Who is Kemal Sunal?

Kemal Sunal (11 November 1944, Malatya – 3 July 2000, Istanbul) was a master of comedy in the Turkish history of cinema. Famed for his parts as “Inek Saban”, “Salako”, “Doktor Civanim”, “Sutkardesler”. With “Hababam Sinifi”, “Kapicilar Krali” and “Davaro”, Sunal earned himself a permanent place in the hearts of Turkish cinema goers.

Kemal Sunal graduated from Vefa Lisesi (Vefa High School). In his early ages, he started pursuing what was to become a long and successful acting career, in minor roles in theatres. For a brief period, he worked in the Kenterler Theatre and took part in his first play Zoraki Takip. He was later transferred to the Devekusu Kabare Theatre, where he performed his acting.

By 1973, he was recognized as a true talent, and started receiving offers for films with larger budgets and more famous casts. His first film was Tatli Dillim by Ertem Egilmez. In a matter of years, Sunal was co-starring with other actors from the old school, such as Halit Akcatepe, Sener Sen and Munir Ozkul.

Perhaps the most famous of all his parts was “Inek Saban”. The simpleminded, artless and innocent member of Hababam Sinifi (The Outrageous Class), was a good laugh for many. Inek Saban was constantly bullied and humiliated by his friends, but this never kept him from thinking the unthinkable, like digging a tunnel to escape school grounds (which later, turned out to lead to the vice-principal s office) or smoking in the school attic. The character was so pure and so fixed in the memories of the Turkish people, it was never replaced by another actor in the recent re-shootings of Hababam Sinifi, most probably as a sign of respect to Sunal.

His other notable characters include: Tosun Pasha, a fake pasha; Sut Kardes Saban, a dumb sailor; Copculer Krali, a foolish garbage man, who fell in love with a municipality officer s fiancee; Doktor Civanim, a former hospital janitor pretending to be a doctor upon his return to his home village; and finally “Orta Direk Saban”, a naive man trying to become an athlete to impress his crush.

Apart from the hilariousness of his movies, one of the reasons that they were so popular were because they addressed many of the problems faced by the urban poor in Turkey during the 1970s and 1980s. In almost all of his films, Kemal Sunal plays a poor man, trying to make something of himself.

Sunal s last film was Propaganda, which was directed by director Sinan Cetin. Sunal, played a customs officer-in-charge (presumably) on the Syrian border. Being a drama, this film was a contrast to his other works. As the plot unfolded, Sunal s character fell into despair, trying to survive the dilemma between his duties as an officer of the law and his duties as a friend. In public opinion, this film was not the best of jubilees for the master. In fact, it had not been meant to be a jubilee at all. Another significant fact about this film is that it also included Ali Sunal, Kemal Sunal s son, cast as a junior customs officer.

Sunal lived a life of modesty. He kept himself and his family away from the media and rarely appeared in public. People, who knew him have commented on how serious he was in his real life, in contrast to the hilarious characters he played in his movies. Whilst he was on top of his career, he decided to graduate from university, which he had left in his early career. Despite his fame, he attended the university like a regular student and stated that “that was the way he liked it to be”.

Sunal s dreams for higher-education had been disrupted in 1980, during the period of military takeover. His attempts for earning a degree finally paid off in 1995, when he earned his bachelor s degree in Radio Television and Cinema Studies from Marmara University. He then decided to pursue a master’s degree (the topic of his thesis being himself), which he earned in 1998 also from Marmara University. This incident was covered by the media with headlines like “Inek Saban Master Yapti” (Saban the Cow got a master s degree) while his class-mates from Hababam Sinifi made comments like “Profesorluk Bekliyoruz” (“We expect full professorship”). At his graduation ceremony, he made a speech where he joked that his path of first working and then attending university later in life was better as it allowed people to gain real life experience earlier.

Kemal Sunal died on 3 July 2000 as a result of a sudden heart attack aboard a flight to Trabzon just before take off. He was reported to be afraid of flying. His death caused mourning that swept the entire nation and dominated news coverage for days. He was interred at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery in Istanbul.

Kemal Sunal was married to Gul Sunal and he had two children, Ali and Ezo Sunal.

Sunal is still recognized as the Turkish master of comedy. His films are still enjoyed, no matter how many times they are watched or how old they are. His guileless look and naive beam are still causes for a sad but hearty smile. It is not an exaggeration to say that he was loved by everyone regardless of age, view and ethnic background. His place in the hearts of Turks can be exemplified using quotes from Bulent Ecevit, who was Prime Minister when Sunal died and Serdar Erener, famed publicist.

Yalanci Yarim (1973)
Oh Olsun (1973) …. Fazil
Gullu Geliyor Gullu (1973)
Canim Kardesim (1973)
Salako (1974)
Salak Milyoner (1974)
Mavi Boncuk (1974) …. Cafer
Koyden Indim Sehire (1974) …. Saffet
Hasret (1974)
Saskin Damat (1975)
Hanzo (1975)
Hababam Sinifi (1975) …. Inek Saban
Hababam Sinifi Sinifta Kaldi (1975) …. Saban
Tosun Pasa (1976) …. Saban (Fake Tosun Pasha)
Sut Kardesler (1976) …. Saban
Sahte Kabadayi (1976)
Merakli Kofteci (1976)
Kapicilar Krali (1976) …. Seyyit
Hababam Sinifi Uyaniyor (1976) …. Saban
Sakar Sakir (1977) …. Sakir
Saban Oglu Saban (1977) …. Saban
Ibo ile Gulsah (1977) …. Ibo
Hababam Sinifi Tatilde (1977) …. Saban
Copculer Krali (1977) …. Apti.. The King of the Street Cleaners
Yuz Numarali Adam (1978) …. Saban
Koseyi Donen Adam (1978) …. Adem
Kibar Feyzo (1978) …. Feyzo
Iyi Aile Cocugu (1978) …. Kemal/Cemal
Inek Saban (1978) …. Saban/Bulent
Avanak Apti (1978) …. Apti
Umudumuz Saban (1979)
Sark Bulbulu (1979)
Korkusuz Korkak (1979)
Dokunmayin Sabanima (1979) …. Saban
Bekciler Krali (1979)
Gol Krali (1980) …. Sait Sarioglu
Zubuk (1980) …. Ibrahim Zubukzade
Gerzek Saban (1980)
Devlet Kusu (1980) …. Mustafa
Uc Kagitci (1981)
Kanly Nigar (1981)
Davaro (1981)
Yedi Bela Husnu (1982) …. Husnu
Doktor Civanim (1982)
Tokatcy (1983)
Kilibik (1983)
En Buyuk Saban (1983)
Carikli Milyoner (1983)
Sabaniye (1984)
Postaci (1984)
Orta Direk Saban (1984)
Atla Gel Saban (1984)
Sosyete Saban (1985)
Sendul Saban (1985) …. Saban
Saban Pabucu Yarim (1985) …. Saban
Keriz (1985) …. Zulfu
Katma Deger Saban (1985)
Gurbetci Saban (1985)
Yoksul (1986)
Tarzan Rifki (1986)
Garip (1986)
Deli Deli Kupeli (1986)
Davaci (1986)
Yakisikli (1987)
Kiraci (1987)
Japon Isi (1987)
Uyanik Gazeteci (1988)
Polizei (1988) (uncredited) …. Ali Ekber
Ogretmen (1988)
Inatci (1988)
Dutturu Dunya (1988)
Dunya Fraggle (1988)
Bickin (1988) …. Ali
Zehir Hafiye (1989)
Talih Kusu (1989) …. Osman Abali
Gulen Adam (1989) …. Yusuf
1990s
Kanli Nigar(1990)
Koltuk Belasi (1990)
Boynu bukuk Kuheylan (1990)
Abuk Sabuk Bir Film (1990)
Varyemez (1991)
Saygilar bizden (1992) TV Series
Bay Kamber (1996) (mini) TV Series …. Bay Kamber
Propaganda (1999) …. Mehdi