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Sampath Tennakoon

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Sampath Tennakoon
සම්පත් තෙන්නකෝන්
Born(1959-06-20)20 June 1959
Died3 December 2021(2021-12-03) (aged 62)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Occupation(s)Actor, dramatist
Years active1987–2021
SpouseRathna Lalani Jayakody
RelativesGeetha Kanthi Jayakody (sister-in-law)
Paboda Sandeepani
(niece-in-law)
Bimal Jayakody
(nephew)
Sujani Menaka
(niece-in-law)

Sampath Tennakoon (20 June 1959 – 3 December 2021: සම්පත් තෙන්නකෝන් [Sinhala]), was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television.[1]

Personal life

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Sampath Tennakoon was born on 20 June 1959.[2] He was from Isipathana College, Colombo.[3]

He was married to fellow actress Rathna Lalani Jayakody.[4] They first met during a stage drama Puthra Samagama and then in Suba Sandewak. They have acted in more than 50 stage dramas together.[3] Geetha Kanthi Jayakody is the sister of Rathna Lalani, who is a renowned award-winning actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Popular actress Paboda Sandeepani is the daughter of her sister Geetha Kanthi.[5] Popular actor Bimal Jayakody is the son of Rathna's elder brother. Bimal is married to fellow actress Sujani Menaka.

Tennakoon died on 3 December 2021, at the age of 62 while receiving treatment for lung cancer at a private hospital in Colombo.[6][7][8] At his request, the funeral reportedly took place within 24 hours.[9]

Acting career

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Neil Alles' acting is what makes Sampath, who has experienced the school stage, a passion for acting. Tennakoon usually went to Lumbini Theater to watch stage dramas. He first acted in the play Guru Lipi directed by Dayaratne Ratagedara and then in Ambu Samiyo by Douglas Siriwardena. He made his television debut with the children's teledrama Moragiri Kanda directed by Sisira Kotelawala.[10] He acted in teledramas such as Sneha,[11] Verona[12] and Maha Viru Pandu.

In 2013, Rathna and Sampath organized a drama festival titled Abhinayana Sampath-Rathna Rangabhumika to celebrate their 30 years of stage drama career. They staged seven popular dramas from 17 to 23 December 2013 at New Town Hall, Colombo 7, in which they together acted.[4]

Selected stage dramas

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Filmography

[edit]

His maiden cinematic experience came through a minor role in 1990 film Hima Gira, directed by Vijaya Dharma Sri. Since then, he had acted in about 12 films, mostly in supportive characters.[26]

Year Film Role Ref.
1990 Hima Gira
1994 Ahas Maliga
1996 Seema Pawuru
1996 Maduree
1998 Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli Campaign support seeker [27]
2000 Saroja Police Chief [28]
2008 Siri Raja Siri Shehan's father [29]
2013 Bomba Saha Rosa [30]
2013 Siri Parakum Sangharaja Thero [31]
2016 Paththini Athura's father [32]
2019 President Super Star Janadhipathi [33]
TBD Eka Gei Sokari [34]
TBD Thanapathilage Gedara [35]
TBD Nim Him [36]
TBD Kadira Divyaraja [37]

References

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  1. ^ "Sampath Tennakoon bio". Rate your music. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Chat with Rathna". Hiru FM. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Sampath - Rathna 30 Not Out". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Abhinayana Sampath-Ratna Rangabhumika' Drama festival". Lanka Help. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Pabodha : 'I'll quit after marriage'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Sri Lanka : Veteran actor Sampath Tennakoon passes away". www.colombopage.com. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  7. ^ Administrator (2021-12-03). "Veteran Actor Sampath Thennakoon passes away - Sri Lanka News : ONLANKA News". ONLANKA News - Sri Lanka News - Latest Breaking News from Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  8. ^ "Veteran actor Sampath Tennakoon passes away". adaderana. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  9. ^ "Sampath Tennakoon bids farewell". www.lankadeepa.lk (in Sinhala). Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  10. ^ "Sampath and Sarath left the stage". සරසවිය. 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  11. ^ "Paba in another mega". Sri Lanka Mirror. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Sriyani starts "Verona"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  13. ^ "In the grip of grim institutionalism". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  14. ^ "දෙසීය තුන්සීය වේදීකාව". Saaravita. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  15. ^ "'Eka Adhipathi' at Elphinstone". Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's stage play vies for festival honours". The Nation. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  17. ^ "Jagan Ma". timeout. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  18. ^ "Mala Walalu: European debut for Mano's new drama". Daily News. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Mayadevi". rangahala. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Puthra Samagama". rangahala. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  21. ^ "Puthra Samagama at Lionel Wendt". Daily News. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  22. ^ "'Igniting' the podium". Daily News. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  23. ^ "Romaya Gini Gani 2 - Antharjale in Anuradhapura and Colombo" (PDF). Daily News. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  24. ^ ""Sudu Redi Horu" showcases Lanka's rich cultural heritage". The Nation. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  25. ^ "'Thala Mala Pipila' in Borella". Sunday Times. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Sampath Tennakoon filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  27. ^ "Sinhala screened films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  28. ^ "'Saroja': tale of two small girls". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  29. ^ "Sri Lankan Screened Films". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  30. ^ "Bombs & Roses". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  31. ^ "The discreet charm of Siri Parakum - Film Review". The Island. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  32. ^ "Paththini". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  33. ^ "The presidential stage where four people are competing". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  34. ^ "Real life Draupadis in the picture". Daily News. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  35. ^ "Plot of Thanapathilage Gedara". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  36. ^ "The oscillation between love and hate – plot of Nim Him". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  37. ^ "Kadira Divyaraja who appears all deities". Dinamina. Retrieved 25 July 2019.