Mi (Warriors Do Re Mi)- Final film, reportedly the one among all films that had the lowest budget. Nominated in 1973 Asia Pacific Film Festival in Singapore.

1971

• Jangan Tinggal Daku
• Putus Sudah Kasih Sayang

1970

• Gelora
• Dr.Rushdi

1969

• Bukan Salah Ibu Mengandung
• Di Belakang Tabir (Behind the Scene)
• Enam Jahanam (Six Plunderers) - Inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

1968

• Gerimis
• Kanchan Tirana
• Anak Bapak (Like Father,Like Son)
• Ahmad Albab

1967

• Keluarga 69 (The 69 Family)
• Sesudah Subuh (After the Dawn)

1966

• Nasib Do Re Mi
• Sabarudin Tukang Kasut (Sabarudin the Shoe cobbler)
• Do Re Mi

1965

• Masam Masam Manis
• Dajal Suchi (as an Extra)

1964

• Tiga Abdul
• Madu Tiga
• Ragam P.Ramlee
• Sitora Harimau Jadian (Sitora The Tigerman)

1963

• Labu dan Labi
• Nasib Si Labu Labi

1962

• Ibu Mertuaku (My Mother in-Law)

1961

• Seniman Bujang Lapok (The Over-aged Bachelor Artistes)
• Ali Baba Bujang Lapok (Ali Baba Bachelors)- Parody of 'Ali Baba and Forty Thieves'.

1960

• Antara Dua Darjat-This films depicts the problems between the social classes in Malaya at that time.

1959

• Musang Berjanggut
• Pendekar Bujang Lapok (The Over-aged Bachelor Warriors)

1958

• Sarjan Hassan (Sergeant Hassan) - P Ramlee took over directorial duties after the pullout of original director Lamberto V. Avellana.
• Sumpah Orang Minyak (Curse of The Oily Man)

1957

• Bujang Lapok (The Over-aged Bachelors)
• Pancha Delima (as Narrator)

1956

• Anakku Sazali (My son Sazali)
• Semerah Padi (This films tells the upholding of the Islamic Law in the village of Semerah Padi)
• Hang Tuah-Recognized as the 1st Malay film shot in Eastman Color.

1955

• Penarek Becha (The Trishaw Puller)- Directorial debut
• Abu Hassan Penchuri (Abu Hassan the thief)

1954

• Merana
• Perjodohan
• Panggilan Pulau (The Call of the Island)

1953

• Hujan Panas
• Ibu (Mother)
• Putus Harapan

1952

• Sedarah
• Patah Hati (Heart-broken)
• Anjuran Nasib
• Antara Senyum dan Tangis

1951

• Juwita -His 1st Film as an Editor & Assistant Director
• Sejoli
• Penghidupan

1950

• Aloha (Supporting Actor)
• Takdir Illahi (God's Destiny)-one of the songs in this film, 'Di Renjis Renjis Di Pilis',would later become of the most famous songs sung at a Malay wedding ceremony,besides 'Selamat Pengantin Baru',later sung by his wife Saloma.
• Bakti
• Rachun Dunia -His 1st film as the Main Actor

1949

• Nilam (Supporting Actor)
• Nasib (Supporting Actor)
• Noor Asmara (Supporting Actor)

1948

• Chinta (Love)- His debut film.

PLACES NAMED IN HONOR OF HIM

• Jalan P.Ramlee,Penang (Formerly known as Counter Hall,Renamed in 30 August 1983)
• Jalan P.Ramlee,Kuala Lumpur (Formerly known as Jalan Parry,renamed in 1982)
• Jalan P.Ramlee,Kuching,Sarawak (Formerly known as Jalan Jawa)
• RTM Auditorium (Renamed to P.Ramlee Auditorium nationwide)