Kâzım Kartal

Kâzım Kartal — Biography

Kâzım Kartal, born Kazım Dilcan on 28 April 1936 in Altunhisar in Niğde province and dead in Istanbul on 13 August 2003, was one of the most prolific character actors of Turkish cinema. Almost every source gives 28 April; the 1 January date carried by SinemaTürk is the placeholder used when only the year is known. Beyond acting he is also credited with directing, screenwriting and producing.

He took a job straight after finishing school and, according to SinemaTürk, entered films in 1963 with Hancının Kızı, working continuously until his death forty years later. Estimates of his output range from 452 to 457 titles. He spent most of his career in character parts, but took leading roles during the erotic-film wave of the 1970s, and also worked in photo-novels, television films and series. The Azerbaijani Wikipedia article reports that he was named best male actor of the year in 1968.

His credits include Zagor, where he played Lopez, Oğul as Cabbar, Bir Çuval Para, Kadersizler, Karaların Ali and İdamlık, alongside Erkekçe, Takip, Çöl Kartalı and Tatar Ramazan: Sürgünde. He was buried in Istanbul on 15 August 2003.