Eddie Jayamanne
Encyclopedia
Wanniaarachchige Don David Victor Jayamanne (15 February 1915–25 July 1981) was a popular Sri Lanka
n comedian and actor of early Sri Lankan cinema.
Hailing from a Christian family in Negombo
, Eddie with his brother B. A. W. Jayamanne
formed the Minerva theater troupe in the 1930s. They successfully ran plays in which naive Ceylonese characters would ape Western ways to comical results merging South Indian theatre with Western drama. Eddie, a frequent star of these comedies, became a popular theater actor in the years leading up to the development of Sri Lankan cinema. Eddie married fellow Minerva troup player Rukmani Devi
after falling in love through their involvement in the same plays. Devi's parents challenged their engagement in court but they were allowed to go through with their marriage.
In 1947, South Indian producer S. M. Nayagam became interested in producing a Sri Lankan film. He contacted B. A. W. Jayamanne and secured the rights to one of his plays called Kadawunu Poronduwa. Eddie would be one of the stars in this film adaption in the village simpleton role of Manappuwa alongside Jemini Kantha as Josi Baba. As the first film to feature Sinhalese dialogue, the film found approval with audiences and was a huge success.
The Jayamanne brothers followed the success of the film with several other play adaptions i.e. Hadisi Vinishchaya (1949), Sengawunu Pilithura (1951) and Umathu Wishwasaya (1952). Mabel Blythe
joined the cast with Hadisi Vinishchaya. In 1953 the brothers adapted a book into film for the first time in Sri Lankan cinema (Kele Handa
). Their subsequent films include Iranganie (1954), Matha Bedhaya (1955), Perakadoru Bena (1955), Daiwa Wipaakaya (1956), Vanaliya (1958), Kawata Andare (1960) and Mangalika (1963).
Eddie's work not related to his brother's productions include playing a musician in Sandesaya
(1960) and the brother of a village simpleton who discovers a jewel and becomes rich in Kolomba Sanniya
(1976). He reprised his role as Manappuwa in a remake of Kadawunu Poronduwa
released in 1982.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n comedian and actor of early Sri Lankan cinema.
Hailing from a Christian family in Negombo
Negombo
Negombo is a town of about 121,933, approximately 37 km north of Colombo, in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, about 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport...
, Eddie with his brother B. A. W. Jayamanne
B. A. W. Jayamanne
B. Aloy W. Jayamanne was a Sri Lankan playwright, director, producer and actor. He played a major role in the making of the first Sinhala film Kadawunu Poronduwa in 1947; Jayamanne achieved a level of popularity as a director with movies starring Rukmani Devi and Eddie Jayamanne in the 1950s.Aloy...
formed the Minerva theater troupe in the 1930s. They successfully ran plays in which naive Ceylonese characters would ape Western ways to comical results merging South Indian theatre with Western drama. Eddie, a frequent star of these comedies, became a popular theater actor in the years leading up to the development of Sri Lankan cinema. Eddie married fellow Minerva troup player Rukmani Devi
Rukmani Devi
Rukmani Devi was a Sri Lankan singer and actress, who was often acclaimed as "The Nightingale of Sri Lanka". She made it to the silver screen via the stage and had acted in close to 100 films, at the time of her death...
after falling in love through their involvement in the same plays. Devi's parents challenged their engagement in court but they were allowed to go through with their marriage.
In 1947, South Indian producer S. M. Nayagam became interested in producing a Sri Lankan film. He contacted B. A. W. Jayamanne and secured the rights to one of his plays called Kadawunu Poronduwa. Eddie would be one of the stars in this film adaption in the village simpleton role of Manappuwa alongside Jemini Kantha as Josi Baba. As the first film to feature Sinhalese dialogue, the film found approval with audiences and was a huge success.
The Jayamanne brothers followed the success of the film with several other play adaptions i.e. Hadisi Vinishchaya (1949), Sengawunu Pilithura (1951) and Umathu Wishwasaya (1952). Mabel Blythe
Mabel Blythe
Mabel Blythe was a popular Sri Lankan actress and singer who appeared in early Sinhala films opposite Eddie Jayamanne.Blythe was born on March 28, 1930. Actress Jemini Kantha introduced her to B. A. W. Jayamanne who cast Blythe in Hadisi Vinishchaya opposite Eddie Jayamanne...
joined the cast with Hadisi Vinishchaya. In 1953 the brothers adapted a book into film for the first time in Sri Lankan cinema (Kele Handa
Kele Handa
Kele Handa is a 1953 Sri Lankan romantic musical starring Rukmani Devi, Stanley Perera, Eddie Jayamanne, Rita Ratnayake and Mabel Blythe. It is based on a popular Sinhalese novel by W. A. Silva....
). Their subsequent films include Iranganie (1954), Matha Bedhaya (1955), Perakadoru Bena (1955), Daiwa Wipaakaya (1956), Vanaliya (1958), Kawata Andare (1960) and Mangalika (1963).
Eddie's work not related to his brother's productions include playing a musician in Sandesaya
Sandesaya
Sandesaya is a 1960 film. The film based on the war between the Sri Lankan people and the Portuguese invaders in Sri Lanka. It was directed by Sri Lankan film director Lester James Peries. It was produced by K...
(1960) and the brother of a village simpleton who discovers a jewel and becomes rich in Kolomba Sanniya
Kolomba Sanniya
Kolomba Sanniya is a 1976 Sinhalese language comedy film directed by Manik Sandrasagara that follows the lives of middle and upper class people in rural and urban Sri Lanka...
(1976). He reprised his role as Manappuwa in a remake of Kadawunu Poronduwa
Kadawunu Poronduwa
Kadawunu Poronduwa was the first film to be made in the Sinhala language; it is generally considered to have heralded the coming of Sinhala Cinema. The film was produced and filmed in India however, and was highly influenced by South Indian melodrama...
released in 1982.