Linton Semage

{{short description|Sri Lankan actor and a movie director (born 1957)}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Linton Semage
ලින්ටන් සේමගේ

|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957}}

|birth_place = Boossa, Sri Lanka

|nationality = Sri Lankan

|education = Deva Pathiraja College
Galle Central School

|years_active = 1976–2006

|awards = Best Actor

|occupation = Actor, director

}}

Linton Semage is an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well a filmmaker. He is best known for his roles in movies such as Padadaya (1998), Sulang Kirilli (2002) and Mad Cowgirl (2006). He started his acting career in 1978 from the movie Sara, which was directed by T. Arjuna.[http://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-linton-semage-900.html Linton Semage], films.lk He won the Sarasaviya Best Actor Award (1995) and Presidential Film Award (1999) for the best actor, for his role in movie Mee Haraka.

Personal life

He was born in 1957 in Boossa, Galle. He completed education from Deva Pathiraja College and Galle Central School.{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2012/02/23/_art.asp?fn=sa1202235&pn=05 | title=From bottom to top | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=9 August 2016}}

Career

In 1975, he moved Colombo with the ambition to be a dancer. Then he joined "Ranga Shilpa Shalika" in Lionel Wendt and started dancing under the guidance of Basil Mihiripenna. He then acted in Chithrasena's Karadiya, Dhamma Jagoda's Kora Saha Andaya and Wes Muhunu. He is one of the earliest member of street drama group formed by Gamini Haththotuwegama. His maiden television acting came through Sekkuwa directed by Parakrama Niriella with the role "Kiripussa". He won the excellence award at State Drama Festivals for that role. He continued to act in many popular critically acclaimed stage drama such as Maname, Sinhabahu, Wedikkarayo, Ran Salakuna, Punthila, Pansa Deke Hansaya, Ath and Mora.

He produced the play Panchayudha, which is his only stage production. He went India for a drama course at Indian National Drama Theater. In 1978, he played his maiden cinema acting through Saara directed by T. Arjuna with the role as a waiter. He acted in short films such as Palamuwaniya Saha Anthimaya by Niriella and Cindrellage Sereppuwa by P.U.D Perera. His most notable cinema acting came through 1994 film Mee Haraka directed by I.N Hewawasam. In that year, he won the Sarasaviya award for the Best Actor for his role Gunapala in that film.

He acted in few television serials, including, Nadee Geethaya, Irata Handana Mal, Indrakeelaya,{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/001217/tv.html |title='Indrakeelaya': tale of woman facing a bitter experience |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=19 September 2019}} Kokila Ginna, Magul Sakwala{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/000528/tv.html | title='Magul Sakwala': story of middleage romance | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=25 July 2019}} and Iti Pahan. He also produced two serials Akaradaruwa and Deweni Kameththa.

Filmography

=Main Actor / Actor=

Source:

No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.{{cite web | url=http://www.nfc.gov.lk/films-history.php | title=Sri Lankan Cinema History | publisher=National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka | access-date=9 August 2016}}

Year	No.	Film	Role
class="wikitable"
1978	396	Sara	Waiter
1981	502	Sudda
1982	514	Thani Tharuwa
1985	614	Rajina	Also as screenwriter
1986	639	Athuru Mithuru
1987	658	Podi Vijay
1989	696	Siri Medura	Gunapala's supporter
1990	705	Saharawe Sihinaya
1991	737	Sthree
1994	819	Mee Haraka	Gunapala
1995	842	Ayoma
1996	866	Bawa Sasara
1997	868	Yasoma
1998	901	Anthima Reya	{{cite web \|url=http://www.films.lk/anthima-reya-sinhala-film-1652.html \|title=Anthima Reya - අන්තිම රැය \|publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database \|access-date=23 December 2019}}
1998	967	Purahanda Kaluwara	Sunanda's husband
1999	911	Padadaya	Dharmadasa. Also as screenwriter
1999	928	Nagaran	Berty
2000	938	Rajya Sevaya Pinisai	Wijepala
2000	945	Indrakeelaya
2001	961	Me Mage Sandai
2002	978	Kalu Sudu Mal	Chathura
2002	980	Sudu Sewaneli	Sudu Banda
2002	988	Mage Wam Atha	Kamal. Also as screenwriter
2003	1018	Sulang Kirilli	Shantha Bandara
2004	1041	Mille Soya
2006	English	Mad Cowgirl	Dr. Suzuki

=Director=

Source:

1999 Paadadaya
2002 Mage Wam Atha

=Producer=

1999 Paadadaya

Awards

Presidential Film Awards

1999 - Best Actor (Mee Haraka)

2002 - Best Supporting Actor (Sudu Sevaneli)[http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2005/09/12/life/01.asp Presidential Film Awards 2001, 2002 and 2003] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403210226/http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2005/09/12/life/01.asp |date=2013-04-03 }}