Haldun Taner
Encyclopedia
Haldun Taner is a well-known Turkish
playwright
and short story writer. He was born on March 16, 1915 in Istanbul
. After graduating from the Galatasaray High School in 1935, he studied politics and economy at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, until a serious health problem forced him to return to Turkey, where he graduated from the Faculty of German Literature and Linguistics in 1950. He also studied theatre and philosophy at the University of Vienna
between 1955 and 1957 under the direction of Heinz Kindermann (1894–1985), an Austrian theater and literary scholar.
As a well-disciplined writer accumulating a rich blend of culture, Taner wrote a great number of stories, generally humorous; essays, newspaper columns, travel writings and theatre plays, in particular, brought him several important awards including the New York Herald Tribune Story Contest First Prize (1954), the Sait Faik Story Award (1954), the International Festival of the Humor of Bordighera Award (1969), and so on. Among his plays, the most popular is Keşanlı Ali Destanı (Epopee of Ali of Keshan). His stories have been translated into German, French, English, Russian, Greek, Slovanian, Swedish, and Hebrew.
Taner affected Turkish theater with the so called Haldun Taner Theater named after his school of cabaret
theater style. In 1967, together with Metin Akpınar
, Zeki Alasya
, and Ahmet Gülhan
, he founded the
Devekuşu Kabere ("Ostrich Cabaret
Theater"). He educated and worked with many actors and directors. In addition, he has a distinguished place in Turkish literature due to his essays, and newspaper articles. He died of a sudden heart attack on May 7, 1986, in Istanbul.
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and short story writer. He was born on March 16, 1915 in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. After graduating from the Galatasaray High School in 1935, he studied politics and economy at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, until a serious health problem forced him to return to Turkey, where he graduated from the Faculty of German Literature and Linguistics in 1950. He also studied theatre and philosophy at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
between 1955 and 1957 under the direction of Heinz Kindermann (1894–1985), an Austrian theater and literary scholar.
As a well-disciplined writer accumulating a rich blend of culture, Taner wrote a great number of stories, generally humorous; essays, newspaper columns, travel writings and theatre plays, in particular, brought him several important awards including the New York Herald Tribune Story Contest First Prize (1954), the Sait Faik Story Award (1954), the International Festival of the Humor of Bordighera Award (1969), and so on. Among his plays, the most popular is Keşanlı Ali Destanı (Epopee of Ali of Keshan). His stories have been translated into German, French, English, Russian, Greek, Slovanian, Swedish, and Hebrew.
Taner affected Turkish theater with the so called Haldun Taner Theater named after his school of cabaret
theater style. In 1967, together with Metin Akpınar
Metin Akpinar
Metin Akpınar is a Turkish actor. He has been one of the most successful comedians in Turkey.-Biography:He was born in Aksaray,Istanbul, and graduated from Pertevniyal high school. He pursued his university career in Faculty of Law and Literature at Istanbul.His professional career started in 1964...
, Zeki Alasya
Zeki Alasya
Zeki Alasyam is a Turkish actor and director. Alasya is of Turkish Cypriot descent and is the cousin of Kıbrıslı Mehmed Kamil Pasha....
, and Ahmet Gülhan
Ahmet Gülhan
Ahmet Gülhan is a male freestyle wrestler from Turkey. He participated in Men's freestyle 74 kg at 2008 Summer Olympics. After beating Ali Abdo from Australia he lost with Buvaisar Saitiev from Russia. In Repechage Round he lost with and was eliminated by Cho Byung-Kwan from South Korea...
, he founded the
Devekuşu Kabere ("Ostrich Cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
Theater"). He educated and worked with many actors and directors. In addition, he has a distinguished place in Turkish literature due to his essays, and newspaper articles. He died of a sudden heart attack on May 7, 1986, in Istanbul.