Tragic news from veteran actor Ahmet Gülhan! He passed away at the age of 85.

Sad news came from the master artist of Turkish theatre, Ahmet Gülhan.

(Photo: ahaber.com.tr screenshot)

He passed away at the age of 85. Gülhan, who left his mark on an era and left unforgettable works in the world of stage and television, passed away at the age of 85. Ahmet Gülhan, one of the important names in the history of Turkish theater and television, shaped the artistic life as one of the founders of the Devekuşu Kabare theater.

Umut Oğuz announced the sad news on his social media account.

Actor Umut Oğuz shared the following : "We have lost one of the most important actors of Turkish theater, one of the founders of Devekuşu Kabare, a director with a wealth of knowledge, a legendary man who watched me on stage and made me act, a man in whom I found myself with every touch of my life, my spiritual father, Ahmet Gülhan. Our condolences."

WHO IS AHMET GÜLHAN? Ahmet Gülhan, a prominent figure in Turkish theater and television history, shaped his artistic career as one of the founders of the Devekuşu Kabare theater. Throughout his career, he has appeared in numerous plays and television productions.

He founded Devekuşu Kabare (Desert Kabare) with Haldun Taner, Metin Akpınar, and Zeki Alasya in Istanbul in 1967, and Tef Kabare (Tef Kabare) with Haldun Taner in 1978. He has appeared in television series and films. He became known for his character "Suspicious Şemsettin" in the TV series "Suspicious Şemsettin," which aired on TRT in the 1980s.

He was born in Istanbul in 1940. He graduated from the Industrial Engine Department of Tophane Boys' Art School and then from the Mechanical Department of the Evening Technical School. During his education, he was interested in football and athletics. He joined the Fenerbahçe Sports Club athletics team. Between 1957 and 1959, he became the junior champion in the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles. He was selected for the 1960 Olympic team.

During his student years, he joined the National Turkish Student Union and, as President of the Executive Council, was responsible for theater and sports. His theatrical debut came when he filled in for an ill actor in the play "Beyond the Walls." He continued his amateur acting career in student theater. Following his arrival, Cahide Sonku offered him a tour theater program, which he co-founded with Cahit Irgat, and he began his professional acting career in "Stone Girl."

He took part in Rıfat Ilgaz's play Hababam Sınıfı, which premiered at the Ulvi Uraz Theatre in 1965. He completed his military service as a reserve officer teacher in Mardin between 1965 and 1967, and during this period he staged seven plays at the Public Education Center and acted in three of them.

In 1967, following Haldun Taner's suggestion to establish a cabaret theater, the four partners, along with their friends Zeki Alasya and Metin Akpınar from the Ulvi Uraz Theater, founded Türkiye's first cabaret theater, Devekuşu Kabare. They first staged the play Vatan Kurtaran Şaban. Gülhan took on the management and organization of the theater; to gain a deeper understanding of the cabaret scene, he traveled to Germany every year to observe it. His first directing was "Asronot Niyazi," a play co-written by Haldun Taner and Zeki Alasya and staged by Devekuşu Theater in 1970.

He married actress Gülümser Gülhan in 1974. In 1978, he and Haldun Taner left Devekuşu Kabare and founded Tef Kabare in 1980. Tef Kabare's first play was "No, I hope you will." The group, which also included Uğur Yücel and Necati Bilgiç, disbanded in 1981 after Haldun Taner left for Germany to teach at the University of Berlin. Gülhan worked at Dostlar Theater.

From 1986 onward, he began acting in theater, appearing in plays such as Demokrasi Gemisi (1990), Medya Medya Neye (2000), and Matrak Ailem (2004). For the TRT channel, he produced productions such as Suspicious Şemsettin, Örnek Muzaffer, Hak Dostum (Ramazan program), and Bir Kadın Bir Erkek (One Woman, One Man). In the 2000s, he appeared in productions such as Biz Siz Aşık Olduk, Sev Kardeşim, and Cümbür Cemaat Aile (One Community Family).

He acted in the films The Man Who Paid His Sin (1969), My Dear Babies (1987), Watercolor (2009), New Life (2015), Musical Instruments We Are Both (2016), and My Brother (2016).

He worked for professional organization in the theater, took part in the establishment of the theater actors' union, and assumed the presidency of the Theater Actors' Association.