Ahmet Kostarika

Ahmet Kostarika — Biography

Ahmet Kostarika, whose real name was Ahmet Turgutlu, was a supporting actor seen in a great many Yeşilçam productions. He played in hundreds of films, most of them small but memorable character parts. His name appeared as "Ahmet Kostarika" in the great majority of his films, and the nickname "Kostarika Ahmet" eventually replaced his real name.

Born and raised in Sarıyer, Istanbul, with family roots in Kastamonu, Kostarika ran a tavern before acting: he ran Kostarika Meyhanesi in Sarıyer and was discovered by Lütfi Ömer Akad. His first film was İpsala Cinayeti, made in 1952, and he remained in front of the camera until the early 1990s. He played grocers, greengrocers, butchers, policemen, cooks, servants and, now and then, villains: a servant in Efkârlıyım Abiler, a cook in Ne Umduk Ne Bulduk, a butcher in Dönme Dolap and Homoti. Alongside films such as Köroğlu (1968), Gönül Hırsızı (1971) and Yunus Emre (1986), he also appeared in productions starring Kemal Sunal.

On television he appeared in the series Perihan Abla and Kuruluş: Osmancık. Oğlum ve Ben (1993) was among his last films. He died in Istanbul in June 1994, and is remembered as one of Yeşilçam's veterans.