Eddie Jayamanne

Actor, Film actor

1915 – 1981

28

Who was Eddie Jayamanne?

Wanniaarachchige Don David Victor Jayamanne, popularly known as Eddie Jayamanne was a popular Sri Lankan 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.

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Born
Feb 15, 1915
Negombo
Also known as
  • Wanniaarachchige Don David Victor Jayamanne
Parents
Siblings
Spouses
Nationality
  • Sri Lanka
Profession
Died
Jul 25, 1981

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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