Maria Menado

Maria Menado (born Liesbet Dotulong; 2 February 1932), also known as Liesje Mandagi, is an Indonesian-born Malay actress, model, 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.

[5] In 1950, she travelled from Bandung to Singapore in a group led by Fifi Young, who held a kebaya fashion show there.

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.

After Maria's photos appeared in newspapers and magazines as a fashion model, her career as a film actress began in 1951.

Shaw Brothers offered Maria the role of the leading lady alongside P. Ramlee in the film "Penghidupan".

At the height of her fame, she was given the role of an evil character alongside Shammi Kapoor in a Hindi film titled "Singapore".