Romalı Perihan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Perihan Özkurt
Perihan during a cabaret performance
Born	Perihan Benli (1942-03-18)18 March 1942 Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Died	5 May 2016(2016-05-05) (aged 74)
Nationality	Turkish
Other names	Perihan Esfandiari-Bakhtiari La Bella Turca Princess Soprano
Citizenship	Republic of Turkey
Education	Performing arts, psychology
Alma mater	Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico
Occupation	Actress, performance artist, model, columnist, painter, singer
Years active	1950s–2016
Spouse(s)	Prince Bijan Esfandiari (7 years) Erdem Mısırlı (until 1977) B. Bensan (14 years)

Perihan Özkurt (born Perihan Benli; 18 March 1942 – 5 May 2016), known as Romalı Perihan, was a famous Turkish singer, actress, and model. She was also known as "Princess Romalı Perihan" because she was married to Prince Bijan Esfandiari-Bakhtiari from Iran.

Born and raised in Rome, Italy, Perihan was called "La Bella Turca" (The Beautiful Turk) by the Italian media. She was also known as "Princess Soprano" because of her singing. She could speak five languages, including Italian and Turkish. Before becoming a singer at age 17, she briefly studied acting. She became a well-known figure in European high society.

Romalı Perihan was the Honorary President of the Cultural Foundation of Poets Ashiks and Writers. She acted in many films from 1960 to 1982. She worked with famous directors like Federico Fellini, and was the only Turkish person to appear in one of his films. She also worked with other well-known directors such as Yılmaz Güney. She passed away in Istanbul on 5 May 2016, at the age of 74.

Early Life and Career

Perihan Benli was born in Rome, Italy. Her parents were Turkish and well-educated. Her mother's family came from Rumelia, and her father's family was from Bursa. She had two siblings.

Left to Right: Grace Kelly, Perihan, and Rosemarie Kanzler in Monte Carlo.

When she was 14, Perihan appeared in her first film. It was an Egyptian movie filmed in Cairo, where she met the actor Omar Sharif. Two years later, she married Prince Bijan Esfandiari-Bakhtiari. He was a nobleman from Iran and his father was an ambassador.

Perihan was very good at languages and could sing in both Italian and Turkish. In her twenties, she performed as a solo singer in many fancy places in Turkey. She shared the stage with famous artists like Zeki Müren. Later, she also performed in popular clubs like Cahide and Halikarnas. She even wore a very expensive costume covered in black pearls for one of her concerts.

She had many small roles in films at the start of her acting career in Italy. Her first role in Italy was in the 1960 film La dolce vita. She also appeared in Waterloo in 1970.

In the late 1970s, she became known for her songs. One of her most famous was "O Bendim O," which was a Turkish version of a French song. Her album Romalı Perihan'ın Arabesk Dünyası was very popular. In 1978, she starred in the film Kaplanlar Ağlamaz with Cüneyt Arkın.

Perihan's second husband was Erdem Mısırlı, a Turkish businessman. In 1990, Federico Fellini wanted her to star in his new film, La voce della luna. However, she had to say no because she was busy planning her wedding in Germany. Her third husband was B. Bensan, a German engineer. They lived in Stuttgart, Germany, and were married for 14 years.

Perihan was a very close friend of Ülkü Adatepe, who was one of the adopted children of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkey.

Music Albums

Perihan released several music albums and singles during her career.

LP Recordings

• O Bendim O: O'nun Hikâyesi (1976)
• Görünce Seni
• Nerden Nereye
• Vay Başıma Gelenler
• Romalı Perihan'ın Arabesk Dünyası
  • "Gitme Sana Muhtacım"
  • "Senin Olmaya Geldim"

Songs on Compilations

• Bir Zamanlar 4... (2008) (This album included her song "Histoire d'O")

Film and TV Appearances

Perihan acted in many films and made special guest appearances.

Films

Special Guest Appearances

Awards and Nominations

Perihan was recognized for her talent during her career.