#SHOWBIZ: Friends, co-stars fondly remember Mano as a 'man for all seasons'

New Straits Times

31-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The late veteran actor Mano Maniam has been hailed as a "man for all seasons" by his friends and co-stars, and a truly Bangsa Malaysia entertainer.
Mano, who passed away yesterday at the age of 79, coincidentally starred in a play titled A Man For All Seasons back in 1991.
Throughout his illustrious, five-decade acting career, he made his mark across various mediums – television, film, and theatre.
Douglas Lim, actor and comedian, who co-starred with Mano in Kopitiam, described the Ipoh-born screen legend as a great "sifu" (master) and friend.
"I first met him while we were starring in Kopitiam back in the 1990s, and he was always kind, friendly, helpful, and fun," said Lim.
"I'm honoured to have known and worked with him, for he always encouraged me to aim high and helped introduce me to the entertainment industry."
Lim also noted Mano's superb sense of humour.
While they didn't work together often in the last decade, Lim will always cherish Mano's friendship and guidance, describing his death as a significant loss to Malaysian showbiz.
Kopitiam's main actress, acting coach Joanna Bessey, remembered Mano as a great mentor and father figure.
"Mano was always a teacher and a friend to me. We actually met in a play called Witness For The Prosecution before Kopitiam began, and I was instantly struck by his jovial, chatty, and playful demeanour," said Joanna, who also highlighted Mano's extensive knowledge. "Over the years, we met many times, and I learnt a lot from him. He taught performing arts in colleges and universities, as did I, and when he couldn't conduct his classes or workshops, he got me to stand in for him!"
In 2019, Joanna, Lim, and Mano reunited for Kopitiam Double Shot, reprising their roles as Marie, Steven, and Uncle Chan respectively.
Joanna described Mano as one of Malaysia's "brightest stars" in showbiz, who bridged the gap between television, film, and theatre, as well as English, Malay, and Tamil entertainment.
"He was truly a Bangsa Malaysia icon in entertainment, and we will all miss him," she added.
A PILLAR OF MALAYSIAN ARTS
Datuk Faridah Merican, founder of the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), shared that Mano had been a close friend for five decades.
"We first met in the 1970s, and he played my father, a circus owner, in a play titled He Who Gets Slapped," she recalled.
"I was impressed not only by his brilliant acting but also his passion for the arts and all-round friendliness."
She added that they worked together in many plays over the decades, and he was a regular visitor to KLPAC.
Faridah further noted that Mano was a great teacher of the arts, conducting acting classes for senior citizens who greatly enjoyed his workshops.
"He didn't confine himself to English language theatre and starred in Malay language television dramas and comedies, as well as movies," Faridah said.
"One of the main highlights of his career was playing Moonshee in Anna And The King alongside Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat, which was partly filmed in Malaysia in 1999."
Faridah believes Mano helped put Malaysian entertainers on the world map.
She lamented that Mano was due to receive a special award for his lifetime contributions but passed away before he could attend the ceremony.
"Malaysia has lost a giant in entertainment, but he will always be in our hearts – a passionate actor, a great teacher, and a wonderful friend."
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Actor and comedian Datuk Afdlin Shauki said that Mano was an inspiration in his acting career.
They both attended the same school, Sekolah Menengah Anglo Chinese in Ipoh.
"Both of us were active in our alma mater's music and drama society, which staged many musicals in the 1980s," Afdlin said.
"I played Datuk Lat in a musical adaptation of the legendary cartoonist's famous, semi-autobiographical cartoon book Town Boy in 1987, and he commended me for doing a great job."
Afdlin added that he learned a lot about acting from Mano and also starred with him in Anna And The King.
Afdlin described Mano as one of the country's best-known actors who represented Malaysia in several international movies.
"He was one of the few actors who put Malaysian talent on the world map, and I'll always remember him for his love of the arts and great humour."