Muhsin Ertuğrul

Director and translator (b. 1892, İstanbul - d. 1979). He attended İstanbul Tefeyyüz School, Soğukçeşme and Topkapı Secondary Schools, Mercan High School and graduated from School of Literature. He began to theatre in Burhaneddin Tepsi Theatre Company in Erenköy, in 1909. He stayed in Paris for two years (1911-1912) for theatre education. After returning, he published his first articles on theatre in the review Şehbal. At same year, he opened the Ertuğrul Cinema. He worked as assistant teacher in the Conservatoire, which was established by Monsieur Antoine from France. Later, he served as director in there (1927-28). Later on, he served as player and director in the City Theatres, State Theater and private theatres.    

He appeared in many cinema films, directed some of them. He went to abroad, especially Germany and Russia for studying in the field of theatre. He gave lectures on stage studies in İstanbul Institute of Journalism, School of Theatre. He was given the State Culture Award in 1971. He was appointed to the General Director of İstanbul City Theatres in 1974. He retired by limit of age in 1975. His critiques on theatre were published in the reviews and newspapers  Şehbal (1913) Temâşâ, İçtihad, Yedigün, Vakit, Ulus, Cumhuriyet, Oyun, Darülbedayi (later Türk Tiyatrosu). He translated many plays from western languages and adapted.

WORKS:

PLAY: Yasin Efendi (Yasin Efendi, adapted from the comedy Monsieur Badin of Georges Courteline, 1918), İhtilal (Revolution, translation from L. Andreyev, 1926), Cehennem (Hell, translation from A. Strinberg, 1926), Renkli Fener (Colored Lantern, translation from Hans Müller, 1927), Baba (Father, translation from A. Strinberg, 1937), Söz Söyleme Sanatı (Rhetoric, translation from Henry Carson, 1937) etc.

MEMOIR: Benden Sonra Tufan Olmasın (May There no Flood after Me, 1989).