Gemunu Wijesuriya

Gemunu Wijesuriya ගැමුණු විජේසූරිය
Born	5 August 1934 Dewalapola, Sri Lanka
Died	March 19, 2007(2007-03-19) (aged 72) Colombo
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Udugampola Maha Vidyalaya
Occupation(s)	Broadcaster, comedian
Employer	Radio Ceylon / Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
Known for	Acting, Singing and Producing Radio Programmes

Gamunu Mahinda Wijesuriya (5 August 1934 – 19 March 2007: as Sinhala: ගැමුණු විජේසූරිය), was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre, radio and television as well as a broadcaster, comedian, singer and radio program producer.^[1]

Personal life

Wijesuriya was born on 5 August 1934 in Dewalapola, Sri Lanka. He studied at Udugampola Maha Vidyalaya. He was married to Maali and had two children.

Wijesuriya died on 19 March 2007 in Colombo.

Career

He started his career as a radio artist joining the Radio Ceylon (currently known as Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation) with Lama Pitiya, a popular radio programme produced by Karunaratne Abeysekera for the children of the country.^[2] He was a popular radio artist and comedian who contributed the radio programmes like Muwanpalassa and Vinoda Samaya^[3] and he contributed to the Sinhala Cinema as an actor for Sinhala films like Dulika, Thun Man Handiya, Hara Lakshaya, Handaya, Binaramalee and Re Daniel Dawal Migel 2.

Wijesuriya gave his voice for some Tele-Cartoons like Dosthara Hondahita and Pissu Poosa produced by Titus Thotawatte for Rasaara telecast by Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation. He was capable of performing with many different voices to different characters in the same programme.

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Ref.
1966	Kapatikama	Appuhamy
1967	Hathara Kendare
1968	Bicycle Hora
1969	Binaramalee	Ranhamy	[4]
1970	Thewatha
1970	Thunman Handiya	Aisey
1972	Lokuma Hinawa	Benjamin
1974	Duleeka
1977	Maruwa Samaga Wase	Seema
1979	Muwan Palessa	Veddah Mahathaya
1979	Handaya	Abaran, Susie's husband
1980	Muwan Palessa 2	Gurunnnanse Mama / Pina
1983	Muwan Palessa 3	Pina
1984	Sahodariyakage Kathawa
1990	Walawwe Hamu
2000	Re Daniel Dawal Migel 2	Uncle Lathara	[5]
2001	Hai Hui Babi Achchi	Bab C. Walgampaya aka Babi Achchi	[6]
2001	Jonsun and Gonsun	Rathnayake Mudiyanse
2003	Vala in London	Helped slumdweller's husband
2004	Re Daniel Dawal Migel 3	Uncle Lathara
2009	Leader

See also

• Karunaratne Abeysekera
• Titus Thotawatte

References

1. "Gemunu Wijesuriya's voice is no more".
2. ""Wedamama" of "Muwanpalassa" dies".
3. "Gemunu Wijesuriya".
4. "All about Binaramalee". Sarasaviya. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
5. "Daniel and Migel appear again". Sunday times. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
6. "'Hai Hooi Babi Aachchi' New comedy in line". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 September 2019.