Theatre and movie actor, playwright,
translator (B. 1894, Istanbul – D. 8 August
1974, Istanbul).His
full name is İsmail Galip Arcan. He completed Beşiktaş Soğukçeşme Military
School (Middle School, 1910).At
the age of fifteen he quit his education in Kuleli Military
High School because of
his interest in theatre and turned towards theatre. He started acting in the
theatre group of Ahmet Fehim Efendi. He appeared for the first time in Ahmet Vefik Pasha’s play titled “Tabib-I Aşk”. With his acting in Namık Kemal’s “Akif
Bey” he drew attention of people. In 1910, he joined
Burhanettin Theatre established by Burhanettin Tepsi, went on a tour to Thessaloniki and received
positive critics. In 1914 he entered Darülbedayi (İstanbul City Theatre) as a
student. Thanks to his skills he advanced and was selected to the
administration of this institution at that time. He went to France in 1920 and started to make
researches about theatre with the support of the French Ministry of Education.
He realized researches in Paris
under the supervision of Monsieur Antoine for three years. He worked in
Comédie-Française and Théatre L’Odéon.
İsmail Galip upon his return to Turkey
joined Raşit Rıza Efendi Group and acted here. The actor in the same time
started to write plays. In 1923 he went on his second tour to France. After İsmail Bey returned
from this tour, entered Ferah Theatre of the famous theatre and cinema
personality Muhsin Ertuğrul. After this group was dismantled, he went to Germany and realized researches and analysis
works on German Theatre in Berlin.
After returning from Germany to Turkey, he started to serve as
director at Istanbul Şehir Theatre. He added cinema to his works including
playwriting, translation of theatrical works, adaptation works and he played a
character called ‘Bican Efendi’. Between the years 1932-42 he worked as a
teacher in the Conservatory. Arcan wrote, translated and adapted many plays and
he is also the author of two theoretical books titled “Tiyatroda Makyaj”
(1941) and “Tiyatroda Diksiyon” (1947). He made important contributions
to Turkish theatre and cinema. He acted in numerous important plays such as “Venedik
Taciri”, “Bir Kavuk Devrildi”, “Kafatası”, “Ayak Takımı
Arasında”, “Kral Lear”, “Kibarlık Budalası”, “Kral Oidipus”,
“Akif Bey” and “Tabib-i Aşk”. Between 1917 and 1956 he acted in
about twenty-five movies.
Aynaroz Kadısı” (1938) başta olmak üzere, birçok filmde
başarılı oyunlar sergileyen
Arcan, özellikle Bican Efendi tiplemesiyle ünlendi. Arcan had a
successful acting career in numerous movies, especially in “Aynaroz Kadısı”
(1938). He became famous especially with his Bican Efendi character. He made
efforts to develop Turkish theatre and cinema together with Muhsin Ertuğrul for
long years. He has more than seventy translations and adaptations and more than
hundred radio sketches...He entered İstanbul Belediyesi Şehir
Tiyatroları Istanbul Municipality City Theatre after his return from Germany and
served there as a director and actor until his death. Even if many of his plays
were not published as books, they were staged.
WORKS:
RESEARCHES-ANALYSIS: Tiyatroda Makyaj (1941), Tiyatroda Diksiyon (1947).
PLAYS:
Kimsesizler (1941), Yalancılar (1941), Yedigün (1941),
Hava Parası (1949), Bir Rüya(a children’s play, 1953).
POETRY:
Benim Romanım: Şiir Miir (1962).
MEMORIES: Yaş 70 (1965).
TRANSLATIONS: Gülünç Kibarlar (From Moliere, 1943), İnsan Sesi (From J.
Cocteau, 1950).
