Christy Leonard Perera
Christy Leonard Perera ක්රිස්ටි ලෙනාඩ් පෙරේරා | |
|---|---|
| Born | Madurawela Arachchilage Christy Leonard Perera 27 July 1932 |
| Died | 23 December 2015 (aged 83) Maligawatte, Colombo |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1949–1982 |
| Spouse | Mary Loretta Rachal Perera (m. 1982) |
| Awards | Kalabushana |
Kala Keerthi Madurawela Arachchilage Christy Leonard Perera (born 27 July 1932 – died 23 December 2015 as ක්රිස්ටි ලෙනාඩ් පෙරේරා) [Sinhala]), popularly known as Christy Leonard Perera, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema as well as a musician and comedian.[1][2]
Personal life
[edit]Perera was born on 27 July 1932 in Colombo.[3] He completed education from St. Lucia's College Colombo 13 .[4] His father worked as a port checker. He has two sisters. After the sudden death of his father, his mother worked as a midwife at Suleiman Hospital. In the meantime, his older sister died suddenly. The other sister also died with that sadness.[clarification needed][5]
He was married to Mary Loretta Rachal Perera, a trained teacher.[6] Perera married Rachel at St. Lucia Cathedral in Kotahena on 7 August 1982 at the age of 43. At that time, Perera was working at the Polythene Factory in Kotahena.[5]
He was a devoted Roman Catholic and regularly attached with St. Lucias Catherdral, Kotahena. He died on 23 December 2015 at the age of 83.[7] His remains were brought to his residence at Maligawatte housing scheme.[8] His final rites were held on 26 December 2015 at Borella Cemetery.[9][10]
Cinema career
[edit]In 1946 he participated in an amateur program at Radio Ceylon coordinated by Thevis Guruge. He imitated comedian Eddie Jayamanne and won the contest.[11] In 1948, Perera joined as a comedian in Radio Ceylon. He learned music under renowned composer B. S. Perera. Then he worked as a musician and playback singer. His first song was Kullen Pola Pola.[6] Some of his popular songs are Mama Badapissa, Amma Kiyana Kiyatha Haki andAduru Walawe Punsada, recorded for HMV labels.[12][13] He sang the duet Hitha Yana Atha Yannata Heka with Gamini Fonseka and then sang the song Tikiri Lande Ali Nawathina Colomba Nagare with H. R. Jothipala.[14] His song Sakala Sirin Piri Siri Lankawe was an integral part of music shows back then.[15]
His classmate Prem Jayanth was the main actor in the film Sujatha.[11] With the guidance from Jayanth and fellow actor Dommie Jayawardena, Perera entered cinema.[16] He started cinema career in 1954 with the film Warada Kageda directed by T.R. Sundaram. The film was released at Gamini theatre, Colombo and became highly popular.[6] Then he acted in the film Adata Vediya Heta Hondai produced at Hendala Wijeya studio, Sri Lanka's first production house. He continuously established as a prominent comedian of early 1960s and played popular roles in the films Chandiya, Sukumali, Suneetha, Sundara Birinda, Allapu Gedara and Hondama Welawa.[17] His only television acting came through Athma Pooja directed by Ajith Perera. But the teledrama was not aired.[5]
His last film was Onna Mame Kella Panapi, which premiered on September 3, 1976.[11] He quit from acting after the death of his mother in 1979. The song Amma Kiya Kiyatha Haki Ekama Landakatai was written by Karunaratne Abeysekera for Perera's mother.[5] In 1994, he directed the film Aragalaya.
On 17 August 2002 Perera was honored with a festive ceremony.[5]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Warada Kageda | Gobo | |
| 1954 | Radala Piliruwa | Thomas | |
| 1954 | Duppathage Duka | ||
| 1956 | Suraya | ||
| 1957 | Sukumali | Nikama | |
| 1957 | Salli Malli Salli | ||
| 1958 | Suneetha | ||
| 1958 | Sepali | ||
| 1958 | Sirimali | Penda | |
| 1960 | Sundara Birinda | ||
| 1960 | Veera Vijaya | ||
| 1963 | Adata Vediya Heta Hondai | [18] | |
| 1963 | Udarata Manike | ||
| 1964 | Dheewarayo | ||
| 1964 | Sithaka Mahima | ||
| 1965 | Chandiya | Kavi Kola Karaya | [19] |
| 1965 | Yata Giya Dawasa | ||
| 1965 | Allapu Gedara | Musician | |
| 1966 | Maha Ra Hamuwu Sthriya | [20] | |
| 1967 | Okkoma Hari | [21] | |
| 1967 | Sura Chauraya | ||
| 1968 | Wanasara | ||
| 1968 | Ataweni Pudumaya | ||
| 1969 | Oba Nathinam | ||
| 1969 | Kohomada Wade | ||
| 1970 | Athma Puja | ||
| 1970 | Penawa Neda | ||
| 1971 | Kalana Mithuro | ||
| 1973 | Hondama Welawa | ||
| 1974 | Duppathage Hithawatha | Ananda's friend | [22] |
| 1976 | Onna Mame Kella Panapi |
References
[edit]- ^ "Christy Leonard Perera - ක්රිස්ටි ලෙනාඩ් පෙරේරා filmography". Sinhala Cinema Database. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Actors in Sinhala cinema - Cristy Lenard Perera". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "කලාකරුවන් සැමට සුබ උපන්දිනක් වේවා!!! 27.07.2014". suratha. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard Perera Passes Away". Asian Mirror. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "He's a god to me - Christy Leonard Perera's wife Mary Loretta Racer Perera". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "The popular actor-cum-singer". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Veteran actor, singer Christy Leonard dies". Daily News. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard is leaving". Dinamina. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard no more". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Popular singer and comedian Christy Leonard Perera has passed away". fastnews. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ a b c "Christy Leonard passes away". Divaina. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Veteran Singer Christie Leonard expires at 83". dailynewssrilanka. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Musician Christy Leonard Perera passes away". News First. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard Perera remembrance". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard is silent". BBC Sinhala. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christie Leonard Perera career". The Sunday Leader. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "Christy Leonard Perera films". IMDb. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "All about the film "Adata Wadiya Heta Hondai"". sarasaviya. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- ^ "All about "Chandiya"". Sarasaviya. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- ^ "All about "Maha Ra Hamuwu Sthriya"". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
- ^ "All about the film "Okkoma Hari"". Sarasaviya. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
- ^ "All about Duppathage Hithawatha". Sarasaviya. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.