Mimi Mariani

Born

1928-06-08

Died

1971-05-01

Birthplace

Malang, East Java, Dutch East Indies

Biography

Mimi Mariani was a Belgian-Indonesian actress, model, and singer. She was born Troely Callebaut on June 8, 1928, in Malang, Dutch East Indies, to Petrus Fransiskus and Fien Callebaut. Her sister was Sri Murniati, an Indonesian actress whom was referred as the Kasma Booty of Indonesia. Her brother, Emile Callebaut, was an Indonesian director who was the father of actress Doris Callebaut. She began her career as a child actress by joining the Bintang Soerabaja troupe, and later joined Warnasari troupe as a singer and actress. After the Indonesian National Revolution, she starred in her first film role, Inspektur Rachman (1950), and later starred in Rodrigo de Villa (1952). She made her lead role debut in Fred Young's musical film Lenggang Djakarta (1953), where she drew critics' attention and launched her as a rising star. That year, she starred in another three more films such as Machluk Raksasa (1953), Belenggu Masjarakat (1953), and Kassan (1953). In 1954, Mariani starred in the first Indonesian superhero film, Sri Asih, which nicknamed her as the first Sri Asih. She later married her co-star, Turino Djunaedy, in 1955. She appeared in four more films that year: Rahasia Sukudomas (1954), Putri Gunung (1954), Djubah Hitam (1954), and Debu Revolusi (1954). She also starred in Oh, Ibuku (1955) and Ibu dan Putri (1955), a movie from the Gadis Tiga Djaman series directed by Ali Yugo. After the Indonesian film industry crisis and her divorce from Djunaedy, Mariani left the industry and went to theatre. She returned to film in two years later, where she starred in Nina (1960) and Limapuluh Megaton (1961). Her last two films were a minor role in Cheque AA (1966) and B-29 (1968). After her last marriage to Semiarto Suharto, founder of Titi Murni Pharmacy, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Sumiarto Suharto. In 1969, she was diagnosed with lymphoma which required her to underwent surgery twice. But due to the cancer already spreading to her spleen, the doctor forbid her from going through with the third operation, and she later went into bed rest for five months. She later slipped into coma and died at her house in Kebon Kelapa, Gambir, on May 1, 1971, at the age of 42. Her funeral was held at Karet Bivak Cemetery on the next day, and was attended by several film figures such as Fifi Young, Sofia W.D., W.D. Mochtar, S. Poniman, Aminah Banowati, and Wolly Sutinah.