Master name of Turkish theater Zihni Göktay has passed away

The artist who left his mark on Turkish theater with the  "Lüküs Hayat" he performed for 28 years,  Zihni Göktay has passed away.

The artist's daughter Zeynep Göktay Dilbaz stated on her social media account that her father had passed away, saying the following:

"Despite the increasing health problems after the hip fracture he suffered during the Ankara tour at the beginning of the year, he never lost his joy of life, curiosity about his surroundings, and hope to get back on stage and reunite with his beloved audience until the last moment. He was embraced with great love by his audience, admirers, and everyone whose life he touched. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who showed interest, called, inquired, and stood by him during this process on behalf of our father."

Condolence message from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued a condolence message regarding the death of master artist Zihni Göktay.

In the post on the ministry’s social media account, it was stated, "We have learned with deep sorrow about the passing of Zihni Göktay, one of the master names of Turkish theater. We wish mercy to our valuable artist, who devoted many years to stage arts and gained a special place in hearts with unforgettable performances, and extend our condolences to his family, relatives, the art community, and all his admirers. May his place be paradise."

"We bow respectfully before his memory"

İBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat also wrote the following on his social media account:

"We have sadly lost our teacher Zihni Göktay, the century-old plane tree of Turkish theater and a great representative of our traditional theater. Everyone who knew him witnessed how special a value our teacher Zihni was with his warmth and love for people. Trained at Eminönü Public House, our master became a living monument of İBB City Theaters for 53 years; he was the most magnificent name of the improvisational tradition and the masked spirit on our stages. He inspired all of us not only with his superior talent but also with his desire to bring art to people across the country, his humble stance closely connected with the public, and unwavering loyalty to the stage.

He lived a full and heartfelt life on stage until the very last moment with that unique love for art, humanity, and theater. He had personally worked with the founding father of Turkish theater, Muhsin Ertuğrul, and was trained under the workshop of Vasfi Rıza Zobu, a close friend of Ertuğrul and a towering figure of the school. He was one of the last soldiers of that old, disciplined, and moral school that saw theater as 'the art of telling humanity with humanity in a humane way.' May your place be paradise, teacher Zihni. As the İBB Culture and İBB City Theaters Family, we deeply feel this indescribable pain and sincerely share the sorrow of his precious family and all his admirers. We bow respectfully before his memory."

The master actor Zihni Göktay's wife Sevinç Göktay had passed away in January 2022.

Theater career spanning more than half a century

Artist Göktay was born in Istanbul on December 2, 1945.

He began his professional career in 1964 at Ankara Meydan Stage and continued in this position until he transferred to Istanbul City Theaters in 1973.

Between 1978 and 1996, Göktay worked as a director and actor in many plays at the Radio Theater Department of Istanbul Radio.

Considered one of the last representatives of the improvisational tradition in Turkish theater, the artist joined the unforgettable list with his performance in the operetta  "Lüküs Hayat" which he performed for 28 years. The artist played in 72 plays over 36 years.​​​​​​​