Movie and theater actor, director (B. 1920,
Malatya – D. December 23th, 2009, Ankara). He was the husband of
Ayten Gökçer who is also an actress just like him. He started to be interested
in theater at a young age; so, he enrolled to Ankara People’s Houses’
presentation group. While he was the head of the presentation group of the
People’s Houses; he was noticed by the famous playwright and poet of the time,
Ercüment Behzat Lav. His first leading performance was the play of a Turkish
playwright in 1936. Afterwards, he passed the entrance exam of arts
conservatory and he graduated from the Theatre Faculty at the State Arts
Conservatory in 1942. He assisted famous actor Carl Ebert whom he met during
his university years. After a while, he was assigned as the mimic and stage
teacher to the Arts Conservatory. He took the stage for performing many
characters on Tatbikat Sahnesi (1942-47) and he performed in many plays at the
State Theatre, of which he contributed to the establishment. Thanks to his performances
in the plays of Sophokles, Shakespeare, Moliére, Emile; he became popular both abroad
and in Turkey.
During the second directorship of Muhsin
Ertuğrul at the Directorate of State Theatre (1954-58), he developed as an
actor and director. Following this, he won the on the state scholarship and
went to Europe where he worked as assistant director in the theaters like
Commedia Française, Thalia Theater. When he returned to Turkey; he was assigned
to the directorship of the State Theaters on 25th August 1958 and he
stayed in the position until 1983.
Gökçer made important works aim to improve the opera
and ballet arts. He benefited from Italian musicians and English choreographers,
especially from Dame Ninetto de Valois. He took the stage as the leading
character, as well as the director in “Kiss
Me Kate” which was the first musical of the State Theatres in 1963. Besides
the theatre, he also took roles in the movies between the years of 1951-98.
He took the title of professor in 1985 and
became the head of the theatre faculty at Ankara State Conservatory in
Hacettepe University. Then, he served as the head of Theatre Department at Music
and Performing Arts Faculty in Bilkent University for years, which he
contributed for establishment.
Cüneyt Gökçer won the “The Best Actor” in 1964
and 1970, “The Best Director” in 1967 Prizes of Ankara Art Enthusiasts
Association. He was also deemed worthy of Muhsin Ertuğrul Special Award and was
honored with the title of State Artist on 1981.
WORKS:
PLAYS (AS AN ACTOR): Antigone (1942), Julius Caesar (1942), Kibarlık Budalası (1944), Lokantacı, Faust, Bizim Şehir, Yanlışlıklar Komedyası (1946), Köşe Başı (1947), Size Öyle Geliyorsa Öyledir,
Paydos, On İkinci Gece (1948), Yarasa, Hamlet (1950), Çayhane, Bir
Yaz Gecesi Rüyası
(1951), Kral Lear (1951 ve 1982), Mary Stuart, Fatih (1953), Fareler ve İnsanlar (1954), Şatoya
Davet (1955), Küskünler Kahvesi (1967), Bağdat, Hatun (1974), Tarla Kuşuydu Juliet (1976), Gılgamış (1978), Midas'ın
Kulakları
(1978), Yedi Kocalı
Hürmüz (1979), IV. Murat (1980), Tamirci, (1985), Kim
Korkar Hain Kurttan? (1986).
MOVIES (AS AN ACTOR): Vatan ve Namık Kemal (1951), Lale Devri (1951), Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa (1951), Kara Davut (1953 ), Kaldırım Çiçeği (1953), Nilgün (1954), Büyük Sır (1956), Balıkçı Güzeli (1953), İbrahim Ethem - İlahi Davet (1966), Yaşlı Gözler (1967), Yaprak Dökümü (1967), Merhamet (1967 ), Hacı Bektaş Veli (1967), 501 Numaralı Hücre (1967), Süreyya (1972), Mevlana (1973), IV. Murat (TV series 1981), Mektup (1998 ).