Haldun Boysan

Haldun Boysan — Biography

Born in Ankara, Haldun Boysan attended TED Ankara College before graduating from the theatre department of Ankara University's Faculty of Language, History and Geography; he performed with the Ankara Art Theatre and Istanbul City Theatres and also worked as an English-Turkish dubbing artist, and, contrary to a common assumption, was the son of Durmuş Ali Boysan rather than the writer Aydın Boysan. In 1999 his performance as Kamil in Gemide won him best supporting actor at the Ankara International Film Festival, and across a career spanning more than twenty-five years he appeared in over two hundred productions. His film credits include Yazı Tura, Sen Ne Dilersen, Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam'ın Oğlu, Zincirbozan (as Süleyman Demirel), Çakal, Mihrez: Cin Padişahı and Benzersiz, while on television he appeared in Hürrem Sultan, Merhamet, Ulan İstanbul and Ege'nin Hamsisi; he was best known for playing Tombalacı Mehmet in Kurtlar Vadisi (Valley of the Wolves). A devoted Beşiktaş supporter, he also served as a congress member of the club. He died of a heart attack at 62 while in Ürgüp, Nevşehir, for the filming of Maria ile Mustafa; it later emerged that he had been unable to get his pacemaker replaced because of pandemic fears. He was buried at Karşıyaka Cemetery in Ankara.