Rano Karno

Rano Karno (born 8 October 1960) is an Indonesian actor and politician who served as Governor of Banten from 2014 to 2017. As a result of his fame gained from his acting career, he is known for starring in the 1979 film Gita Cinta dari SMA. Karno was born on 8 October 1960 as the son of actor Soekarno M. Noer, who was of Minangkabau descent with ancestral roots in Bonjol, Pasaman, West Sumatra (although he was born and brought up in the capital to parents from the said village) and his ethnic local-born Betawi wife, Lily Istiarti Soekarno, and grew up in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. Due to his father's low earnings, he was raised in poverty; he later quipped that his family had had one plate to feed five people, like a popular dangdut song. Although the family's finances would not have been enough to see him through his schooling, he was able to finish his schooling after the fees were reduced by half. As an escape from his family's poverty, Karno would go to a Balai Pustaka-run library and read classic works of Indonesian literature, including novels such as Abdul Muis' Salah Asuhan and the traditional folktale Malin Kundang.His habit of reading later helped him to land his first acting job. At the age of ten, he attended an audition for a film production of Malin Kundang and, displeased with the changes to the story, blurted out "That's not how the story goes." The director, impressed with Karno's knowledge of the story, cast him. At first, his father did not support his choice as the elder Noer was worried that Karno would continue to be poor.After Malin Kundang, in 1972 Karno starred in the film adaptation of Si Doel Anak Betawi (Doel, the Betawi Child). After the film's success, Karno starred in several other films, including Rio Anakku (Rio, My Child; 1974) and Di Mana Kau Ibu? (Where Are You Mother?; 1974). In 1979, he starred as Galih in Arizal's film Gita Cinta dari SMA (Love Song from High School); for a period after the film, he was rumoured to be dating his costar, Yessi Gusman.In 1990, Karno switched to directing; his serial adaptation of Si Doel Anak Betawi, although initially refused by studios for being too "provincial", was highly successful and ran for six seasons. From 1997 to 2002, he served as a member of the People's Consultative Assembly, and from 2002 to 2007, Karno served as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, promoting literacy.His first book, The Last Barongsai, was published in 2010; that same year, he released another film, Satu Jam Saja (Just One Hour).As of September 2011, Karno was planning to make a film adaptation of The Last Barongsai.