AN INIMITABLE ACT

THE late Normadiah was an actress of immense talent. She was almost chameleon-like in her characterisations, giving polished performances which changed adequately to suit any given mood and setting.

Having acted in more than 100 movies, Normadiah was extremely hardworking and one of the most professional and natural Malay actresses around.

She leaves behind a long, distinguished career playing a wide variety of roles in films of widely-varying quality. She always gave her best and was highly regarded by the directors and others she worked with, and they invariably have the nicest things to say about her.

"Norma has always been a down-to-earth, gutsy type of gal when she first started,'' the late P. Ramlee once said.

But whatever her roles, Normadiah was convincing. She never looked out of place in male garb, yet she could be extremely feminine and funny too. She was attractive, with the slim yet curvaceous body of an ex-dancer (which she was).

Whether it was the role of an amorous island girl in Panggilan Pulau, the cruel and intemperate stepmother in Lela Manja, the earnest and funny landlady in Bujang Lapok, the pitiable nenek kebayan in Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup or the pathetic mother in Si Tanggang, Normadiah projected real style and individuality.

As early as in her 20's, Normadiah had been cast many times in the role of elderly matriach. The late P. Ramlee once told her not to wait only for heroine roles; she listened and ended up playing stepmothers, housekeepers, seductive women as well as a wicked sister.

But her forte was villains. She played these admirably--whether it was a heartless stepmother, evil or notorious women, the emotions were almost real.

Normadiah has never allowed us to forget her roles no matter how small they were. She was a great screen actress more than a movie star.

Unfortunately, Normadiah had a difficult and troubled childhood. She was born Edith Sumampo in 1932 in Menado in Indonesia to a Christian family. Normadiah was later given away at five to her father's friend as they believed she brought bad luck.

She was later given up for adoption to opera stars Ismail Abdullah and Habibah Churong who was a Javanese. Ismail was known as Nyong and had a bangsawan group called Darda Nila Opera.

Normadiah was deprived of a formal education but was exposed to the bangsawan world where she became the star and chorus girl. The troupe was quite successful and had shows all over Malaysia (Malaya then).

At 14, her parents had her married off to Tan Cheng Hee, a film manager of Baba and Nyonya origin from Malacca.

In her own words when I interviewed her years ago, Normadiah said this: "A marriage between a possessive and abusive husband and a naive and genial gal was doomed from the start. I did not even know I was pregnant at that time ... ''.

(From this marriage, she had a daughter Martina Hatim, who is now a businesswoman living in Singapore).

The brief and stormy marriage ended after three months when Normadiah ran away and stayed with a family who was coincidentally, Mahadzir Lokman's (former TV3 newsreader) grandfather.

She converted to Islam at 18 and took the name Norma Abdullah. She remained in Muar, Johor with the family for almost a year before going to the Happy World Fair club in Singapore to seek her fortune as a joget dancer.

One day, while dancing, she was spotted by a talent scout from Shaw Brothers. It was a small part and the pay too meagre. In the end, she decided to head for Borneo, Brunei, Malaya (then), Sabah and Sarawak with the Sri Noran Opera in 1951.

In Penang, Normadiah became the Sri Panggung (the primadonna) for the Noran Opera. Her constant stage partner at that time was Pak Yem.

But after a year with the opera troupe, Normadiah went back to Singapore and joined a film company, Nusantara, where she got her first break in the movie Pacar Putih, directed by Indonesian Naz Ahnas, a period flick where she was required to dress like a man.

Her next movie was Seniati in 1953, where she became a lawyer, acting alongside Bakaruddin. The movie was co-directed by Armaya (A.R. Tompel) and Cheng Kok. This was the crucial break for her. It was Tompel who gave her the glamorous name Normadiah and this screen name stuck with her since then.

After making four films in two years with Nusantara, Normadiah joined Shaw Brothers in 1953. She received a RM500 monthly salary, a comparatively big sum in those days.

In 1954, the versatile actress married businessman Syed Hassan with whom she had two children, Syarifah Hasnor Nurhidayah Hassan and Syed Hasnurul Ehzan--both names were given by the late P. Ramlee.

Normadiah acted in more than 50 films with Shaw Brothers and worked with heavyweights like P. Ramlee, Aziz Jaafar, Nordin Ahmad, Yusof Latif, Sarip Dol, Salleh Kamil, Saloma, Zaiton, Saadiah and Aziz Sattar.

Among her memorable potrayals were the movies Sengsara (1954), Bernoda ('55), Empat Isteri ('55), Siapa Salah ('56), Putera Bertopeng ('57), Panggilan Pulau ('58), Semerah Padi ('56), Raja Laksamana Bentan ('59), Saudagar Minyak Urut ('59), Bujang Lapok and Sumpah Wanita ('60) and Kasih Tanpa Sayang ('69).

But veteran film critic Hamzah Hussein loves to remember her in the movie Belantara, directed by S. Ramanathan in 1957.

"She was the first local actress to be cast as a female Tarzan. She was very daring and had to fiddle and toy with a real snake and was almost stomped by an angry elephant ... ,'' he recalled.

In 1959, Normadiah was divorced from her second husband and shortly after, fell in love with Aziz Jaafar, who was then a continuity boy-cum-budding actor while Normadiah was Shaw Brothers' top star.

This was to be a lasting "till death do us part'' union of 41 years. The couple has two children Azlina and Liza.

Normadiah's singing career took off alongside her film work and she cut over 50 albums--solo and with other artistes, especially P. Ramlee under the HMV Records label.

In fact, she was among the original Panca Sitara line-up in 1959, which comprised P. Ramlee, Aziz Jaafar, Hamid and Ahmad Daud.

She lent her voice to numerous movies; among the popular ones was the song Apek Dan Madiana (from the movie Ali Baba Bujang Lapok).

For her immeasurable contribution to the film world, Normadiah was given a special award for Veterans at the Sixth Malaysia Film Festival. In April this year, Normadiah was presented with a lifetime achievement award, the Seniwati Sepanjang Zaman award at the Diva Concert 2000 which was held in Singapore.

Normadiah's other great gift was dancing. She was sought after to choreograph dance for period films. She received one award for her creative effort, designing traditional constumes for the movie Anak Sulung Tujuh Keturunan in the '70s.

The veteran performer died on Aug 8 (six days before her 68th birthday) in Subang Jaya, after a complication following an appendectomy an hour after she was brought home.

She was first admitted to the Assunta Hospital to undergo surgery for appendicitis on June 16. But according to her daughter Hasnor, she constantly complained of pain after the operation and had to be readmitted on July 11. She was transferred to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit two days later.

Her children who has continued her legacy in showbusiness prefer to remember her as "the most compassionate and devoted mother.'' Old chums like veteran composer Ahmad Nawab, director Jamil and actress Maria Menado, feel they've lost a "wholehearted, humble and true friend.''

To old movie fans, there's something endearing about Normadiah. She is the kind of star, about whom one can say, simply, "they don't make them like that anymore.''

NOTE: Legendary screen great, the late Normadiah with her better half not to mention fellow actor Aziz Jaafar, were huge stars in their heyday. Normadiah, who died Aug 8 eight days short of her 68th birthday, after a short illness, was arguably the greatest character actress in Malay moviedom. She has acted in more than 100 films.

BY ZIEMAN - PUBLISHED 12/8/2000