Legendary Yesilcam actor Cuneyt Arkin (Fahrettin Cureklibatur), who starred in over 300 films, brought a new breath to Turkish cinema in the action genre. The master artist, who passed away on June 28, 2022 at the age of 85, left his mark on memories with a career spanning from romantic leading roles to heroic series such as Malkocoglu and Battalgazi.
Birth and Education Years
Born on September 8, 1937 in the Karacay village of Eskisehir, Arkin was the son of Haci Yakup and Halise, who were of Nogai Turk origin. After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine in 1962, he worked as a doctor in Adana and its surroundings for a while. During his university years, his poetry and story attempts were published in various magazines.
Entry into Cinema
He caught the attention of director Halit Refig on the set of the 1963 film "Safak Bekcileri" (Dawn Guards), starring Goksel Arsoy. Arkin, who won first place in the competition of Artist magazine the same year, appeared before the camera in the 1964 film "Gurbet Kuslari" (Birds of Exile) upon Refig's offer. Initially known for romantic lover roles, the actor quickly reached a wide audience with his handsome physique.
A First in Action Cinema
The main turning point in Arkin's career was learning acrobatics, horseback riding and sword techniques by working for free at the Medrano Circus that came to Istanbul. The artist, who brought this experience to historical action films such as "Malkocoglu", "Battalgazi", "Koroglu" and "Osmanli Kartali" (Ottoman Eagle), created an unprecedented style in Turkish cinema by performing his own stunts.
Halit Refig said the following about this transformation of Arkin:
After Gurbet Kuslari, Cuneyt Arkin was generally given romantic young lover roles appealing to the female audience. I must confess that personalities like 'Malkocoglu' or 'The Man Who Saves the World' that would make him famous first in Turkey and then worldwide never crossed my mind. He created Cuneyt Arkin himself, and there is no other like him in world cinema history.
Arkin's films gained an international fan base, being shown abroad as "George Arkin" in Italy and as "Fahrettin" in Iran.
Personal Life
The artist, who had his first marriage with his classmate doctor Guler Mocan, had a daughter named Filiz in 1966; the couple divorced in 1968. Arkin married Betul Isil in 1970, and had two sons from this union, Kaan and Murat.
Award-Winning Career
Arkin, who won the Golden Orange Best Actor award in 1969 for "Insanlar Yasadikca" (As Long as People Live), refused the award in 1972 at the Golden Cocoon Awards due to a controversial selection involving Yilmaz Guney. He later won another Golden Orange for the film "Maglup Edilemeyenler" (The Unbeatable). He was deemed worthy of many prestigious awards, including lifetime achievement awards and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Grand Prize.
Versatile Artist
Not limited to acting, Arkin also took part in socially themed films such as "Maden" (The Mine) and "Vatandas Riza" (Citizen Riza), and directed and wrote screenplays for several films. The artist, who briefly wrote health columns for magazines and newspapers, became a candidate for the Motherland Party for the Eskisehir parliamentary seat in 1991 but was not elected.
Death
Cuneyt Arkin died at the age of 85 in Istanbul on June 28, 2022 due to cardiac arrest. His death was seen as a great loss for Turkish cinema and his fans.
