Before becoming widely known in the film industry, Soendjoto Adibroto began his career as a stage actor. He excelled in drama, winning the Best Male Actor award in Surabaya in 1956 for his performance "Working with Blood." His talent for acting led him to enter the film industry in 1958, where he'd eventually carve out a niche for himself, mostly playing bad guys in 80s fantasy and horror films, most typically ones directed by Sisworo Gautama Putra and starring the legendary Suzzanna.

In addition to acting, he also worked behind the scenes, starting as a unit production manager and assistant and working his way up to writing and directing. His debut film Tangan-Tangan Kotor ("Dirty Hands") (1963) was a huge success, winning Best Film at the 3rd Asian Film Festival in 1964 and the Bandung Award and Lumumba Award for Best Screenplay. While this established him as a promising talent behind the camera, he would only go on to direct a few other films.