Kasino

Kasino Hadiwibowo (15 September 1950 – 18 December 1997), better known by his mononym Kasino, was an Indonesian actor and comedian. He was a member of the comedy group Warkop. Born in Gombong, Kebumen, Kasino displayed an interest in humor from his school days. His career as a comedian began to take off while he was studying at the University of Indonesia. Alongside Nanu Moeljono and Rudy Badil, Kasino became a host of the radio show Obrolan Malam Jumat on Prambors FM, which aired every Thursday night. This show later became the precursor to the Warkop group.

With Warkop, Kasino reached the peak of his success by starring in 34 comedy films from 1980 to 1995. He also appeared in the television series Warkop DKI, produced in 1996 and 1997, which later became his final professional appearance. Kasino died in December 1997 due to a brain tumor.

Early life Kasino Hadiwibowo was born in Gombong, Kebumen, Central Java, to parents Notopramono and Kasiyem. He was the nephew of Hoegeng Iman Santoso, who served as the Chief of the Indonesian National Police from 1968 to 1971. Kasino's early life involved frequent moves due to his father's employment with PNKA (now PT. KAI), the Indonesian national railway company.

Upon graduating from high school, Kasino continued his education at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Social Sciences, where he pursued a degree in Business Administration. He successfully graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1978.

Career Early career Kasino has had an interest in humor since his childhood, and he acknowledged that his inspiration came from the comedy group Trio Los Gilos, which included Bing Slamet, Mang Cepot, and Mang Udel. Their humorous performances caught the attention of Temmy Lesanpura, a senior student at UI who was already a leader at Prambors FM. Lesanpura invited them to host a show together with Rudy Badil called Obrolan Malam Jumat (Omamat). The show aired every Thursday night from 20:30 to 21:15 WIB. Its theme involved discussing political and social conditions in the country in a relaxed style. Kasino's friends later formed separate music and comedy groups, each named Pancaran Sinar Petromak and Pengantar Minum Racun.

Success with Warkop In 1975, Dono began to join as a host, followed a year later by Indro. With the arrival of Dono and Indro, the program Omamat changed its name to Obrolan Santai di Warung Kopi Prambors (later more commonly known as "Warkop Prambors"). By then, their radio show had gained many fans, and they were even invited to perform outside the city. A year later, Warkop made their debut on the big screen with their first film titled Mana Tahaaan... The film achieved significant success during its theatrical run. From 1980 to 1995, the comedy group Warkop Prambors, later renamed Warkop DKI, starred in 34 comedy films and one docudrama. They also released 12 compilation albums of comedy sketches and songs, two of which were collaborations with the Pancaran Sinar Petromak and Srimulat groups. In the early years of his acting career, Kasino was often nicknamed "Seki" by his friends in the film production team due to his distinctive flat nose.

Behind the scenes, Kasino played the role of the "leader" within the Warkop group. He acted as the spokesperson and negotiator for strategic planning and business concepts adopted by Warkop. Differences in strategy once led to a three-year rift with Dono, from 1988 to 1990. Nevertheless, they maintained professionalism while working together, with Indro acting as a mediator between them.

After the release of the film Pencet Sana Pencet Sini in 1995, Kasino, along with Dono and Indro, agreed to cease making films as a sign of solidarity with the Indonesian film industry. During this period, the national film business was struggling due to the prevalence of adult-themed films and the influx of imported movies, particularly from Hollywood, Bollywood, and Hong Kong. Subsequently, the Warkop group shifted their focus to television media through the Warkop DKI series. The series was produced between 1996 and 1997, marking Kasino's final professional appearance in his career.

Style While hosting the show on Prambors FM, Kasino was known for his ability to portray several different characters. Among the characters he frequently portrayed were Mas Bei, depicted as a Javanese; Acing/Acong, portrayed as a Chinese; Sanwani, depicted as a Betawi; and Buyung, portrayed as a Minang. When he first started acting in films, Kasino played the character Sanwani in three early films: Mana Tahaaan..., Gengsi Dong, and Gede Rasa. Sanwani's character was described as a know-it-all youth with a hint of arrogance.

When the film production of Warkop was taken over by Parkit Film and later by Soraya Intercine Films, Kasino then portrayed the character "Kasino". In these films, he was depicted as an idealistic figure with brilliant ideas, but often these ideas backfired due to his know-it-all attitude and habit of underestimating others.

Illness and death Kasino's health began to show decline in November 1996. While hosting an event in Lembang, he suddenly collapsed. With the help of his colleagues, he was rushed to Bandung Adventist Hospital. X-ray examinations by doctors revealed evidence of brain tumor symptoms, and Kasino was advised to undergo chemotherapy. Kasino's daughter, Hanna, stated that her father's tumor likely originated from a mountain biking accident several years earlier. As a consequence of the chemotherapy process, Kasino had to take a hiatus from the Warkop DKI series, with the storyline focusing solely on Dono and Indro. Throughout 1997, Kasino's health fluctuated, but he remained undeterred. He attempted to make a comeback in the Warkop DKI series by wearing a wig to cover the baldness caused by the treatment.

In November 1997, Kasino's health condition worsened again, necessitating intensive care at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. After nearly a month of treatment, Kasino eventually died at the age of 47 on 18 December 1997, after battling brain tumor for a year.

Legacy Dedi Gumelar, also known as Miing, a member of the comedy group Bagito, remembers Kasino as someone who played a pivotal role in kickstarting his comedy career. Dedi mentioned that Kasino taught him the art and tricks of comedy and often provided financial assistance during difficult times. Actress Nurul Arifin viewed Kasino as a calming presence whenever they conversed. Musician Franki Raden recalled Kasino as someone who understood situations and conditions well. In 1986, when Raden got married, he invited Kasino to host the wedding reception. Initially hoping Kasino would entertain with his humorous style, Raden was surprised when Kasino opted for a formal approach upon learning that Raden's uncle had been his former college professor. Comedian Jimmy Gideon remembered Kasino for motivating him while serving as a judge in a national comedy competition held in 1986 at National University. Initially hesitant due to feeling dissimilar to Kasino, Bastian eventually accepted the challenging role, citing Kasino's unique traits, including his distinctive manner of speech, as particularly difficult to emulate. In the third and fourth films, Adipati Dolken replaced Bastian as Kasino. Dolken found the positive side of portraying Kasino, transforming his typically serious demeanor into a more cheerful one.

In 2021, the public was briefly captivated by the emergence of a comedy group named Warkopi, perceived as imitating Warkop DKI. One of its members, Alfred Dimas Kusnandi, was noted for his resemblance to Kasino. The group disbanded after receiving a cease and desist letter from the Warkop DKI institution, the commercial rights holder of the Warkop comedy group.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1980 Mana Tahaaan... Sanwani Warkop group's first feature film Gengsi Dong 1981 GeEr - Gede Rasa Pintar Pintar Bodoh Kasino The first Warkop film under Parkit Film production Untukmu Indonesiaku Non-comedy documentary film produced by Guruh Soekarnoputra Manusia 6.000.000 Dollar 1982 IQ Jongkok Setan Kredit Dongkrak Antik 1983 CHIPS Maju Kena Mundur Kena 1984 Pokoknya Beres Tahu Diri Dong Itu Bisa Diatur 1985 Kesempatan Dalam Kesempitan Gantian Dong 1986 Sama Juga Bohong Atas Boleh Bawah Boleh The first Warkop film under Soraya Intercine Films production 1987 Depan Bisa Belakang Bisa Makin Lama Makin Asyik 1988 Saya Suka Kamu Punya Jodoh Boleh Diatur 1989 Malu-Malu Mau Godain Kita Dong 1990 Sabar Dulu Doong...! Mana Bisa Tahan 1991 Lupa Aturan Main Sudah Pasti Tahan 1992 Bisa Naik Bisa Turun Masuk Kena Keluar Kena 1993 Salah Masuk Bagi-Bagi Dong 1994 Bebas Aturan Main Saya Duluan Dong 1995 Pencet Sana Pencet Sini Warkop group's last feature film

TV series Year Title Role 1996–1997 Warkop DKI Kasino