Turhan Bey
| Turhan Bey | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Sahultavy 30 March 1922 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 30 September 2012 (aged 90) Vienna, Austria |
| Years active | 1941–1953 and 1990–1998 |
Turhan Bey (30 March 1922 – 30 September 2012) was an Austrian-born actor of Turkish origin. Turhan was active in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953. He was dubbed "The Turkish Delight" by his fans. After his return to Austria, he pursued careers as a photographer and stage director. Returning briefly to Hollywood to receive an award, he made several guest appearances in 1990s television series including SeaQuest DSV, Murder, She Wrote and Babylon 5 as well as a number of films. After retiring he appeared in a number of documentaries, including a German-language documentary on his life.
Turhan was born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Sahultavy in Vienna, Austria, on 30 March 1922, as the son of a Turkish diplomat and a Czechoslovakian Jewish mother. After the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany and his parents' divorce, he and his mother emigrated to the U.S. in 1940, settling in Los Angeles.
Bey was an acting student at Ben Bard's School of Dramatic Art and was active in the Pasadena Playhouse.
When he enrolled in classes to improve his English, he also was asked to play a role in a teacher's play. A talent scout from Warner Brothers was in the audience, was impressed and signed him to a contract, under the name of Turhan Bey.
He often appeared with María Montez; they appeared in the Universal films Raiders of the Desert, Arabian Nights, White Savage, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Bowery to Broadway, Follow the Boys, and Sudan. He also had roles in Night in Paradise, The Amazing Mr. X and Out of the Blue. In 1944 a poll by exhibitors of "Stars of Tomorrow" listed him at number nine.
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