İstemi Betil

İstemi Betil — Biography

İstemi Betil was an actor known to a wide audience as Laz Ziya in the series Kurtlar Vadisi, who combined work on stage, in film and in television series with a career as a voice actor. He appeared for years at the Ankara State Theatre and also directed plays; in Turkish dubbing he voiced Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, as well as Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. He is also known in the Arab world for the Laz Ziya role.

He graduated from the Ankara State Conservatory in 1970. His stage path began in 1969 with Cadı Kazanı and Kral Üşümesi; he went on to roles in Haydutlar, IV. Murat, Becket Yahut Tanrılarının Şerefi, Hedda Gabler, Arturo Ui'nin Önlenebilir Yükselişi, Kel Şarkıcı, Fizikçiler and Orta Direk Düğünü, and at the Istanbul State Theatre he played in Altı Kişi Yazarını Arıyor and Bir Başkası. He directed Son Gülen (1983), Çocuğum (1994) and Aykırı İkili (1997). He began voice work under the guidance of Bozkurt Kuruç.

On the big screen he appeared in the early 1970s, playing Şehmus in Alın Yazısı (1972). After appearing in the television series Dönemeç (1988), he played Douglas MacArthur in the film Cumhuriyet (1998). In 2003 Laz Ziya in Kurtlar Vadisi brought him his widest recognition; he then took roles in Büyük Buluşma, Son Osmanlı: Yandım Ali, Mahşer and Dolu Dizgin Yıllar. He died in Yalova in 2011; both of his daughters are actors.