Biography
Kemal Sunal graduated from Vefa Lisesi (Vefa High School). In his early ages, he started pursuing what was to become a long and successful acting career in minor roles in various theatres. For a brief period, he worked in the Kenterler Theatre and debuted in the play Zoraki Tabip. He was later transferred to the Devekuşu Kabare Theatre, where he performed his acting.
He was recognized as a real talent, and started receiving offers for movies with larger budgets and a more famous cast. His first bigger role was in the film "Tatlı Dillim" directed by Ertem Eğilmez. In a matter of years, Sunal co-starred alongside Halit Akçatepe, Şener Şen and Münir Özkul.
Perhaps the most famous of all his parts was when he played in Hababam Sınıfı (The Outrageous Class) and was known by the name of "Şaban", but most of his classmates just called him İnek (nerd) Şaban. İnek Şaban was constantly bullied and humiliated by his friends, but this never kept him from thinking the unthinkable, like digging a tunnel to escape school grounds (which later, turned out to lead to the vice-principal's office) or smoking in the school attic. The character was so pure and so fixed in the memories of the Turkish people, it was never replaced by another actor in the recent re-shootings of Hababam Sınıfı, most probably as a sign of respect to Sunal.
Notable Roles & Works
Frequent Co-Stars
Screen Partnerships & Collaborations
Dinçer Çekmez
3 Shared WorksSABAN ILE SIRIN • BAY KAMBER • SABAN ASKERDE
Yaman Tarcan
3 Shared WorksSABAN ILE SIRIN • SABAN ASKERDE • SAYGILAR BIZDEN
Bilge Zobu
2 Shared WorksBAY KAMBER • SABAN ASKERDE
Kutay Köktürk
2 Shared WorksSABAN ASKERDE • SAYGILAR BIZDEN
Halit Akçatepe
2 Shared WorksSABAN ILE SIRIN • SABAN ASKERDE
Tuncay Akça
2 Shared WorksSABAN ILE SIRIN • SABAN ASKERDE