Orhan Elmas

Orhan Elmas — Biography

While studying at the Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, Orhan Elmas worked odd jobs such as shop assistant, oil painter and window dresser; in 1944 he entered journalism, writing film columns for the newspapers Son Dakika and Posta and the magazines Yıldız and Çiçek, and serving as managing editor of the magazine Yelpaze. He entered cinema in 1945 with Toros Çocuğu and acted in films such as Domaniç Yolcusu, Canavar Kadın, Acı Yol and Bir Bahar Akşamı, before making his directing debut in 1954 with Üçüncü Kat Cinayeti. Over a career of more than four decades he contributed 122 films to Turkish cinema, winning the award for best second film at the 1968 Adana Altın Koza festival for Ezo Gelin and at the 1971 Antalya Altın Portakal festival for Öleceksek Ölelim, and was later given an honorary award at the 31st Altın Portakal. He had a son, Sadık, from his marriage to Alev Koral. Elmas died of cancer in Istanbul on 26 April 2002 and was buried in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery.