Mabel Blythe was a popular Sri Lanka

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 actress and singer who appeared in early Sinhala films opposite Eddie Jayamanne

Eddie Jayamanne

Wanniaarachchige Don David Victor Jayamanne was a popular Sri Lankan comedian and actor of early Sri Lankan cinema....

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Blythe was born on March 28, 1930. Actress Jemini Kantha introduced her to 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...

 who cast Blythe in Hadisi Vinishchaya (1949) opposite Eddie Jayamanne. She subsequently had similar roles in Sengawunu Pilithura (1951), Umathu Wishwasaya (1952), 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....

(1953), Iranganie (1954), Matha Bedhaya (1955), Perakadoru Bena (1955), Daiwa Wipaakaya (1956), Vanaliya (1958; with her sister Shirly Blythe), Kawata Andare (1960) and Mangalika (1963).

Blythe sang in her movies. Her song "Sara Goiya" done for Daiwa Wipaakaya is considered one of the longest songs in Sri Lankan cinema running in at eight minutes. Blythe dueted with Mohideen Baig

Mohideen Baig

Mohideen Baig was a popular Sri Lankan musician. He was a Muslim who moved to Sri Lanka from Salem in Tamil Nadu, India. Beg's son, Ishak is also a singer but not that popular in Srilanka like his father was. Baig has dueted with H. R. Jothipala, G.S.B. Rani Perera, Latha Walpola, Sujatha...

 on "Surathaliye Sukumaliye" for the same film. Earlier she did several duets with Eddie Jayamanne.

Blythe's later movies include Senasuma Kothanada (1966), Geetha (1970), Sujeewa (1972), Sukiri Kella (1975) and Mangala (1976). She also appeared in two South Indian films, Walliyin Selvan (with MG Ramachandran) and Periya Ediththa Pen (alongside Chandrababu). Blythe retired from film after filling in the role originally done by Jemini Kantha in the 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...

(1982) pairing with Eddie Jayamanne one last time.

Blythe married Ranjith Anthony and settled in Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya , meaning "city on the plain " or "city of light", is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka...

 subsequently relying on a Tower Hall pension. She was presented the Sarasaviya Rantisara Award in 2002.

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