Sampath Tennakoon
{{Short description|Sri Lankan actor (1959-2021)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sampath Tennakoon
| native_name = සම්පත් තෙන්නකෝන්
| other_names =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Sampath with wife
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1959|6|20|df=yes}}
| birth_name =
| birth_place = Colombo, Ceylon
| death_date = {{death date and age| 2021|12|03|1959|06|20|df=y}}
| death_place = Colombo, Sri Lanka
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| education =
| years_active = 1987–2021
| party =
| spouse = Rathna Lalani Jayakody
| children =
| relations = Geetha Kanthi Jayakody (sister-in-law)
Paboda Sandeepani
(niece-in-law)
Bimal Jayakody
(nephew)
Sujani Menaka
(niece-in-law)
| awards =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| occupation = Actor, dramatist
}}
Sampath Tennakoon (20 June 1959 – 3 December 2021: සම්පත් තෙන්නකෝන් [Sinhala]), was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater, and television.{{cite web | url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/sampath-tennekoon | title=Sampath Tennakoon bio | publisher=Rate your music | access-date=25 April 2019}}{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}}
Personal life
Sampath Tennakoon was born on 20 June 1959.{{cite web | url=http://gossip.hirufm.lk/23226/2018/05/rathna-lalani.html | title=Chat with Rathna | publisher=Hiru FM| access-date=25 April 2019}} He was from Isipathana College, Colombo.{{cite web | url=https://www.pressreader.com/sri-lanka/daily-mirror-sri-lanka/20120611/283132835891303 | title=Sampath - Rathna 30 Not Out | publisher=Daily Mirror| access-date=25 April 2019}}
He was married to fellow actress Rathna Lalani Jayakody.{{cite web | url=http://magazine.lankahelp.com/2013/12/17/abhinayana-sampath-ratna-rangabhumika-drama-festival/ | title=Abhinayana Sampath-Ratna Rangabhumika' Drama festival | publisher=Lanka Help| access-date=25 April 2019}} They first met during a stage drama Puthra Samagama and then in Suba Sandewak. They have acted in more than 50 stage dramas together. Geetha Kanthi Jayakody is the sister of Rathna Lalani, who is a renowned award-winning actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Popular actress Paboda Sandeepani is the daughter of her sister Geetha Kanthi.{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/030831/tv/7.htm | title=Pabodha : 'I'll quit after marriage' | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=25 April 2019}} Popular actor Bimal Jayakody is the son of Rathna's elder brother. Bimal is married to fellow actress Sujani Menaka.
Tennakoon died on 3 December 2021, at the age of 62 while receiving treatment for lung cancer at a private hospital in Colombo.{{Cite web |title=Sri Lanka : Veteran actor Sampath Tennakoon passes away |url=http://www.colombopage.com/archive_21B/Dec03_1638510419CH.php |access-date=2021-12-04 |website=www.colombopage.com}}{{Cite web |last=Administrator |date=2021-12-03 |title=Veteran Actor Sampath Thennakoon passes away - Sri Lanka News : ONLANKA News |url=https://www.onlanka.com/news/veteran-actor-sampath-thennakoon-passes-away.html |access-date=2021-12-04 |website=ONLANKA News - Sri Lanka News - Latest Breaking News from Sri Lanka |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Veteran actor Sampath Tennakoon passes away |url=http://sinhala.adaderana.lk/news/161177/ප්%E2%80%8Dරවීණ-රංගන-ශිල්පී-සම්පත්-තෙන්නකෝන්-මහතා-අභාවප්%E2%80%8Dරාප්ත-වෙයි |access-date=2021-12-02 |website=adaderana}} At his request, the funeral reportedly took place within 24 hours.{{Cite web |title=Sampath Tennakoon bids farewell |url=https://www.lankadeepa.lk/news/සම්පත්-තෙන්නකෝන්-දිවි-රඟ-මඩළෙන්-බැසයයි/101-604132 |access-date=2021-12-04 |website=www.lankadeepa.lk |language=Sinhala}}
Acting career
Neil Alles' acting is what makes Sampath, who has experienced the school stage, a passion for acting. Tennakoon usually went to Lumbini Theater to watch stage dramas. He first acted in the play Guru Lipi directed by Dayaratne Ratagedara and then in Ambu Samiyo by Douglas Siriwardena. He made his television debut with the children's teledrama Moragiri Kanda directed by Sisira Kotelawala.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-08 |title=Sampath and Sarath left the stage |url=https://www.sarasaviya.lk/story/2021/12/09/21597/සම්පත්-සහ-සරත්-ජීවන-රඟමඬලෙන්-බැස-ගියහ |access-date=2021-12-11 |website=සරසවිය}} He acted in teledramas such as Sneha,{{cite web | url=http://archive.srilankamirror.com/news/13233-paba-in-another-mega | title=Paba in another mega | publisher=Sri Lanka Mirror | access-date=25 April 2019}} Verona{{cite web | url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2012/01/12/_art.asp?fn=sa12011217&pn=20 | title=Sriyani starts "Verona" | publisher=Sarasaviya | access-date=15 August 2019}} and Maha Viru Pandu.
In 2013, Rathna and Sampath organized a drama festival titled Abhinayana Sampath-Rathna Rangabhumika to celebrate their 30 years of stage drama career. They staged seven popular dramas from 17 to 23 December 2013 at New Town Hall, Colombo 7, in which they together acted.
=Selected stage dramas=
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- 6457 (Sixty Four Fifty Seven){{cite web | url=http://archives1.sundayobserver.lk/2016/12/11/grip-grim-institutionalism | title=In the grip of grim institutionalism | publisher=Sunday Observer| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Deseeya Thunseeya{{cite web | url=http://www.saaravita.lk/events/503584/දෙසීය-තුන්සීය-වේදීකාව | title=දෙසීය තුන්සීය වේදීකාව | publisher=Saaravita| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Eka-Adhipathi{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/100117/Magazine/sundaytimestvtimes_05.html | title='Eka Adhipathi' at Elphinstone | publisher=Sunday Times | access-date=25 April 2019}}{{cite web | url=https://www.nation.lk/2010/11/21/eyefea3.htm | title=Dharmasiri Bandaranayake's stage play vies for festival honours | publisher=The Nation | access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Guru Tharuwa
- Jagan Ma{{cite web | url=https://www.timeout.com/sri-lanka/theatre/jagan-ma | title=Jagan Ma | publisher=timeout| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Mala Walalu{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/05/18/fea11.html | title=Mala Walalu: European debut for Mano's new drama | work=Daily News| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Mayadevi{{cite web | url=http://rangahala.lk/mayadevi/ | title=Mayadevi | date=5 January 2014 | publisher=rangahala| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Puthra Samagama{{cite web | url=http://rangahala.lk/puthra_samagama/ | title=Puthra Samagama | date=8 February 2013 | publisher=rangahala| access-date=25 April 2019}}{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/03/12/fea50.asp | title=Puthra Samagama at Lionel Wendt | work=Daily News| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Romaya Gini Gani{{cite web | url=http://archives.dailynews.lk/2010/11/17/art07.asp | title='Igniting' the podium | work=Daily News| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Romaya Gini Gani 2{{cite web | url=http://pdfs.island.lk/2011/08/26/LL3.pdf | title=Romaya Gini Gani 2 - Antharjale in Anuradhapura and Colombo | work=Daily News| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Suba Sandewak
- Sudu Redi Horu{{cite web | url=https://www.nation.lk/2008/11/09/eyefea6.htm | title="Sudu Redi Horu" showcases Lanka's rich cultural heritage | publisher=The Nation| access-date=25 April 2019}}
- Thalamala Pipila{{cite web | url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140601/magazine/thala-mala-pipila-in-borella-100488.html | title='Thala Mala Pipila' in Borella | publisher=Sunday Times| access-date=9 August 2018}}
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Filmography
His maiden cinematic experience came through a minor role in 1990 film Hima Gira, directed by Vijaya Dharma Sri. Since then, he had acted in about 12 films, mostly in supportive characters.{{cite web | url=http://www.films.lk/sinhala-cinema-artist-sampath-tennakoon-297.html | title=Sampath Tennakoon filmography | publisher=Sinhala Cinema Database| access-date=9 August 2018}}
References
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Category:Male actors from Colombo
Category:Sri Lankan male television actors