Merengnnage Edward Tennyson Cooray was an actor and comedian in Sri Lankan cinema and theater.
26 Facts About Tennyson Cooray
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One of the most popular comedians ever in Sinhala cinema with a career spanned more than three decades, Cooray was best known for comedy roles in several blockbuster film franchises such as Re Daniel Dawal Migel, Cheriyo, Peralikarayo, Wada Bari Tarzan as well as Somy Boys.
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Tennyson Cooray was born on 30 April 1952 in Weligama, Matara as the second of the family to a Catholic father and Buddhist mother.
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Tennyson Cooray's father Merengnnage Edgar Stanley Arthur Cooray, who worked at Gamini Bus Company, learned to be a pastor for some time and was a great reader of good English literature.
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Tennyson Cooray's mother, Herath Mudiyanselage Ran Menika was a housewife.
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Tennyson Cooray studied at Kesebewa Junior School for primary education and then attended Willorawatta Protestant Catholic Mixed School known as Moratuwa Methodist College.
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Tennyson Cooray had one elder sister and a younger brother.
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Tennyson Cooray, who had previously attended an automotive course, later worked as a ship mechanic.
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Tennyson Cooray was married to Malsiri Eranjani and the couple had one daughter, Madhumihiri, who is a teacher at Bishop's College.
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On 28 September 2020, Tennyson Cooray died at the National Hospital in Colombo at the age of 68 due to a sudden heart attack.
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Tennyson Cooray began his career as a stage performer in a passion play staged at Moratumulla Church directed by Rev Theodore H Perera.
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Tennyson Cooray further developed his drama skills at the Wesley Gulld and the Bible School of the Willorawatte Church.
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Tennyson Cooray has produced Christian Dramas for the NCC Radio.
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Tennyson Cooray debuted in Sinhala cinema as a screenwriter in Dinesh Priyasad's directorial debut Nommara Ekai.
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Tennyson Cooray wrote the story and screenplay, as well as acted in the film.
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Dinesh thought that Tennyson Cooray knew what the people liked or disliked, and he turned to Tennyson Cooray to write a new film script.
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Tennyson Cooray started to write a script, thinking like a main actor in the film.
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Tennyson Cooray asked for a chance to play the main character.
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Athapaththu refused because Tennyson Cooray was a newcomer in the industry.
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Tennyson Cooray performed well not only in cinema but on stage with the popular stage plays Man The Man, Captain Cool, Sivamma Dhanapala and I am Sri Lanka.
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Tennyson Cooray has appeared in comedy films with fellow actor Bandu Samarasinghe on numerous occasions, including Re Daniel Dawal Migel, Cheriyo, Kolompoor, Parliament Jokes, and Somy Boys.
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Tennyson Cooray has acted only a handful of television serials as he personally disliked acting in teledramas and preferred to be involved in major productions such as films.
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Tennyson Cooray wrote the story for Priyasad's Kolompoor and acted with Bandu, which became a blockbuster in that year.
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In 2001, Tennyson Cooray made his maiden cinema direction with the comedy film Thank You Berty.
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Tennyson Cooray acted in the film along with longtime friend Bandu Samarasinghe.
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In 2018, Tennyson Cooray acted in the film Yama Raja Siri with Bandu for the first time in 10 years.