Celal Yonat

Celal Yonat — Biography

Turkish stage and film actor Celalettin Yonat went by the name "Arap Celal". Over roughly forty-five years he appeared in more than four hundred productions, mostly in small character parts, and he is remembered for the Arap Celal persona in the Şaban films. Because of his nickname his home region was long mistaken, though he was from Sivas. His name also appears as Celal Donat in some places.

Born in Sivas in 1922, he went to work after primary school, gaining stage experience with the troupes of Burhanettin Tepsi and İsmail Dümbüllü and in the Halkevleri. He entered cinema in 1948 as an extra. In later years he became a familiar face in supporting roles such as town crier, coffee-house keeper, greengrocer, pirate, gambler, bar owner and general: he played the town crier in Battal Gazi Destanı (1971) and the general in Hababam Taburu (1975), and he also acted in Köroğlu (1968). Producer Kayahan Arıkan listed him as an assistant on some of his films, and he also acted in photo-novels.

He made his name above all through the Arap Celal character in Gerzek Şaban (1980) and En Büyük Şaban (1983). Kibar Feyzo (1978), Yedi Bela Hüsnü (1982) and Tokatçı (1983) are also among his work. He also appeared in television series in the 1990s, including Itri (1991) and Üçüzler (1993). He died in Istanbul on 29 December 1993.