Mervyn Jayathunga

He was born on 9 March 1940 in Moratuwa area as the eldest of the family with nine siblings.[2] His father, James Jayathunga was a furniture maker. His mother was Merlin Florida Fernando. He has four brothers - Sumanadasa, Karunadasa, Jinadasa, Nimaladasa and four sisters - Malani Chandrawathi, Padma Kusumawathi, Ashoka Induwathi and Bhadra Kanthi. He started his education from Sri Chandrasekara Maha Vidyalaya, Horethuduwa. Then he went to Moratu Maha Vidyalaya at grade 4. At the school, he started drama career under the guidance of school principal A.M de Silva. Apart from them, he was a good athlete and a good sitarist.[2] After finishing school times, he quickly started to search for a job. On 14 May 1959, he got a job at Kotuwa Cargo Corporation. Then he worked as a train driver at Department of Railways. After some years, he started to work as a cartography designer in Department of Survey.[3] He has been trained cartography in Hyderabad, India. He learn martial arts from karate master D.A. Welgama.[2]

He was married to Nalini Hemalatha. She completed her education from Presbyterian Girls' School, Mount Lavinia. The couple has one daughter - Priyadashani Hemali and one son - Shammie Prabath.

Although his son did not enter the field, But his grandson "Ryan Padula" has joined the field. He, too, follows in his grandfather's path. [3]

There was an art circle of government service officers. In 1961, postmaster named J. N. S. A Warnakulasuriya trained a drama Sumudu Bharya, where Jayathunga acted in a minor role. Then he joined with drama maestro Henry Jayasena and played in his stage dramas such as Hunuwataye Kathawa, Diriya Mawa and Apata Puthe Magak Nathe. Then under Jayasena's guidance, he acted as a hunter in the television film Elephant Boy. Jayathunga, who was in charge of Jayasena's stage design stage, has been allowed to go to East Germany to study stage drama. After coming to Sri Lanka, he acted in Gamanak Saha Minihek, Ekadipathi, Sthree, Ran Salakuna and Kadadasikoti. He was the third Wedi King of Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname drama.[2]

After continuous role in stage, he was introduced to silver screen by Wehalle Piyathilaka.[2] His maiden film acting came through Charles Perera's Vismaya as a music master. His turning point in cinema was Chandi Putha, where he established as a character artist. In 1992, he starred in 17 films, a record in the history of cinema. On the day he died, he acted in the English television film Fellow Me.[2] He has acted in more than 200 films across many genre.[4]

• No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.[5]