Titus Thotawatte

Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva (Sinhala:ටයිටස් තොටවත්ත), popularly as Titus Thotawatte, was a Sri Lankan director and editor who made several popular Sri Lankan action movies in the 1960s and 1970s and later developed Sinhala children's programmes. Thotawatte died on 15 October 2011 in Colombo.[2]

Titus Thotawatte
Born
Thotawattege Don Manuel Titus de Silva

17 April 1927
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Died15 October 2011(2011-10-15) (aged 84)
Alma materAnanda College, Colombo, Heywood Institute of Art[1]
Occupationfilm director, screenwriter, editor

Early life

He was born on 17 April 1927 in Colombo.[3] He was the fourth child in a family of five children, with 3 elder brothers and one younger sister. He attended Ananda College in Colombo and studied art under J.D.A. Perera and Stanley Abeysinghe and Matara Technical College.

Career

Thottawatte joined Lester James Peries and Willie Blake[4] as editor to make Rekava in 1956.[5] It was an attempt to make a truly Sinhalese movie in contrast with the Southern Indian copies then in vogue.

Thottawatte debuted as a director with Chandiya in 1965. The film starred Gamini Fonseka in the first villains role of Sinhala Cinema.[6] Other early films include Kauda Hari (1969), Thewatha (1970) and Haralaksaya (1971).[7]

In 1980,Thotawatte wrote and directed the children's movie Handaya,[7] which was awarded Best Picture at the Sarasaviya Film Festival.

In the 1980s and 1990s, he dubbed English cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Doctor Dolittle and Top Cat into Sinhala for Sinhalese audiences with the popular titles Ha Ha Hari Hawa, Dosthara Honda Hitha and Pissu Pusa respectively. He is considered to be the pioneer of dubbing programmes in Sri Lanka. These continue to air on Sinhala Television channels. Thotawatte created puppet characters like Eluson.

When the first National Media Awards took place in Sri Lanka, Thotawatte, was awarded a gold medal for his contribution to television and media in Sri Lanka.

Filmography
YearFilmRolesRef.
1956RekavaFilm Editor
1960SandesayaFilm Editor
1962DaskonFilm Editor, Technical Advisor
1962Ranmuthu DuwaFilm Editor
1964GetawarayoFilm Editor
1964DheewarayoFilm Editor
1965SaaravitaFilm Editor
1965ChandiyaDirector, Screenwriter, Film Editor
1966Parasathu MalFilm Editor
1967Sorungeth SoruFilm Editor
1967VasanthiFilm Editor
1968Punchi BabaFilm Editor
1969Baduth Ekka HoruFilm Editor
1969Hanthane KathawaFilm Editor
1969Kawuda HariDirector, Film Editor
1970ThevethaDirector, Screenwriter, Film Editor
1971HaaralaksheDirector, Screenwriter, Film Editor
1972Atheethayen KathawakAssistant Director, Film Editor
1974SihasunaDirector, Film Editor, Producer
1974SagarikaDirector, Film Editor
1975SikuruliyaFilm Editor
1976MangalaDirector, Screenwriter, Film Editor
1977Maruwa Samaga WaseEddie. Director, Film Editor
1979HandayaDirector, Screenwriter, Film Editor
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References
  1. http://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2001/pix/PrintPage.asp?REF=/2011/10/23/mon03.asp
  2. "Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First – VIDEO: Titus Thotawatte passes away". Adaderana.lk. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  3. "Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers". archives.dailynews.lk. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. "Online edition of Daily News – Features". Dailynews.lk. 21 June 2004. Archived from the original on 22 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0861842/
  6. "|| Impact". Sundayobserver.lk. 22 October 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  7. "Sinhala Cinema Database". Films.lk. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
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