Sönmez Atasoy, who was born in Erzincan in 1944, became one of the outstanding names of theater and cinema. He passed away in Isparta on December 15, 2011, after a career that lasted until the end of his artistic life. After graduating from Ankara State Conservatory Theater Department, Atasoy joined the State Theaters in 1968, where he served as both an actor and a director for almost forty years.
Atasoy, who left a deep mark on the art community with his works, was deemed worthy of awards in three different categories by the Art Institution. In 1973, he won the title of "best actor" with his performance in the play *Sersem Kocanın Cunning Wife*. In 1984, he received the same award once again for his character *Kanlı Nigar*.
At the same time, he won the "best director" award in 1990 by directing the movie *Ana Hanım Kız Hanım*. The plays he directed also made a splash in the international arena; It met with the audience at the World Theater Festival held in Sofia in 1982, the Balkan Theater Festival in 1987 and the Tashkent Festival in 1992.
On television, he won the hearts of the masses, especially with his character Halil İbrahim Kapar (Uncle Halo) in the TV series "Kurtlar Vadisi". In addition, he started to guide young talents since 1975; He gave stage training alongside Cüneyt Gökçer in many prestigious institutions such as Ankara and İzmir State Conservatories, MSM School, Yeditepe and Haliç Universities.
He presented the first professional Turkish theater in America to Turkish theater lovers with his play "Our Sky", which he staged in New York in 2007. In the same year, the troupe he founded with İbrahim Yazıcı attracted great attention by performing the play *Kanlı Nigar* at The Town Hall with a capacity of 1,500 people.
His daughter Fadik Sevin Atasoy also took part in the performance. The artist, who was the honorary president of the New York Turkish American Art Society, had a heart attack while he was in Isparta working for the character of Mürsel Ağa, whom he played in the TV series *Sakarya Fırat* in his last years, and passed away on December 15, 2011.
Sönmez Atasoy was born in 1944 in Kars, Türkiye. He died on December 15, 2011.
Productions in which he took part
- Valley of the Wolves (2003) — Halil İbrahim Kapar
- Valley of the Wolves: Ambush (2007) — Halil İbrahim Kapar
- Sakarya Fırat (2009) — Mürsel Tekintaş
- Family Woman (1983)
- Valley of the Wolves: Terror (2007) — Halil İbrahim Kapar
- Third station (1992)
- Breakup (2007)
Production and imprint information was taken from TMDB.
