Maria Menado

Liesbet Dotulong (born 2 February 1932), better known by her stage name Maria Menado, is a Malay actress and producer who is known for her contributions to Malaysian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. At the height of her fame she was voted “Malaya’s Most Beautiful” by Times Magazine and the “Best Dressed Woman in South East Asia” by publisher United Press International.[1] In addition to acting, she also sang and went on to direct and produce films under her own production company, Maria Menado Productions.[2]

Maria Menado
Born
Liesbet Dotulong

February 2, 1932
Menado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
NationalityIndonesian
OccupationActress, film producer
Years active1951-1963
Notable work
Pontianak (1957)
Spouse(s)A. Razak Sheikh Mohamed Sultan Abu Bakar of Pahang

Menado is Minahasan and was born in Manado, North Sulawesi (present Indonesia),[3].

Personal life

Early years

Liesbet Dotulong was born in the Minahasa Regency of Indonesia in 1932. When she was seven years old, her parents died, and she was sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Makassar. They eventually moved to Jakarta to escape fighting between the Dutch and Indonesian nationalists. By the time Liesbet was seventeen, she was known locally for her beauty, and appeared as a fashion model in magazines and newspapers. In 1950 she accepted a screen offer from the Shaw Brothers' Malay Film Productions in Singapore.

While she was with her aunt and uncle in Malaysia, Liesbet became interested in the Maria Hertogh riots, which were occurring at the time. Maria Hertogh was a Dutch girl who was sent to live with a Malay Muslim family, and became the subject of a highly publicized custody battle which led to religious race riots in Singapore. Due to Liesbet's interest in the case, and her birthplace of Manado, Indonesia, she was dubbed "Maria of Manado" by friends. The name stuck, and for the rest of her career in films she was referred to as Maria Menado.

Filmography
YearFilmDirectorStudioNotesRef.
1951Livelihood (Penghidupan)L. KrishnanMalay Film ProductionsCo-starring Malaysian icon P. Ramlee.[4]
1951Pearl Island (Pulau Mutiara)S. RamanathanMalay Film Productions[5]
1952Jewel in the Slum (Permata di-Perlimbahan)Haji MahadiMalay Film ProductionsOften considered the first film by a Malaysian director.[6]
1954Temptation (Nafsu)L. KrishnanCathay-Keris Film Productions[7]
1954Gamble (Pertarohan)L. KrishnanCathay-Keris Film Productions[8]
1955Riding on Love/Loving Another (Kasih Menumpang)L. KrishnanCathay-Keris Film Productions[9]
1955Happy Holidays (Selamat Hari Raya)L. KrishnanCathay-Keris Productions[10]
1955My Brother (Saudaraku)Laurie FriedmanCathay-Keris Productions[11]
1957Vampire (Pontianak)B.N. RaoCathay-Keris ProductionsThe first in the popular Pontianak trilogy, now believed to be a lost film.[12]
1957Vampire's Revenge (Dendam Pontianak)B.N. RaoCathay-Keris ProductionsThe second in the Pontianak trilogy, now believed to be a lost film.[13]
1958The Curse of the Vampire (Sumpah Pontianak)B.N. RaoCathay-Keris ProductionsThe third and final film in the Pontianak trilogy.[14]
1958The Elusive Man (Orang Lichin)L. KrishnanCathay-Keris Productions[15]
1958Pomegranate Shawl (Selendang Delima)K.M. BaskerCathay-Keris Productions[16]
1958The Sun (Mata Hari)Ramon EstellaMalay Film Productions[17]
1960SingaporeShakti SamantaEagle Films[18]
1961Sultan Mahmud Dies (Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang)K.M. BaskerCathay-Keris Film Productions[19]
1961Victim of Malice (Korban Fitnah)Usmar IsmailMalay Film Productions[20]
1961Siti ZubaidahB.N. RaoCathay-Keris, Maria Menado ProductionsThe first film Menado produced and released under her production company, Siti Zubaidah is adapted from a famous Malaysian poem.[21]
1962Tun FatimahSalleh GhaniCathay-Keris Film Productions[22]
1963King Bersiong (Raja Bersiong)K.M. BaskerCathay-Keris, Maria Menado ProductionsReleased under Menado's production company.[23]
1963My Blood (Darahku)Ramon EstellaCathay-Keris, Maria Menado ProductionsReleased under Menado's production company.[24]
1963Cape of Flowers (Bunga Tanjong)Ramon EstellaCathay-Keris, Maria Menado ProductionsReleased under Menado's production company.[25]
1964The Vampire Returns (Pontianak Kembali)Ramon EstellaCathay-Keris, Maria Menado ProductionsAn addition to the Pontianak series, released under Menado's production company.[26]

References
  1. The Star Online
  2. Dr. Rilly Ray Rajkumar (4 September 2014). From Fear To Freedom. Dorrance Publishing. pp. 97–99. ISBN 978-1-4809-1094-2.
  3. Utusan Malaysia, 2007 (Malaysian)
  4. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  5. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  6. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  7. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  8. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  9. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  10. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  11. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  12. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  13. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  14. "Sumpah Pontianak". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  15. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  16. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  17. "Filmography (1950-1959)". Malay Wikipedia. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  18. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  19. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  20. "Victim of Slander". IMDb. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  21. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  22. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  23. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  24. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  25. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  26. "Filmography (1960-1969)". Singapore Film Locations Archive. Retrieved 3 February 2022.


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