The enchanting voice that filled Turkish cinemas for decades fell silent this week. Jeyan Mahfi Ayral Tözüm, a luminary of Turkey’s Yeşilçam film era and a celebrated dubbing artist, passed away at age 94, leaving an indelible mark on the nation’s cinematic history.
She started dubbing at the age of 10 with the voice of the TV show Happy Days. She has voiced many actresses such as Belgin Doruk, Türkan Şoray, Filiz Akın, Hülya Koçyiğit, Fatma Girik, Müjde Ar, Hale Soygazi, Emel Sayın, Gülşen Bubikoğlu, Ahu Tuğba and Hülya Avşar. She decided to leave the cinema with her husband in 1954 and devoted herself to theater plays and dubbing for many years. She also worked as a radio commercial speaker for 3 years. In addition to theater, she acted in movies and television series. She was the unseen star, the voice that brought the characters to life, weaving an auditory tapestry that remains embedded in the cultural memory of the nation.
In 2005 she was awarded Bilge Olgaç Achievement Award at the 8th Flying Broom International Women's Film Festival.
A Legacy of Resilience and Passion
Despite personal tragedies and health challenges, Tözüm’s passion for her craft never wavered. She continued to work in the film industry and theater, actively involved in acting even in her twilight years. Her contributions to the field were recognized in 2005 when she received the Bilge Olgaç Achievement Award at the 8th Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival. Yet, it’s not the awards that mark the legacy of this extraordinary artist, but the countless voices she breathed life into, the characters she helped shape, and the generations of Turkish moviegoers who have been touched by her talent.