Izzet Günay

Izzet Günay grew up in Sariyer, Istanbul, with a dad who worked the docks for Sirket-i Hayriye—so, not exactly the showbiz upbringing. He did a little bit of everything early on: studied at the Naval College, wrapped up at Haydarpaşa High, then started working as a technical draftsman for the city zoning office. Random twist—he even taught dance for a while. But theater kept calling his name; he got into amateur acting back in high school and stuck with it through the Green Crescent Youth Branch. After a stint in the military, he dipped his toes into the world of lignite trading (yeah, coal), but clearly, that wasn’t his scene. 1957 rolls around, and he spots a newspaper ad for the Dormen Theater. Next thing you know, he’s on stage, kicking off his professional acting gig with a tiny part in “Kara Ağaçlar Altında.” Didn’t stop there—he had roles in plays like “Sokak Kızı Irma,” “Pasifik Şarkısı,” and “Zafer Madalyası,” and even worked as a stage manager. By ‘58, he’s in the movies, playing Zeki Müren’s driver in the film “Kırık Plak.” A few bit parts later, he landed a lead in “Varan Bir” (1964). He snagged the Best Actor award at the Golden Orange Film Festival the same year for “Ağaçlar Ayakta Ölür.” Money was tight sometimes, so he jumped on stage as a Turkish classical music soloist, and later picked up roles in some TV series. Offstage, he collected stamps, coins, medals—eventually opening his own antiques shop in ‘85 and offering up his expertise to other collectors.