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Profession(s) | Film and theater actor | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Death(Text) | Istanbul | ||||||||
Death(Text) | 14 January 1994 | ||||||||
Place of Birth(Text) | Istanbul | ||||||||
Birth(Text) | 16 March 1909 | ||||||||
Written Work | Ne İdim Ne Oldum… | ||||||||
Prominent Period | Yeşilçam | ||||||||
Number of Films | Nearly 500 | ||||||||
Active Years | 1940s–1990 | ||||||||
Film Debut | Efsuncu Baba (1949) | ||||||||
Theater Debut | Young People's Theater Group | ||||||||
Education | Bakırköy Bezciyan High School | ||||||||
Ethnic Origin | Turkish Armenian | ||||||||
Full Name | Nubar Alyanak | ||||||||
Nubar Terziyan (1909–1994) was a cinema actor of Armenian origin who appeared in numerous films, particularly during the Yeşilçam era. Born as Nubar Alyanakziya on 16 March 1909 in Istanbul, he passed away in the same city on 14 January 1994. A member of a Turkish Armenian family, Terziyan spent most of his life in Istanbul and enjoyed a long and prolific acting career in Turkish cinema, especially during the Yeşilçam period.
Terziyan’s childhood was spent in the Kumkapı and Büyükdere neighborhoods of Istanbul. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kumkapı. After losing his mother at an early age, he moved to Bakırköy with his father. He continued his secondary education at Bakırköy Bezezyan High School, where he actively participated in school theatrical performances.
Nubar Terziyan Infographic (Anadolu Agency)
Although Terziyan did not receive formal theater training, he developed an interest in theater during his youth and began performing with a semi-amateur group he co-founded called the Gençler Temaşa Heyeti. In this group, he did not only act but also worked on set and costume design, box office duties, and other aspects of theater production. During the same period, he also worked in his father’s fabric shop to help support the family.
During his youth, Terziyan performed in various classical and local plays, including “Hamlet,” “Othello,” “Samson and Delilah,” “Çarşılı Artin Ağa,” “Suzan İmber,” and “Namus İçin.” The stage experience he gained during this time laid the foundation for his later film career.
Nubar Terziyan in the Film Aşktan da Üstün – 1960 (IMDb)
Nubar Terziyan’s film career began in 1948 when he accepted an offer from Atlas Film. He made his debut on the silver screen in the film “Efsuncu Baba,” adapted from the novel of the same name by Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar. After entering cinema, he chose to use the surname Terziyan instead of his birth surname Alyanakziya.
Terziyan appeared in a large number of films during the most productive years of Yeşilçam cinema. It is estimated that he participated in approximately 450 to 500 films. His filmography consists mostly of supporting roles, portraying characters such as neighborhood shopkeepers, family elders, fathers, doctors, and similar figures. Notable films in which he appeared include “Çalıkuşu,” “Kanun Namına,” “Bodrum Hakimi,” “Ankara Ekspresi,” and “Zübük.”
Despite having no formal acting training, Terziyan relied on improvisation in both film and theater. Throughout his career, he primarily portrayed positive and trustworthy characters and never took on negative or villainous roles. This choice led to his identification with a specific actor profile within the Yeşilçam casting system.
Nubar Terziyan in the Film Badem Şekeri – 1963 (IMDb)
Nubar Terziyan married Katerin (Katrin) Hanım in 1936. They had one son, Berç Alyanakziya. He maintained his family life in Istanbul and resided in the city until his death.
In the 1980s, Terziyan wrote a series of memoirs for the newspaper Jamanak, focusing not on his artistic career but on his childhood, daily life, theater experiences, and observations of social life in Istanbul. After his death, these writings were compiled and published by İletişim Yayınları under the title Ne İdim, Ne Oldum…. The book has since gone through multiple printings.
Although Terziyan received only a limited number of formal awards during his career, his long-standing contributions and productivity in cinema were officially recognized by certain institutions.
Terziyan appeared in the 1990 film Aşk Filmlerinin Unutulmaz Yönetmeni, directed by Yavuz Turgul and starring Şener Şen. In 1993, he was honored with the “Emek Ödülü” (Lifetime Achievement Award) at the 5th Ankara Film Festival.
Nubar Terziyan in the Film Düşman Yolları Kesti – 1959 (IMDb)
Nubar Terziyan died of natural causes in Istanbul on 14 January 1994. Following his death, his long-standing contributions to cinema and theater have been examined in various biographical and academic studies within the context of Turkish film history.
Anadolu Ajansı. “Yeşilçam'ın Tonton Karakteri Nubar Terziyan.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/info/infografik/26476
Anadolu Ajansı. “Yeşilçam’ın Güler Yüzlü Karakteri: Nubar Terziyan.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/kultur/yesilcamin-guler-yuzlu-karakteri-nubar-terziyan/3448606
Anadolu Ajansı. “Yeşilçam’ın Gülümseyen Yüzü: Nubar Terziyan.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/kultur/yesilcamin-gulumseyen-yuzu-nubar-terziyan/2786795
Anadolu Ajansı. “Yeşilçam’ın Tonton Babası: Nubar Terziyan.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/kultur-sanat/yesilcamin-tonton-babasi-nubar-terziyan/2473797
Beyazperde. "Nubar Terziyan – Filmografi." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.beyazperde.com/sanatcilar/sanatci-538129/filmografi/
Biyografiler.com. "Nubar Terziyan." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.biyografiler.com/kimdir/nubar-terziyan
Cinema Türk. "Nubar Terziyan." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.sinematurk.com/kisi/1948/
IMDb. "Nubar Terziyan." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856194/mediaviewer/rm1200709120/
IMDb. "Nubar Terziyan." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856194/mediaviewer/rm1310196224/?ref_=nm_ph_1_1
IMDb. "Nubar Terziyan." Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856194/mediaviewer/rm3868856576/
IMDb. “Nubar Terziyan – Biography.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0856194/bio/
Terziyan, Nubar. Ne İdim Ne Oldum. İstanbul: İletişim Yayınları, 2022.
Öktemer, Can. “Nubar Terziyan ve Yeşilçam’da Gayrimüslimler.” *Sekans Sinema Kültürü Dergisi*, e2 (Mayıs 2016): 127–135. https://sekans.org/docs/e-sayilar/2016-e2/e2.08-Nubar_Terziyan.pdf
İletişim Yayınları. “Ne İdim Ne Oldum.” Accessed January 12, 2025. https://iletisim.com.tr/kitap/ne-idim-ne-oldum/7133
Profession(s) | Film and theater actor | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Place of Death(Text) | Istanbul | ||||||||
Death(Text) | 14 January 1994 | ||||||||
Place of Birth(Text) | Istanbul | ||||||||
Birth(Text) | 16 March 1909 | ||||||||
Written Work | Ne İdim Ne Oldum… | ||||||||
Prominent Period | Yeşilçam | ||||||||
Number of Films | Nearly 500 | ||||||||
Active Years | 1940s–1990 | ||||||||
Film Debut | Efsuncu Baba (1949) | ||||||||
Theater Debut | Young People's Theater Group | ||||||||
Education | Bakırköy Bezciyan High School | ||||||||
Ethnic Origin | Turkish Armenian | ||||||||
Full Name | Nubar Alyanak | ||||||||
Early Life and Education
Beginnings in Theater
Theater Experience
Transition to Cinema
Cinema Career
Acting Approach
Personal Life
Written Works
Awards
Death
Filmography
Films in Which He Appeared as an Actor
1940s
1950–1954
1955–1959
1960–1964
1965–1969
1970–1990
Films in Which He Worked in Production Crew
Films in Which He Worked in Directing Crew
