P. Ramlee

P. Ramlee
Born	Teuku Zakaria bin Teuku Nyak Puteh March 22, 1929(1929-03-22) Penang, Malaysia
Died	May 29, 1973(1973-05-29) (aged 44) Jalan Dedap, Taman P. Ramlee (formerly Taman Furlong) Setapak, Kuala Lumpur
Spouse	Junaidah Daeng Harris (1950-1954,deceased 1998) Noorizan Mohd.Noor (1955-1961,deceased 1992) Saloma (deceased 1983)

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, PSM, AMN, DA(P) (Sarawak) (March 22, 1929 – May 29, 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, on the first day of the Eid festival, which fell on 22 March 1929. His father, Teuku Nyak Puteh, was a sailor from Aceh, who later married Che Mah Hussain.

He attended Sekolah Melayu Kampung Jawa (English:  Kampung Jawa Malay School) and Sekolah Francis Light primary schools. Next he went to the famous Penang Free School secondary school until the second 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 resumed his studies in Penang Free School. He was very active in sports.

Career

In 1947, he won the first place in a song competition organized by Penang Radio. Seven years after his acting career started, P. Ramlee directed his first film Penarek Becha. In 1957, P. Ramlee appeared in the first of his Bujang Lapok comedic films, in which he acted along with Aziz Sattar and S. Shamsudin, and which are still popular among modern Malay film watchers^[1]. During his career he directed and acted in sixty-six films, and had more than 360 songs to his credit.^[2]

He returned permanently to Kuala Lumpur after years with Shaw Brothers in Singapore; however, he would never have expected that his permanent return would mark the beginning of his downfall. His final film was Laksamana Do Re Mi in 1972 and his last song and lyrics before his death in 1973 were Air Mata di Kuala Lumpur (Tears in Kuala Lumpur). In his last song, the lyrics depict his crushed feelings and series of disappointments and setbacks upon returning to Malaysia after years in Singapore.^[3]

Family

P. Ramlee was married three times. His first marriage was to Junaidah in 1950 but the marriage ended in a divorce four years later. 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 on 21 November 1961, to Salmah Ismail, a very famous singer known as Saloma.

Death and Legacy

On the 27th 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 or Pustaka Peringatan P. Ramlee was built in his home 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.^[4]On 31 October 2010, a 90-minute documentary on his life was aired on History Channel Asia.^[5]

The P. Ramlee House is a museum situated along Jalan P. Ramlee (formerly Caunterhall Road) in Penang, Malaysia. The building is a restored wooden house that commemorates the late P. Ramlee, Malaysia's foremost singer, actor, composer, and director. Originally built in 1926 by his father and uncle, the house had previously undergone successive repairs before being taken over by the National Archives as an extension of its P. Ramlee Memorial project in Kuala Lumpur. Items on display at the house include his life history, personal memorabilia related to his life in Penang, and items belonging to his family.

Places named in honor of Ramlee

• 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)

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 posthumous title of '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.^[6] 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

• Laksamana Do Re Mi (Warriors Do Re Mi) - Final film, reportedly the one among all films that had the lowest budget.^{[citation needed]} Nominated in 1973 Asia Pacific Film Festival in Singapore.

1971

• Jangan Tinggal Daku (Don't Leave Me)
• Putus Sudah Kasih Sayang

1970

• Gelora
• Dr.Rushdi

1969

• Bukan Salah Ibu Mengandung
• Di Belakang Tabir (Behind the Scenes)
• 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 Dawn)

1966

• Nasib Do Re Mi
• Sabarudin Tukang Kasut (Sabarudin the 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 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 (Downpour in the Sun)
• Ibu (Mother)
• Putus Harapan (Hope is Lost)

1952

• Sedarah
• Patah Hati (Heart-broken)
• Anjuran Nasib
• Antara Senyum dan Tangis (Between Smiles and Tears)

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.

Links

• P.Ramlee's Profile,sinemamalaysia.com.my (Bahasa Malaysia)
• P.Ramlee Cyber Museum
• P.Ramlee: Namamu Dijulang,Jasamu Dikenang Astro special tribute Program,October 2010

References

1. ^ Pogadaev, V., Pogadaeva, P. Velikiy Akter Malayzii (The Great Actor Of Malaysia) — «Azia i Afrika Segodnya» (Asia and Africa Today), Moscow: Russian Academy of Science,2009, N 4, p. 71-74
2. ^ [1] P.Ramlee Songs
3. ^ [2] Lagu Terakhir Allahyarham P.Ramlee-Air Mata di Kuala Lumpur
4. ^ [3] Taib receives Prestigious Perdana Seniman Agung P.Ramlee Award-mysarawak.org
5. ^ [4] P.Ramlee Remembered (1929-1973), on Youtube
6. ^ P. Ramlee filmography List of P.Ramlee films

Persondata
Name	Ramlee, P.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	22 March 1929
Place of birth	Penang, Malaysia
Date of death	27 May 1973
Place of death	Jalan Dedap, Taman Furlong (later renamed Taman P.Ramlee) Setapak, Kuala Lumpur