Melih Ekener

Melih Ekener — Biography

Comic roles are what Turkish-Armenian stage, film and television actor Melih Ekener is best known for. He reached a wide audience as Bebe Ruhi in the Hababam Sınıfı films and as Zeki in the Maskeli Beşler (Masked Gang) series. Away from the screen he also served as general manager of the channel SAT-7 TÜRK. His birthday is given as 13 June in some sources and 13 July 1965 in others.

He began acting in high school, made his professional stage debut at the Kenter Theatre and then joined Hadi Çaman Yeditepe Oyuncuları. After a break for military service he returned to the stage with Ali Poyrazoğlu's company. His first work on camera came around the launch of TRT 2, in gag comedy series with Poyrazoğlu, and his first television show was Yarı Şaka Yarı Ciddi. For a time he left acting to work behind the camera as a creative producer, preparing Seç Bakalım, Parola, Kolaysa Sen de Gel and Dekolte for Kanal 6, ATV and Kanal D, and he wrote the Sabah newspaper's Children's Theatre. Through a character he created, Abuzer, he moved into radio, working at Best FM and Radyo D.

After two years living in America he came home when he heard Ferdi Eğilmez would remake Hababam Sınıfı. He played Bebe Ruhi in Hababam Sınıfı Merhaba, Hababam Sınıfı Askerde and Hababam Sınıfı 3,5, then Zeki in Maskeli Beşler İntikam Peşinde (2005), Maskeli Beşler: Irak (2007) and Maskeli Beşler: Kıbrıs (2008). Süper Ajan K9 and Yalancı Romantik (both 2008) date from the same period. One of his latest stage jobs was Münasebetsiz.