Veteran Turkish actor Münir Özkul, one of the iconic names of Turkey's Yeşilçam cinema scene, died Friday at the age of 93 at his Istanbul home.
Born on Aug. 15, 1925 in Bakırköy, Istanbul, Özkul started his acting career in late 1940. Throughout 1950's and 1960's, his main focus was theater, whereas he also played minor roles in movies that brought him overall recognition by Turkish audiences.
Özkul rose to fame in 1970's with major roles in Yeşilçam comedy and family drama movies, which also featured some of his most famous peers at the time. Along with actress Adile Naşit, another iconic figure of Turkish cinema, they formed an unforgettable duo in family dramas, whereas his most famous role in that period was "Mahmut Hoca" in "Hababam Sınıfı" (Class of the Reckless) series, in which he portrayed a strict but compassionate vice principal admired and respected by his students.
Özkul continued acting, although less frequently, until early 2000's. Since 2003, he has been away from public scene due to dementia and old age.
In 1998, he was awarded the honorary title of "State Artist of Turkey".
In 1972, he received the Golden Orange Award -- known as the Turkish Oscars -- for Best Actor for his performance in the Turkish movie Sev Kardeşim ('Love My Brother').
He married four times and had three children.
