Çolpan İlhan facts for kids

Çolpan İlhan (born August 8, 1936 – died July 25, 2014) was a famous Turkish actress. She starred in many movies and theater plays. In 1998, she was given the special title of State Artist of Turkey. She acted in more than 300 films and stage shows during her career.

Early Life and Education

Çolpan İlhan went to high school in Istanbul at Kandilli High School for Girls. After that, she studied acting at the İstanbul Municipal Drama School. She also learned painting at the State Academy of Istanbul for Fine Arts.

While at the Academy, she and her friends started an amateur theater group. They called it "Akademi Tiyatrosu," which means "Academy Theater." They worked together to create and perform plays.

Becoming an Actress

In 1957, Çolpan İlhan acted in her very first movie. It was called Kamelyalı Kadın, which was a film based on the famous book The Lady of the Camellias. In the same year, she started acting professionally on stage. Her first professional play was Sevgili Gölge (Dear Shadow). She performed with well-known actors like Münir Özkul at the Küçük Sahne (Little Scene) Theater.

She worked at this theater for three years until it closed down. Later, she acted in other plays like "Tersine Dönen Şemsiye" (Inside-out Umbrella). She also performed with the Kent Oyuncuları (City Performers) group. She was in plays such as "Baharın Sesi" (The Sound of Spring) and "Aptal Kız" (The Foolish Girl).

Çolpan İlhan took a short break from acting in theater when her only child was born. But in the mid-1960s, she returned to acting, mostly in movies. She became a leading actress in about 300 Turkish films. She continued acting in movies until the late 1970s. After that, she decided to focus on fashion design for a while.

State Artist of Turkey

In 1998, the Turkish Ministry of Culture gave Çolpan İlhan a very special honor. She was given the title of "State Artist of Turkey." This title is given to artists who have made great contributions to Turkish culture and art.

Her Family Life

Çolpan İlhan had a famous family. Her brother was Attila İlhan, a well-known poet and writer. She was married to Sadri Alışık, who was one of the most famous actors in Turkish cinema. They were married from 1959 until he passed away in 1995.

Çolpan and Sadri had one child together, a son named Kerem Alışık. He also grew up to become an actor, just like his parents.

Çolpan İlhan passed away on July 25, 2014, at her home in Istanbul. She died from a heart attack. She is buried next to her husband at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery in Istanbul.

Her Legacy

Çolpan İlhan created something very special to honor her husband. She founded the Sadri Alışık Cultural Center. This center helps new actors and artists learn and grow, keeping their love for art alive.

Selected Films

See also

• Cinema of Turkey