Turhan Bey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Turhan Bey
Bey in 1946
Born	Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi (1922-03-30)30 March 1922 Vienna, Austria
Died	30 September 2012(2012-09-30) (aged 90) Vienna, Austria
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1941–1953; 1990–1998

Turhan Bey (born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi, March 30, 1922 – September 30, 2012) was an actor from Austria. He had Turkish and Czech-Jewish family roots. He worked in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953. Fans called him "The Turkish Delight." After his acting career, he returned to Austria. There, he became a photographer and a director for plays.

He came back to Hollywood after 40 years. In the 1990s, he appeared in TV shows like SeaQuest DSV, Murder, She Wrote, and Babylon 5. He also acted in a few more films. After he stopped acting, he was featured in several documentaries. One of these was a German film about his life.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Turhan Bey was born in Vienna, Austria, on March 30, 1922. His father was a Turkish diplomat. His mother was from Czechoslovakia and was Jewish.

In October 1938, Austria became part of Nazi Germany. After his parents divorced, Turhan and his mother moved to the United States. They first lived in New Hampshire. In 1939, they moved to Los Angeles.

Learning to Act

Turhan Bey studied acting at Ben Bard's School of Dramatic Art. He also performed at the Pasadena Playhouse. He took classes to improve his English. During these classes, he was asked to act in a teacher's play.

Turhan said that Ben Bard helped him choose his stage name. Bard knew that "Bey" was a respectful title in Turkey. So he suggested, "Why don't we just make it Turhan Bey?"

In December 1939, Turhan performed in Bard's Talent Scout Revue on stage. The Los Angeles Times newspaper praised his acting. A talent scout from Warner Bros. saw him perform. The scout was impressed and offered him a contract. This is how Turhan Bey started his acting career.

First Steps in Hollywood

Turhan Bey appeared in small roles for Warner Bros. He often played characters who seemed a bit mysterious. His early films included Shadows on the Stairs (1941) and Footsteps in the Dark (1941). After these films, Warner Bros. did not renew his contract.

Working at Universal Studios

Turhan then moved to Universal Studios. He had small parts in movies like Raiders of the Desert (1941) and Burma Convoy (1941). He also worked for RKO studios for The Gay Falcon (1941). This was the first film in The Falcon series. He returned to Universal for Bombay Clipper (1942).

Turhan had a slightly bigger role in Unseen Enemy (1942). He played a Japanese spy. He was also in the adventure series Junior G-Men of the Air (1942). He appeared in Drums of the Congo (1942). Then he went back to RKO for The Falcon Takes Over (1942).

He played an islander in Danger in the Pacific (1942). He was also a Japanese officer in Destination Unknown (1942). One of his favorite roles was as an Egyptian follower in The Mummy's Tomb (1942).

Turhan's first big color movie was Arabian Nights (1942). He played a captain. The movie was a huge hit! This led to many more adventure films. People started to notice Turhan. One reviewer even called him "a handsome snake in the grass."

He was in The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1942). Then he got a great chance in White Savage (1943). This film was a follow-up to Arabian Nights. Turhan played the brother of the main character. The movie was very successful.

Warner Bros. borrowed Turhan for a small role in Background to Danger (1943). This movie was set in Turkey.

Becoming a Star

Turhan Bey started getting a lot of fan mail. Universal Studios began to make him a bigger star. A famous journalist, Hedda Hopper, even called him "a Turkish Valentino."

He was the main actor in the horror film The Mad Ghoul (1943). When actor Sabu joined the army, Turhan took his place. He starred in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944). This was a colorful and popular movie. Turhan also had a small appearance in Universal's all-star film Follow the Boys (1944).

Turhan was supposed to be in Gypsy Wildcat (1944). But MGM asked him to play a Chinese character in Dragon Seed (1944). This movie starred Katharine Hepburn. Turhan's part in Gypsy Wildcat went to another actor.

Dragon Seed made a lot of money. Turhan said working at MGM was "very exciting." But he liked Universal's faster way of making movies.

Back at Universal, Turhan was the romantic lead in The Climax (1944). He also had an important role in the musical Bowery to Broadway (1944). In 1944, a survey of movie theater owners listed Turhan Bey as one of the top "Stars of Tomorrow." Universal even announced he would star in Return of the Sheik.

Universal put Turhan and Susanna Foster in the Western film Frisco Sal (1945). He was also well-suited for his role in Sudan (1945). MGM wanted Turhan for a part in Weekend at the Waldorf. But Universal needed him for another film, Night in Paradise (1946). In this movie, Turhan played Aesop. Turhan later said he often arrived late to the set, which he regretted. This movie did not do well at the box office. It hurt Turhan's standing in Hollywood.

Serving in the Army

Turhan Bey was a Turkish citizen. This meant he was not called for the draft at first. But Turkey declared war on Germany in February 1945. In June, Turhan joined the army. He served for 18 months. This pause in his career stopped his momentum.

When he left the army, Universal offered him a film. Turhan refused it and was put on hold. Universal then sold his contract to Eagle-Lion. Turhan later said his time at Universal was "very pleasant." He felt he should have been more serious about his work because he was very young.

Films with Eagle-Lion

Turhan Bey with Arturo de Córdova in Adventures of Casanova (1948)

Turhan Bey in The Amazing Mr. X (1948)

Turhan Bey made four films with Eagle-Lion. The first was the comedy Out of the Blue (1947). Next was the adventure film Adventures of Casanova (1948). Turhan also made the thriller The Amazing Mr. X (1948). His fourth film for Eagle-Lion was Parole, Inc (1948). In August 1948, he acted in a play called The Second Man.

Later Films and Return to Hollywood

Turhan Bey made Song of India (1949). This film was not very successful. He also bought a share in a cafe in Palm Springs. In Austria, he produced Stolen Identity (1953), but he did not act in it.

He returned to Hollywood and was cast in Prisoners of the Casbah (1953). He announced he had started his own film company. He wanted to produce films, not just act in them.

In the early 1990s, Turhan returned to the United States. He appeared in TV shows like SeaQuest 2032, Murder, She Wrote, VR.5, and The Visitor. He also guest-starred in two episodes of Babylon 5. In one, he played an emperor. In the other, he played a space ranger.

Turhan was in the thriller Possessed by the Night (1994). He also appeared in the drama Healer (1994), The Skateboard Kid 2 (1995), and Grid Runners (1995). A documentary about his life, Vom Glück verfolgt. Wien – Hollywood – Retour, was made in 2002. He also appeared in another documentary called Extra Bonus in 2000.

Personal Life

Feuerhalle Simmering, grave of Turhan Bey and his mother Friederike

Turhan Bey was linked to actress Lana Turner at one point. Their relationship ended when he joined the army.

Death

Turhan Bey passed away on September 30, 2012. He died from Parkinson's disease. His ashes are buried next to his mother's at Feuerhalle Simmering in Vienna.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Turhan Bey para niños