Tuncel Kurtiz

Acting

Tuncel Kurtiz

Born February 1, 1936 · Bilecik, Turkey

Died September 27, 2013 · aged 77

Tuncel Tayanç Kurtiz (1 February 1936 – 27 September 2013) was a Turkish theatre, movie and TV series actor, playwright, and film director Since 1964, he acted in more than 70 movies, including many international productions. Since 1958, Kurtiz performed on many stages in Istanbul, in state and private theatres. He was also on the stage at Gothenburg City Theatre, Stockholm Royal Theatre and Swed…

Known For

Journey on a Clock HandJourney on a Clock Hand · 1997
Journey on a Clock Hand
5.71997
MovieMysteryDrama
A Turkish watchmaker is employed to mend a village clock that has not worked for some seven years. However, what seems like a simple and un-exciting task is plunged into a web of mystery and intrigue when the watchmaker innocently witnesses the murder of a beautiful woman on his first day in the village.
HopeHope · 1970
Hope
7.41970
MovieDrama
After losing one of his horses in an accident, an illiterate horse cab driver sets out into the desert in a quest for a mythical lost treasure.
Bir Aşk UğrunaBir Aşk Uğruna · 1994
Bir Aşk Uğruna
9.01994
MovieDramaRomance
Somersault in a CoffinSomersault in a Coffin · 1996
Somersault in a Coffin
7.31996
MovieDrama
Mahsun Supertitiz is an unemployed homeless man who steals cars at night so that he can sleep in a heated place during the winter. Mahsun lives in Rumelihisar, an old section of Istanbul, and makes ends meet by getting the local fishermen to help him. Mahsun loves the cars he robs, cleans and polishes them, and drives them through the streets of Rumelihisar during the daytime.
KanalKanal · 1979
Kanal
6.31979
MovieDrama
Based on real events, this story traces a young district governor’s moral awakening as he confronts a powerful landowner in rural Adana. What begins as a routine bureaucratic act soon turns into a struggle to shield villagers from exploitation, greed, and the threat of malaria.
Işıklar SönmesinIşıklar Sönmesin · 1996
Işıklar Sönmesin
6.01996
MovieDrama
The struggle of Seydo, whom he was assigned to go with lieutenant Murat, in the tough geography of the Southeast Anatolia.
The Last BirdsThe Last Birds · 1965
The Last Birds
6.31965
MovieDramaRomance
A love story begins in an Istanbul bookstore. A young engineer meets a schoolgirl in her final year of studies. He follows her to her home. The next day, he looks again for her, and again and again. Slowly, he overcomes her shyness to win her affection, and finally her love.
Law of the BorderLaw of the Border · 1966
Law of the Border
6.31966
MovieCrimeDrama
In Deliviran, a village near Urfa close to the Syrian border, Hidir’s chief is involved in smuggling and gets shot. Hidir tries to stay out of illegal activities but circumstances contrive to push him in the opposite direction until he accepts to take a herd of sheep across the border.

Movies

Journey on a Clock HandJourney on a Clock Hand · 1997
Journey on a Clock Hand
5.71997
MovieMysteryDrama
A Turkish watchmaker is employed to mend a village clock that has not worked for some seven years. However, what seems like a simple and un-exciting task is plunged into a web of mystery and intrigue when the watchmaker innocently witnesses the murder of a beautiful woman on his first day in the village.
HopeHope · 1970
Hope
7.41970
MovieDrama
After losing one of his horses in an accident, an illiterate horse cab driver sets out into the desert in a quest for a mythical lost treasure.
Bir Aşk UğrunaBir Aşk Uğruna · 1994
Bir Aşk Uğruna
9.01994
MovieDramaRomance
Somersault in a CoffinSomersault in a Coffin · 1996
Somersault in a Coffin
7.31996
MovieDrama
Mahsun Supertitiz is an unemployed homeless man who steals cars at night so that he can sleep in a heated place during the winter. Mahsun lives in Rumelihisar, an old section of Istanbul, and makes ends meet by getting the local fishermen to help him. Mahsun loves the cars he robs, cleans and polishes them, and drives them through the streets of Rumelihisar during the daytime.
KanalKanal · 1979
Kanal
6.31979
MovieDrama
Based on real events, this story traces a young district governor’s moral awakening as he confronts a powerful landowner in rural Adana. What begins as a routine bureaucratic act soon turns into a struggle to shield villagers from exploitation, greed, and the threat of malaria.
Işıklar SönmesinIşıklar Sönmesin · 1996
Işıklar Sönmesin
6.01996
MovieDrama
The struggle of Seydo, whom he was assigned to go with lieutenant Murat, in the tough geography of the Southeast Anatolia.
The Last BirdsThe Last Birds · 1965
The Last Birds
6.31965
MovieDramaRomance
A love story begins in an Istanbul bookstore. A young engineer meets a schoolgirl in her final year of studies. He follows her to her home. The next day, he looks again for her, and again and again. Slowly, he overcomes her shyness to win her affection, and finally her love.
Law of the BorderLaw of the Border · 1966
Law of the Border
6.31966
MovieCrimeDrama
In Deliviran, a village near Urfa close to the Syrian border, Hidir’s chief is involved in smuggling and gets shot. Hidir tries to stay out of illegal activities but circumstances contrive to push him in the opposite direction until he accepts to take a herd of sheep across the border.
Ağrı'ya DönüşAğrı'ya Dönüş · 1994
Ağrı'ya Dönüş
10.01994
MovieDrama
Jack Hunter and the Quest for Akhenaten's TombJack Hunter and the Quest for Akhenaten's Tomb · 2008
Jack Hunter and the Quest for Akhenaten's Tomb
6.22008
MovieAdventureAction
Adventurer Jack Hunter sets off in pursuit of a legendary tomb, meeting dangerous old adversaries, and even more dangerous old flames, along the way.
Kuduz RecepKuduz Recep · 1967
Kuduz Recep
9.01967
MovieAdventureHistory
The film tells the story of a gang leader who helps in the national struggle. Paşa receives gold from foreign powers in order to neutralize the National Forces. Meanwhile, Captain Murat, gang leader Kuduz Recep, and his men raid Paşa's house. They seize all the gold and set off for Ankara. Kuduz Recep says he cannot continue on the journey because he was wounded in the raid. He takes the gold and flees with his men. Captain Murat pursues Kuduz Recep and his men. Hamza, one of Recep's men, takes advantage of Recep's injury, ties him up, and throws him into the river. He hides the gold and takes over as the leader of the gang. Captain Murat finds Recep in the river and they begin searching for Hamza together. Captain Murat is killed during a clash with Hamza's men. Meanwhile, Recep finds Hamza and takes the gold. He will then set off to transport the gold to Ankara.
All Over the Place - A Portrait of Tuncel KurtizAll Over the Place - A Portrait of Tuncel Kurtiz · 2025
All Over the Place - A Portrait of Tuncel Kurtiz
5.52025
MovieDocumentary
Tuncel Kurtiz is an international actor who has worked in various countries such as Turkey, Germany, and Sweden throughout his fifty-year career. He has starred in countless works in cinema, stage and television and has received many awards, including the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. He has directed two documentaries and a feature-length fiction film. Kurtiz's acting performance ranges from popular melodramas to major plays such as Mahabharata (Peter Brook), encompassing many different genres and styles. As an actor, Kurtiz believes in the creative power of chaos: 'Chaos is the most difficult to create / Not a false chaos / Many things come out of chaos'. Through testimonies, film excerpts, and archive footage, this documentary reflects Tuncel Kurtiz's diverse body of artistic work in all its dimensions for the first time. In the background of this detailed portrait are Turkey's turbulent years and the reality of exile.
The Edge of HeavenThe Edge of Heaven · 2007
The Edge of Heaven
7.22007
MovieDrama
The lives of six German-Turkish immigrants are drawn together by circumstance: An old man and a prostitute forging a partnership, a young scholar reconciling his past, two young women falling in love, and a mother putting the shattered pieces of her life back together.
The BusThe Bus · 1974
The Bus
6.61974
MovieDramaComedy
A group of illegal immigrants are brought to Stockholm in a bus by a smuggler who takes all their money and passports, and then runs away.
The Lost GiftThe Lost Gift · 2010
The Lost Gift
2010
MovieHistoryFantasy
The Japanese Emperor Meiji wants Torajiro Yamada to bring a gift to the Ottoman Emperor Abdülhamid II. It is the symbol of the first diplomatic encounter between the two cultures. Torajiro Yamada's ship finally reaches the Aegean Sea after a long journey, but pirates attack the ship and steal the gift. Janissary Orhan and samurai Yamada start their bloody quest upon finding that on Ottoman soil.
The Legend of the Ugly KingThe Legend of the Ugly King · 2017
The Legend of the Ugly King
7.02017
MovieDocumentary
Director Hüseyin Tabak explores the legacy of Yilmaz Güney — political dissident, convicted murderer, and visionary Kurdish filmmaker — who directed the 1982 Palme d'Or–winning Yol from inside prison and died in exile just two years later.
Kanlı MeydanKanlı Meydan · 1965
Kanlı Meydan
8.01965
MovieDrama
Krallar KralıKrallar Kralı · 1965
Krallar Kralı
6.01965
MovieAdventure
It tells the story of how Murat's life changed when he was caught committing a robbery. While searching for a way out of his poverty, Murat gets involved in Yusuf and Sabri's robbery plans. They promise not to betray each other if they get caught. Murat is caught at the last moment. He takes all the blame and is sentenced to twenty years in prison. Yusuf and Sabri break their promise and do not visit Murat in prison. Murat spends years waiting for the day he will be released. During this time, Yusuf and Sabri invest the money they earned and become wealthy. When Murat is released, he demands a share not only of the money from the robbery but of everything they own. When Yusuf and Sabri refuse, a bitter struggle ensues between them.
Sokaklar YanıyorSokaklar Yanıyor · 1965
Sokaklar Yanıyor
7.01965
MovieDramaRomance
Istanbul Beneath My WingsIstanbul Beneath My Wings · 1996
Istanbul Beneath My Wings
6.71996
MovieAdventureHistory
During the sea battle which took place between the Ottoman Empire and the Italians, a ship which had been seized in the Mediterranean Sea is brought to Istanbul, and a young wounded lady named Francesca, the daughter of the killed Captain, becomes a slave for Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi.
The WallThe Wall · 1983
The Wall
7.11983
MovieDrama
Produced, written and directed by Yılmaz Güney within his own personal experiences of capital offense, he dedicates Duvar to male teenagers aged 13 to 19 living behind the bars under diabolical treatments. These teenagers get barbaric corporal punishments, injurious harrows, tortures and sexual abuses just for taking the responsibility of their destiny on a wrong turn.
Happy Family JournalHappy Family Journal · 2013
Happy Family Journal
6.12013
MovieComedy
Children of a retired colonel come together after their father falls from the rooftop. This constrained togetherness reveals their lies day by day.
The Smile of the LambThe Smile of the Lamb · 1986
The Smile of the Lamb
5.31986
MovieDrama
This Israeli-made film is set along the battle-torn West Bank. Military governor Makram Khouri tries to flush out some fugitive PLO activists by hanging the rotting, stinking carcass of a dead donkey in a village square. Israeli doctor Rami Danon forgets his animosity towards the PLO and, out of compassion, cuts the carcass down. For disobeying Khouri's orders, Danon becomes as much a fugitive as the Palestinians. While in hiding, Danon befriends Arab hermit Tuncel Kurtiz, whose adopted son is a member of the PLO.
The MahabharataThe Mahabharata · 1990
The Mahabharata
7.11990
MovieDramaWar
One of the great masterpieces of world literature comes to vivid life in an elaborate production from acclaimed theater and film innovator Peter Brook. This collection of ancient Sanskrit stories (composed into the longest book ever written) comprises a series of enlightened fables at the heart of countless beliefs, legends, and teachings; indeed, its very title means "the great story of mankind." Brook and writer Jean-Claude Carriere worked for eight years to develop this epic concerning two sides of a royal family, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, whose struggle leads to a fascinating voyage of emotions, passion and vision of glory. Briefly, the Mahabharata is a tale of two rival sets of brothers, cousins to eachother, each born into royalty and with divinely guided paths in life. The result, however, is a great war, death, destruction - a vast epic.

TV Shows

Scene of the CrimeScene of the Crime · 1970
Scene of the Crime
6.21970
SeriesDramaCrime
Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland.
The Magnificent CenturyThe Magnificent Century · 2011
The Magnificent Century
8.12011
SeriesDrama
At the age of 26, when his reign began, Sultan Süleyman sought to build an empire more powerful than Alexander the Great and to render the Ottomans invincible. Throughout his 46-year reign, his fame as the greatest warrior and ruler of his age spreads both to the East and West. With his companion Pargalı İbrahim, Süleyman achieves great victories, and makes his name known in the Muslim World. Süleyman called İbrahim his brother, friend and advisor. The television series shows Süleyman's consolidation of his power: Pargalı İbrahim being grand minister of state, reinforcing the rule of law throughout the empire, meeting foreign diplomats, and preparing for military campaigns, all set against the backdrop of the tension between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
EzelEzel · 2009
Ezel
8.42009
SeriesCrimeDrama
Ömer, a young man returning from military service, is set up by his friends and fiancé and ends up in prison for ten years. He fakes his own death and manages to escape. He re-creates himself as ‘Ezel’, a high-end gambler who is outwardly a successful man, but inwardly driven by one thing - his determination to understand why the people he loved betrayed him, and take his revenge.
AsiAsi · 2007
Asi
7.12007
SeriesFamilyDrama
Asi is a Turkish television drama serial. The series originally aired from Jule 21, 2007 to June 15, 2009. It ran for two seasons on Kanal D.
AlacakaranlıkAlacakaranlık · 2003
Alacakaranlık
7.42003
Series
The MahabharataThe Mahabharata · 1990
The Mahabharata
6.01990
Series
The Mahabharata is a 1989 film version of the Indian epic based on the history of India, Mahabharata directed by Peter Brook. Brook's original 1985 stage play was 9 hours long, and toured around the world for four years. In 1989, it was reduced to under 6 hours for television. Later it was also reduced to about 3 hours for theatrical and DVD release. The screenplay was the result of eight years' work by Peter Brook, Jean-Claude Carrière and Marie-Hélène Estienne. For the casting an international selection of actors was intentionally chosen, to show that the nature of the Indian epic is the story of all humanity.
KvällspressenKvällspressen · 1992
Kvällspressen
7.51992
SeriesDramaCrime
The story of the fictional evening newspaper Kvällspressen and the journalists who works at its editorial office in Stockholm.
GölgedekilerGölgedekiler · 1994
Gölgedekiler
1994
SeriesDocumentary