Gülsüm Kamu

Gülsüm Kamu — Biography

Gülsüm Kamu's career as a Turkish actress runs from the stage into Yeşilçam cinema and then television series, and for a time she also recorded music. In the mid-1960s she appeared in dozens of Turkish films, most notably Krallar Kralı, Beyaz Atlı Adam, Sabah Yıldızı and Melikşah. After years away from the stage she returned to theatre life in 2005.

She took her name from the poet Kemalettin Kamu, her mother's uncle. She attended the Notre-Dame de Sion French Girls' High School in Istanbul, received her first acting lessons from her neighbour Yıldız Kenter, appeared with Kent Oyuncuları in 1962 and in 1964 played the lead in Nalınlar at Ses Tiyatrosu. She later worked at the Gen-Ar and Gülriz Sururi-Engin Cezzar theatres and at Ankara Meydan Sahnesi. Her film debut was Afilli Delikanlılar in 1964; in Krallar Kralı she played Necla and in Tamirci Parçası Naciye Pastırmacı. In 1967 she recorded the single Aliyi Gördüm Aliyi / Sık Kaynana Dişini and worked as a vocalist for nine years.

After marrying and separating from the Iranian actor Cihangir Gaffari she returned to Türkiye and founded Kamu Tiyatrosu under her own name. Following the company's bankruptcy she ran a boutique and worked as a seamstress, then rejoined Kent Oyuncuları. She also had a brief marriage to Müşfik Kenter. On television she appeared in Sensiz Olmuyor, Sessiz Gemiler, Hicran Yarası and Karadağlar, and on screen in 72. Koğuş.