Kartal Tibet (born 27 March 1938, Ankara – died 1 July 2021, Istanbul) was a Turkish actor, director, and screenwriter. Throughout his career, he played leading roles in 120 films and directed 56 feature films as well as numerous television series.

Kartal Tibet was born in Ankara to a teacher mother and father. His father, Hasan Tibet, later became a lawyer. He learned to read and write by the age of five and began reading newspapers to his grandfather. He won first prizes in Ankara-level poetry competitions during primary school, middle school, high school, and inter-university contests. At the age of ten, he appeared on stage in performances for Ankara Children’s Radio, voiced the lead role in the “Ayshe Abla” radio plays of the Radio Children’s Club, and performed child roles in adult productions of the State Theatres.

After completing his high school education at Ankara College, he worked briefly as a physical education teacher. Although initially distant from a career in the arts due to his parents’ separation and his father’s profession, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at his father’s insistence. During this period, he also became one of Ankara’s most renowned basketball players. As his interest in theatre grew stronger, he gained admission with top grades to the Theatre Department of Ankara University State Conservatory and graduated in 1960.

^{Infographic on Kartal Tibet’s life -} Anadolu Ajansı

In 1963, he married Gündüz Sencer. They had two children: Kanat (born 1964) and Kumru (born 1973). Kartal Tibet was also the stepfather of Civan Canova, a theatre and film actor from his wife’s previous marriage.

Theatre Career After completing his conservatory education, he appeared in the play “Ekmek Parası” in 1959 and performed in Albert Camus’s “Caligula,” staged by Mahir Canova, in 1960.

In 1961, he left the State Theatres and became one of the founders of Meydan Sahnesi, Ankara’s first private theatre. He directed four plays and performed in around twenty productions there. Throughout his theatre career, he staged a total of ten plays in Istanbul, Ankara, Trabzon, Adana, İzmir, and Bursa.

Acting Career His transition to cinema began when Suat Yalaz offered him the lead role in the film adaptation of his comic strip “Karaoğlan.”

In 1965, he made his debut in Yeşilçam with the film “Karaoğlan: Altay’dan Gelen Yiğit.” Alongside the period’s historical adventure film movement, he played the lead in “Karaoğlan: Baybora’nın Oğlu” (1966), “Karaoğlan: Camoka’nın İntikamı” (1966), “Karaoğlan: Bizanslı Zorba” (1967), “Karaoğlan: Yeşil Ejder” (1967), and “Karaoğlan Geliyor” (1972).

He later brought Sezgin Burak’s “Tarkan” character to the cinema, appearing in “Tarkan” (1969), “Tarkan: Gümüş Eyer” (1970), “Tarkan: Viking Kanı” (1971), “Tarkan: Altın Madalyon” (1972), and “Tarkan: Güçlü Kahraman” (1973). In addition to these adventure series, he played leading roles in a total of 120 films, including literary adaptations and melodramas such as “Çalıkuşu,” “Zambaklar Açarken,” “Sarmaşık Gülleri,” and “Boş Çerçeve.” Other notable roles include “Sancakbeyi Murad,” “Bir Osmanlı Savaşçısı,” “Bağdat’ta Bir Hırsız,” and “İngiliz Kemal.”

^{Kartal Tibet -} Anadolu Ajansı

Towards the end of the 1970s, he stepped away from acting and moved behind the camera, making his directorial debut in 1976 (according to some sources, 1977) with the film “Tosun Paşa.”

Throughout his career, he directed fifty-six films, more than twenty of which starred Kemal Sunal.

His films generally combined comedy with drama, addressing social issues, corrupt politicians, and injustices. “Zübük,” “Deli Deli Küpeli,” “Katma Değer Şaban,” “Koltuk Belası,” and “Ortadirek Şaban” are among these films. With the “Gırgıriye” series, he introduced a distinctive collective acting style to Turkish cinema.

In the 1990s, he turned to television series, directing over two hundred episodes of shows such as “Süper Baba,” “Yasemince,” “Emret Komutanım,” “Ah Bir Zengin Olsam,” “Zoraki Koca,” and “Hayat Güzeldir.” In the 2000s, he returned to cinema with the projects “Hababam Sınıfı Merhaba” (2003) and “Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam’ın Oğlu” (2006).

He also wrote the screenplays for “Gol Kralı,” “Davaro,” “Çarıklı Milyoner,” “Şabaniye,” “Sosyete Şaban,” “Şendul Şaban,” “Deli Deli Küpeli,” “Arkadaşım ve Ben,” “Öğretmen,” “Uyanık Gazeteci,” and “Duygu Çemberi.”

He spent his final three years at home under the care of his daughter and physicians. In the last days of his illness, inflammation in his lungs spread to his brain, causing a minor cerebral hemorrhage and multiple organ failure. He died on 1 July 2021 in Istanbul at the age of 83. At his own request, no state funeral was held. After a funeral prayer at Zincirlikuyu Camii, he was buried at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery.

2002: 39th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival – Lifetime Honorary Award.

2006: Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival – Yıldırım Önal Memorial Award.

2014: Sadri Alışık Theatre and Cinema Awards – Cinema Honorary Award.

^{Kartal Tibet’s funeral ceremony - Anadolu Ajansı}

• 1965: Karaoğlan: Altay’dan Gelen Yiğit, Hıçkırık, Serseri Aşık, Sana Layık Değilim.
• 1966: Çalıkuşu, Baybora’nın Oğlu, Kanunsuz Yol, Yiğit Kanı, Beyoğlu’nda Vuruşanlar, Fatih’in Fedaisi, Ben Bir Sokak Kadınıyım, Ölüm Temizler, Bir Millet Uyanıyor, İnsan Bir Kere Ölür, Camoka’nın İntikamı, Arzunun Bedeli, Siyah Gül, Damgalı Kadın, Ölmeyen Aşk.
• 1967: Son Gece, Parmaklıklar Arkasında, Osmanlı Kabadayısı, Kader Bağı, Ölünceye Kadar, Dokuzuncu Hariciye Koğuşu, Elveda, Hırsız Prenses, Kanunsuz Toprak, Kara Davut, Karaoğlan: Bizanslı Zorba, Karaoğlan: Yeşil Ejder, Ömre Bedel Kız, Paşa Kızı, Sefiller, Amansız Takip.
• 1968: Bağdat Hırsızı, Benim De Kalbim Var, Funda, Hırsız Kız, İngiliz Kemal, İstanbul Tatili, Kanun Namına, Mafia Ölüm Saçıyor, Nilgün, Sarmaşık Gülleri, Sevemez Kimse Seni, Son Hatıra, Sabahsız Geceler, Aşka Tövbe, Tahran Macerası.
• 1969: Tarkan, Boş Çerçeve, Çakırcalı Mehmet Efe, Cilveli Kız, Dağlar Şahini, Kızım ve Ben, Kötü Kader, Namluda Üç Kurşun, Namus Fedaisi, Reyhan, Seninle Düştüm Dile, Yumurcak, Deli Murat.
• 1970: Arkadaşlık Öldü mü, Aşk ve Tabanca, Beyaz Güller, Fadime, Güller ve Dikenler, İşportacı Kız, Kadın Satılmaz, Kıskanırım Seni, Küçük Hanımefendi, Seven Ne Yapmaz, Sevenler Ölmez, Son Nefes, Tarkan: Gümüş Eyer.
• 1971: Aşk Uğruna, Ateş Parçası, Beklenen Şarkı, Gelin Çiçeği, Görünce Kurşunlayın, Kaçak, Mahşere Kadar, Ölmeden Tövbe Et, Senede Bir Gün, Sevenler Kavuşurmuş, Son Hıçkırık, Tanrı Şahidimdir, Ömrümce Unutamadım, Tarkan: Viking Kanı.
• 1972: Tarkan: Altın Madalyon, Vukuat Var, Yalan Dünya, Zulüm, Karaoğlan Geliyor, Takip, Aşk Fırtınası, İtham Ediyorum, Ölüm Dönemeci, Zorbanın Aşkı, Bir Pınar Ki.
• 1973: Tarkan: Güçlü Kahraman, Düşman, Siyah Eldivenli Adam, Zambaklar Açarken, Kaderim Kanla Yazıldı, Bitirimler Sosyetede, Aşk Mahkumu, Bir Demet Menekşe, Şeytanın Kurbanları, Bataklık Bülbülü, Bitirim Kardeşler, Kabadayının Sonu, Kırık Hayat.
• 1974: Erkeksen Kaçma, Sığıntı, Erkekler Ağlamaz, Gaddar, Ölüm Tarlası.
• 1975: Curcuna.

Kızlar Sınıfı (1994), Koltuk Belası (1990), Samanyolu (1989), Uyanık Gazeteci (1988), Öğretmen (1988), Japon İşi (1987), Deli Deli Küpeli (1986), Gurbetçi Şaban (1985), Şabaniye (1984), En Büyük Şaban (1984), Sarhoş (1983), Bir Yudum Mutluluk (1982), Feryada Gücüm Yok (1981), Ben Köyümün Delisiyim (1980), Aşkı Ben Mi Yarattım (1979).

• 1970s: Tosun Paşa (1976), Cennetin Çocukları (1977), Hababam Sınıfı Dokuz Doğuruyor (1978), Sultan (1978), Umudumuz Şaban (1979), Şark Bülbülü (1979).
• 1980s: Zübük (1980), Annem Annem (1980), Davaro (1981), Gırgıriye (1981), Gol Kralı (1981), Gözüm Gibi Sevdim (1982), İffet (1982), Gırgıriyede Şenlik Var (1982), Mutlu Ol Yeter (1982), Baş Belası (1983), Doktor Civanım (1983), Çarıklı Milyoner (1983), Şalvar Davası (1983), En Büyük Şaban (1984), Aile Kadını (1984), Şabaniye (1984), Ortadirek Şaban (1984), Bir Sevgi İstiyorum (1984), Katma Değer Şaban (1985), Şaban Pabucu Yarım (1985), Gurbetçi Şaban (1985), Sosyete Şaban (1985), Şendul Şaban (1985), Keriz (1985), Deli Deli Küpeli (1986), Yaygara 87 (1986), Aile Pansiyonu (1987), Japon İşi (1987), Milyarder (1987), İnatçı (1988), Öğretmen (1988), Uyanık Gazeteci (1988), Deniz Yıldızı (1988), Sevimli Hırsız (1989), Samanyolu (1989), Talih Kuşu (1989), Arkadaşım ve Ben (1989).
• 1990s: Gülen Adam (1990), Koltuk Belası (1990), Kızlar Yurdu (1992), Borsa (1993), Tanrı Misafiri (1993), Süper Baba (1993), İnce İnce Yasemince (1995–1996), Bizim Aile (1996), Yasemince (1997–2005), Ah Bir Zengin Olsam (1998–1999).
• 2000s: Karate Can (2000), Şıh Senem (2003), Hababam Sınıfı Merhaba (2004), Emret Komutanım (2005), Ağa Kızı (2000s), AB’nin Yolları Taştan (2006), Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam’ın Oğlu (2006), Amerikalılar Karadeniz’de 2 (2007), Zoraki Koca (2007–2008), Hayat Güzeldir (2008).

Gol Kralı, Davaro, Çarıklı Milyoner, Şabaniye, Sosyete Şaban, Şendul Şaban, Deli Deli Küpeli, Arkadaşım ve Ben, Öğretmen, Uyanık Gazeteci, Duygu Çemberi.