Salmah

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.

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.

Personal life

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

Career

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. 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.

After the Indonesian National Revolution ended in 1949, Salmah was contracted by Tan & Wong with the Warnasari troupe. She made her film debut with Tirtonadi (1950), followed by Kembang Katjang (1950) and Nusa Kambangan (1950). 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). Most of her films were directed by Henry L. Duarte, an American director who established the Warnasari troupe.

In 1953, she was dismissed by Tan & Wong and moved to Golden Arrow. 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).

During the production of Perobahan (1955), she replaced Nurnaningsih who was sacked because of absence. Salmah later took a 19-year break, returning to the industry in Arizal and Wisjnu Mouradhy's directed Gara-gara (1973). 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.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes 1950 Tirtonadi 1950 Kembang Katjang 1950 Nusa Kambangan Credited as Siti Salmah 1951 Kusuma Hati 1951 Siti Aminah 1951 Fadjar Menjingsing 1952 Ternoda 1952 Chandra Dewi 1952 Mas Kawin 1952 Tiga Benda Adjaib 1954 Djandjiku Djandjimu Uncredited