Gürdal Tosun

Gürdal Tosun — Biography

Gürdal Tosun is remembered above all for playing Tombalak in the sitcom Bir Demet Tiyatro and for his dubbing work: he voiced Rex in the Turkish releases of the Toy Story films, Banzai in The Lion King and Pain in Hercules. He was born in Istanbul on 14 March 1967.

The son of veteran actor Necdet Tosun and brother of actor Erdal Tosun, he failed the state conservatory's entrance exam three years running because of his weight, then worked selling tickets at Levent Kırca's theatre and, after determinedly losing the weight, was admitted to Mimar Sinan University's State Conservatory, graduating in 1990.

After graduating he performed with the State Theatres, the Istanbul City Theatres and the Bakırköy Municipal Theatre, building an extensive dubbing career alongside his film and television roles.

While working at the Beşiktaş Cultural Center (BKM) he fell ill with kidney failure caused by intestinal ischemia and died on 30 August 2000, at 33, while awaiting a transplant; he was buried at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery beside his father.