Salmah

Last updated
Salmah
Salmah, Film Varia 1.11 (November 1954), p31.jpg
Salmah in 1954
Born
Nji Siti Salmah

(1926-06-06)6 June 1926
Buitenzorg (now Bogor), Dutch East Indies
Nationality Indonesian
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1942–1959, 1973–1977
Spouse
Eddy Jono
(m. 1946;sep. 1954)

Nji Siti Salmah (born 6 June 1926) is an Indonesian actress and singer whose career spanned the 1940s to the 1970s. Her varied career spanned film, stage, and radio. She was the part of Classical Indonesian Cinema.

Contents

Early life

Nji Siti Salmah was born on 6 June 1926 in Buitenzorg, Dutch East Indies, as the youngest of five children from a Sundanese farmer family, and was raised in Tjiandjoer. [1] [2]

Personal life

Salmah with her husband in 1954 Salmah and Eddy, Film Varia 1.11 (November 1954), p38.jpg
Salmah with her husband in 1954

Salmah was married to Eddy Jono, an employee of PELNI, in 1946, and has one child. [3] [1] The couple separated in November 1954. [4] In March 1955, Salmah resided in Kebon Kosong, Kemayoran, while Jono resided in Jatinegara. [3]

Career

Salmah in a scene from Tirtonadi (1950) Tirtonadi P&K Apr 1953 p25 1.jpg
Salmah in a scene from Tirtonadi (1950)
Salmah in a promotional still from Kembang Katjang (1950) Promotional Still for Kembang Katjang (1950).jpg
Salmah in a promotional still from Kembang Katjang (1950)
Salmah with Amran S. Mouna in a scene from Djandjiku Djandjimu (1954) Salmah singing for Amran S Mouna in Djandjiku, Film Varia 2.3 (March 1955), p13.jpg
Salmah with Amran S. Mouna in a scene from Djandjiku Djandjimu (1954)

Salmah started her career by joining the Dendang troupe during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. She later joined the Djantung Hati troupe. [1] She joined the Miss Noni Beng Hwat Naut troupe as a singer and later became a friend with S. Waldy, who introduced her to Tan & Wong studio. [3]

After the Indonesian National Revolution ended in 1949, Salmah was contracted by Tan & Wong with the Warnasari troupe. [1] She made her film debut with Tirtonadi (1950), followed by Kembang Katjang (1950) and Nusa Kambangan (1950). [5] She was the most productive actress in Tan & Wong's films from 1951 until 1952, where she appeared in seven films: Kusuma Hati (1951), Siti Aminah (1951), Fadjar Menjingsing (1951), Ternoda (1952), Chandra Dewi (1952), Maskawin (1952) and Tiga Benda Adjaib (1952). [6] Most of her films were directed by Henry L. Duarte, an American director who established the Warnasari troupe. [6]

In 1953, she was dismissed by Tan & Wong and moved to Golden Arrow. [1] She starred in six films for Golden Arrow studio: Pangeran Hamid (1953), Empat Sekawan (1953), Burung Bitjara (1953), Harimau dan Merpati (1953), Tiga Saudari (1953) and Kelenting Kuning (1954). [5]

Salmah in 1955 Salmah, Film Varia 2.3 (March 1955), p12.jpg
Salmah in 1955

During the production of Perobahan (1955), she replaced Nurnaningsih who was sacked because of absence. [7] Salmah later took a 19-year break, returning to the industry in Arizal and Wisjnu Mouradhy's directed Gara-gara (1973). [5] After she returned to industry, she was no longer offered leading roles, and instead took supporting roles in three more films in the 1970s (Anak yang Menderita (1974), Rintihan Gadis Buta (1976) and Duel Maut (1977)) before finally leaving the industry. [5]

Filmography

Salmah in a scene from Tirtonadi (1950) Tirtonadi P&K Apr 1953 p25 2.jpg
Salmah in a scene from Tirtonadi (1950)
YearFilmRoleNotes
1950Tirtonadi
1950Kembang Katjang
1950Nusa KambanganCredited as Siti Salmah
1951Kusuma Hati
1951Siti Aminah
1951Fadjar Menjingsing
1952Ternoda
1952Chandra Dewi
1952Mas Kawin
1952Tiga Benda Adjaib
1954Djandjiku DjandjimuUncredited

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Umboh 1953.
  2. Samin 1955, p. 12.
  3. 1 2 3 Samin 1955, p. 13.
  4. Samin 1954, p. 38.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Biran 1979, p. 427.
  6. 1 2 Samin 1953, p. 13.
  7. Samin 1953, p. 8–9.

Sources

  • Umboh, Wim (1953-08-20). "Memperkenalkan: Salmah". Seputar Teater Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  • Biran, Misbach Yusa (1979). Apa siapa orang film Indonesia, 1926-1978 (in Indonesian). Yayasan Artis Film : Sinematik Indonesia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  • Samin, Djamal (1954-11-11). Film Varia No. 11 (in Indonesian). Jakarta: N. V. Djamal Samin.
  • Samin, Djamal (1955-05-03). Film Varia No. 3 (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Film Varia.

Salmah at IMDb