Erdal Merdan

Erdal Merdan (April 8, 1949 – March 24, 2010) was a German dramatist, actor and stage director of Turkish origin.

Born in Kayseri he lived and worked in Germany since 1969. In the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film-winning movie Journey of Hope (1990) he also had an international appearance as a movie actor.

Theater

 * Aladdin and the tired lamp (1986), children's play along with Gretel Merdan
 * Leyla, Leyla (1986), piece for youth and adults along with Gretel Merdan
 * Ayschegül and black ass (1991), children's play

Radio play

 * The Feast of Sacrifice (1982), radio play
 * Friends (1983), along with radio play Gretel Scherzinger

Book contribution

 * Birgit Kirchhöfer (ed.): Children's Theatre Workshop in 1991, with scenic texts and discussion contributions from Lilly Axster, Silvio Huonder, Katrin Lange, Erdal Merdan, Henning Fangauf, Wolfgang Schneider, Manuel Schöbel ; Literary Colloquium Berlin 1992

Filmography (selection)

 * 1975: Tatort: Death in the subway tunnel (TV), directed by Wolf Gremm
 * 1978: The Rose and the Nightingale (TV), directed by Frank Guthke
 * 1979: Alamanya, Alamanya - Germania, Germania (documentary), directed by Hans A. Guttner
 * 1983: In the middle of nowhere (documentary), directed by Hans A. Guttner
 * 1984: Fire for the Big Dragon (TV), directed by Eberhard Itzenplitz
 * 1990: Journey of Hope, directed by Xavier Koller
 * 1991: Tatort: The Chinese Method (TV), directed by Maria Knilli
 * 1994: Polizeiruf 110: Ghosts (TV), directed by Klaus Emmerich
 * 1995: On foot and without money (TV miniseries), directed by Werner Masten
 * 1998: The pirate, directed by Bernd Schadewald
 * 1998: The key (short film), directed by Su Turhan
 * 2003: A number / Karen (experimental film), directed by Stefan Mehlhorn
 * 2005: Photosynthesis (Short Film), directed by Jens Leske
 * 2006: Cypress, directed by Johannes Bauer, Monika Lödl among others
 * 2006: Kopfsache (short film), directed by Doron Wisotzky
 * 2009: Charity (short film), directed by Stephanie Olthoff

Awards

 * Shot in the English edition of personal encyclopaedia Who's Who 1978
 * Grant from the Literary Colloquium Berlin 1991
 * AZ -star 1997 as an ensemble member for transit home / Set tables - a trip with Gorky's Summer Guests (Fish & plastic)
 * tz -Rose as an ensemble member for transit home / Set tables - a trip with Gorky's Summer Guests (Fish & plastic)

Literature

 * Otto J. Groeg: Who's who in the Arts: A Biographical Encyclopedia Containing Some 13,000 Biographies and Addresses of Prominent Personalities, Organizations, Associations and Institutions Connected with the Arts in the Federal Republic of Germany, Who's Who Book & Publ., 1978