Tuncel Tayanç Kurtiz, born on February 1, 1936, in Bahçecik, Kocaeli, was a Turkish theater, cinema, and television actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. Throughout his career in Turkey and abroad, Kurtiz, after studying in various fields such as literature and philosophy, turned to acting and pursued an artistic journey from theater to cinema and television. He passed away on September 27, 2013, at his home in Etiler, Istanbul, and was buried in Çamlıbel village, Edremit district of Balıkesir.

Life and Education

Tuncel Kurtiz's father, Hamdi Valâ Kurtiz, was a Turkish bureaucrat born in Thessaloniki, and his mother, Müfide Kurtiz, was of Bosniak origin. He completed his primary education in eight different cities in Turkey due to his father's duty, and his middle school in Edremit. After graduating from Istanbul Haydarpaşa High School, he studied various subjects at Istanbul University, including law, English language and literature, philosophy, psychology, and art history, but dropped out before completing his studies in these departments. In his youth, he worked as a light controller at IETT.

Theater Career

Tuncel Kurtiz began his theater career in 1958 by performing at Haldun Dormen Theater, and later continued his theater work in countries such as Sweden, Germany, the United States, and the Netherlands, in addition to Turkey. His productions include "Mahabharata" directed by Peter Brook, Nazım Hikmet's "Epic of Sheikh Bedrettin," Haldun Taner's "Epic of Keşanlı Ali," and Aydın Engin's "Devr-i Süleyman." He also participated in the establishment of Genar Theater with Erol Keskin, Hadi Çaman, and Erol Günaydın.

Cinema Works

Tuncel Kurtiz's cinema career began in 1964 with the film "Şeytanın Uşakları" directed by Orhan Günşiray. In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked with Yılmaz Güney in films such as "Umut," "Sürü," and "Duvar." In 1979, he wrote the screenplay and directed the film "Gül Hasan," and in 1980, he penned the script for "Bereketli Topraklar Üzerinde." After the September 12, 1980 military coup, he continued his work in cinema and theater in Sweden, Germany, and the United States. In the 1990s, he returned to Turkey and took part in both independent cinema projects and television productions.

Television and Recent Works

Tuncel Kurtiz's participation in television series intensified in the 2000s. He acted in the series "Alacakaranlık" in 2003, "Hacı" in 2006, and "Asi" in 2007. He portrayed the character Ramiz Karaeski in the series "Ezel," which started in 2009, and the character Ebussuud Efendi in the series "Muhteşem Yüzyıl," which aired between 2012 and 2013. In 2010, he prepared a television program called "Tuncel Kurtiz and Friends" at his hotel in Edremit, Balıkesir, and in the same year, he did the Turkish voiceover for BBC's "Life" documentary.

Screenwriting and Directing

Tuncel Kurtiz wrote and directed the 1979 film "Gül Hasan." He also penned the screenplays for "Bereketli Topraklar Üzerinde," filmed in 1980, and "Kanal," produced in 1978.

Death and Burial

He passed away on September 27, 2013, at his home in Etiler, Istanbul, due to a heart attack, at the scene. He was buried on September 29, 2013, in Çamlıbel village, Edremit district of Balıkesir.

Private Life

Tuncel Kurtiz, married to Menend Kurtiz, has two children named Aslı and Mirza.

Theater Plays

• Medal of Victory
• Magnificent Destitutes
• Bear Tale
• Golden Fist
• The Seagull
• The Voice of the Heart
• The Passenger
• The Reign of Suleiman
• The Tiger and the Typewriters
• The Epic of Keşanlı Ali
• The Epic of Sheikh Bedrettin
• Very Strange Investigation
• Mahabharata
• Tin
• Milky Way

TV Series

• Twilight – Alairbey Bozoğlu
• Hacı – Hacı Hayrullah Gesili
• Asi – Cemal Ağa
• Ezel – Ramiz Karaeski
• Magnificent Century – Ebussuud Efendi
• Black Veil – Haşim Mevlütoğlu
• Five to Life
• Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit – Said

Films

• The Devil's Servants
• Hope
• The Herd
• The Wall
• Gül Hasan
• On Fertile Lands
• The Bus
• The Canal
• On the Edge of Life
• Istanbul Under My Wings
• Goodbye Tomorrow
• For the Sake of Love
• Let the Lights Not Go Out
• Somersault in a Coffin
• Black and White
• Autumn Pain
• The Lost Gift
• The Waterfall
• The Scorpion's Journey
• Tales of Stubbornness
• She Loves Me Too
• Happy Family Notebook
• Lal

Awards

• 1981 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival – Best Screenplay Award ("Gül Hasan")
• 1986 Berlin International Film Festival – Silver Bear
• 1994 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival – Best Supporting Actor ("For the Sake of Love")
• 2002 Sadri Alışık Awards – Best Supporting Actor ("The Waterfall")
• 2007 Yeşilçam Awards – Best Supporting Actor ("On the Edge of Life")
• 2008 Altın Koza Film Festival – Master Actor Award
• 2008 Italy Taormina Film Festival – Art Award
• 2011 Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival – Lifetime Achievement Award