P. Ramlee

Tan Sri Teuku Zakaria Bin Teuku Nyak Puteh (Jawi: تاوكو زكريا تاوكو ڽق ڤوتيه) (22 March 1929 – 29 May 1973), better known by his stage name P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, scriptwriter, musician, composer, and producer.[1] Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, which began with his acting debut in Singapore in 1948, to the height of his career and then later moving to Malaysia in 1964, until his decline and death, he is regarded as a prominent icon of Malay entertainment. His fame has even reached as far as Brunei and Sumatra, Indonesia, as well as in Hong Kong and Japan.

In this Malay name, the name Teuku Nyak Puteh is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Zakaria. The Arabic-derived word "bin" or "binti"/"binte", if used, means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri

P. Ramlee
ڤ. راملي

PSM (P) DA (P) AMN
P. Ramlee in a promotional still, 1954
Born
Teuku Zakaria bin Teuku Nyak Puteh

(1929-03-22)22 March 1929
Penang, Straits Settlements, Malaya
(now Malaysia)
Died29 May 1973(1973-05-29) (aged 44)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Body discoveredNo. 22, Jalan Dedap, Taman P. Ramlee, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur
Resting placeJalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur
MonumentsPustaka Peringatan P. Ramlee
NationalityMalaysia
Other namesRamli Puteh
Education
  • Sekolah Melayu Kampung Jawa
  • Francis Light English School (1939–1941)
  • Japanese Navy School (Kaigun Gakko)
  • Penang Free School (1945–1947)
Occupation
  • Singer
  • actor
  • director
  • musician
  • songwriter
  • scriptwriter
  • composer
  • producer
Years active1945–1973
EmployerMalay Film Productions
Merdeka Film Productions
Organization
  • Gelanggang Film (1958)
  • Sazara Film (1970)
  • PERFIMA (1970)
  • Rumpun Melayu Film (1973)
Notable work
Bujang Lapok film series
Antara Dua Darjat
Sergeant Hassan
Do Re Mi film series
Labu Labi film series
Tiga Abdul
Hang Tuah
Ibu Mertuaku
Spouse(s)
Junaidah Daeng Harris
(m. 1950; div. 1955)

Noorizan Mohd. Noor
(m. 1955; div. 1961)

Salmah binti Ismail a.k.a.
Saloma
(m. 1961; died 1973)
Children1. Mohamad Nasir Bin Teuku Zakaria a.k.a. Nasir P. Ramlee (son)(b.1953 d.2008)
2.Arfan P. Ramlee (son)(b. 1955 d.1998)
3. Sazali P. Ramlee (adopted son)(born 1957)
4. Safarina bte Mum a.k.a. Dian P Ramlee (adopted daughter)(born 1958)
5. Betty P. Ramlee (adopted daughter)(born 1960)
6. Zakiah bte Ahmad Rejab (adopted daughter)(born 1963)
7. Sabarudin bin Ramlee (adopted son)(born 1966)
Call signRamlee
Musical career
Genres
  • Pop
  • Malaysian
Instruments
LabelsEMI
Signature

Early life

P. Ramlee, or Teuku Zakaria was born on Wednesday 22 March 1929 to Teuku Nyak Puteh Bin Teuku Karim (1902–1955) and Che Mah Hussein (1904–1967). His father, Teuku Nyak Puteh, travelled from Lhokseumawe in Aceh, Indonesia to settle in Penang; where his mother is from.

Ramlee received his education from the Sekolah Melayu Kampung Jawa (Kampung Jawa Malay School), Francis Light English School and then to Penang Free School; in all he was registered as "Ramlee" in school. Reportedly a reluctant student, Ramlee was nevertheless talented in music and football. His studies at the Penang Free School was interrupted by the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945, during which he enrolled in the Japanese navy school. He also learnt the basics of music and to sing Japanese songs during this period. When the war ended, he took music lessons that enabled him to read musical notations.[2]

Career
P. Ramlee and Kasma Booty, 1955.

His first screen appearance was in Chinta, a B. S. Rajhans-directed film produced by Malay Film Productions in 1948.[3] Between 1948 and 1955, he has starred in a total of 27 films. He eventually ventured into film directing under the mentoring of Madras-born director L. Krishnan

Death

On 29 May 1973, P. Ramlee died at the age of 44 from a heart attack and was buried at Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, in Kuala Lumpur.

A 90-minute documentary on his life released by History Channel Asia[4] on October 2010 further revealed that his untimely death shocked the nation into a sense of collective guilt spread nationwide. This was because, prior to his death, he had been discredited and rejected by the entertainment industry and the public at large, who felt that he was a "has-been" and that his songs and films were no longer relevant or marketable. The documentary also revealed that, despite his previous success in the entertainment industry, P. Ramlee had died penniless, having given away the last of his money to a visitor to his house who he felt needed the money more than him.[4]

Legacy
Portrait of P. Ramlee.

In 1986, 13 years after his death, in honour 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, the street Jalan Parry, in the center of Kuala Lumpur, was renamed Jalan P. Ramlee in his honour. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Malaysian honorific title Tan Sri, and then in 2009, the honorific title of "Datuk Amar" by Sarawak State Government. Then 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 honouring veteran artists in Kuching.[5]

The P. Ramlee House is a museum situated along Jalan P. Ramlee (formerly Caunter Hall road) in Penang, Malaysia. The building is a restored wooden house that was originally built in 1926 by his father and uncle. The house had previously undergone multiple 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 personal memorabilia related to his life in Penang and items belonging to his family.

On 22 March 2017; his 88th birthday, Google honored P. Ramlee with a Doodle on the Malaysian Google homepage.[6][7]

Awards and honours

Places named in honour of P. Ramlee
P. Ramlee Street in Kuala Lumpur.
  • Jalan P. Ramlee, Penang[11] (formerly known as Caunter Hall; renamed on 30 August 1983)
  • Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur[12] (formerly known as Jalan Parry; renamed in 1982)
  • Bangunan P. Ramlee and Bilik Mesyuarat Tan Sri P. Ramlee at Sekolah Kebangsaan Hulu Klang, Selangor (used as background in Masam Masam Manis)
  • Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuching, Sarawak[13] (formerly known as Jalan Jawa)
  • Taman P. Ramlee (formerly Taman Furlong)[14] a townships at Setapak, Kuala Lumpur and George Town, Penang
  • Pawagam Mini P. Ramlee at Studio Merdeka, FINAS, Ulu Klang, Selangor
  • Makmal P.Ramlee at Filem Negara Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
  • P. Ramlee Auditorium[15] (formerly known as RTM Auditorium), Angkasapuri
  • SK Tan Sri P. Ramlee, Georgetown, Penang[16] (formerly SK Kampung Jawa, his alma mater; renamed on 13 November 2011)
  • Ramlee Mall at Suria KLCC shopping centre, Kuala Lumpur
  • Bukit Nanas Monorail station, Kuala Lumpur, formerly known as P. Ramlee Monorail station

Films and songs
Main article: P. Ramlee filmography

P. Ramlee composed a total of 401 songs and was involved in 66 films throughout his career.

References
  1. Alyssa Lee (21 August 2018). "Icon for the ages, P. Ramlee". Buro247. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. Zaedi Zolkafli (2011). Koleksi P. Ramlee. Felix Entertainment. p. 14. ISBN 978-967-10012-0-2.
  3. Amir Muhammad (2008). "Love in the time of Emergency". Tell Magazine (January).
  4. P.Ramlee Remembered (1929–1973) on YouTube
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. https://www.google.com/doodles/p-ramlees-88th-birthday
  7. https://www.todayonline.com/daily-focus/people/google-doodle-honours-arts-legend-p-ramlee-88th-birthday
  8. "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
  9. "PressReader.com – Connecting People Through News". Pressreader.com. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  10. "P. Ramlee | Infopedia". Eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  11. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  12. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  13. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  14. "Taman P Ramlee, Setapak – Propwall". Propwall.my. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  15. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  16. "SK TAN SRI P.RAMLEE PULAU PINANG | TEL: 042268841". Sktansripramlee.edu.my. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
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