40 years as local Charlie Chaplin

Sachitra Mahendra

Don Guy, the local Charlie Chaplin, marks the 40th anniversary of his comedian career by launching 'Don Simon' VCD on December 16th at 4.00 p.m. in Katubedda de Soyza Cricket Pavilion, Moratuwa, under the patronage of Labour Minister Mervyn Silva and Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa.

The evening is going to be full of fun and frolic, says Moratuwa Arts Forum, Don Guy's organisers. Talking of his life as Charlie Chaplin, Don Eardley Nihal Ferdinando or Don Guy says:

"I could not speak for the first 6 years of my life. My parents thought I would be a dumb boy. It so happened that one day when my father made a sound with his gun, I suddenly called out 'Guy!' I did not show much interest on school studies. My interest was focused on Mime Performance."

If it had been something about movies, little Don Guy went mad. He could not afford to miss a single movie that was to be shown in his hometown Moratuwa.

His reminiscences on the first visit to Colombo are vague, when he fairly remembers about a job interview in Horton Place. Some wanted money while some gave unkept promises of getting back to him later.

But his debut in an Avurudu comedy festival in 1966 is truly memorable with the certificate received from Tony Ranasinghe, one actor he admired very much. "When I produced it on one of the job interviews, I was told to go for a comedian place with the certificate!"

The climax of his comedy career, no doubt, is his encounter with Geraldine Chaplin, daughter of Charlie Chaplin. The red letter day so dawned when the great late comedian's daughter turned up in Sri Lanka for the shooting of Mother Theresa movie.

"She shed a tear on seeing my performance. She was so nostalgic about her father's memories. I am very much grateful to Ravindra Randeniya for introducing me to this lady."

Bermin Laili Fernando, Tennyson Cooray, Dinesh Priyasad, and Givantha Artasad are some of his contemporaries. His stage career took off with Tennyson Cooray's 'Apaya', in which he played the main role with Cooray.

His cinema career started with Kingsley Rajapakse's 'Indunila'. He has also played with the late star Vijaya Kumaratunga. Having started thus, he has so far contributed to 25 films. His alter ego of Charlie Chaplin was launched with Givantha Artasad's script of 'Paradise'.

When Dinesh Priyasad directed 'Paradise', he had discussions with its producer Malini Fonseka as to how Guy's character should be moulded, and his character became famous within a very short time.

The character's popularity was a silver ray for Don Guy who was undergoing many economic hardships by then, hence he could perform live shows in hotels and at kiddies parties. Don Guy now plays as Gemunu in Wasantha Moragoda's 'And Company' on Swarnavahini.

Don Guy by now felt the time is ripe for him to do a tele-play on his own. Guy thus wrote, produced and directed his own 'Don Guy', but still left with the issue of a sponsor.

If not for Sri Wijeya Industries Chairman W. M. K. Bandara, 'Don Guy' would still be a dream for Guy. 'Don Guy' was telecast over Rupavahini at prime time. He has plans of distributing a VCD of this too following an inaugural ceremony.

Going back to his life journey so far, Guy has reserved words of honour for Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa.

"He is the driving force behind my life. He not only has given publicity on whatever creative work I undertook, but also has advised me immensely leading me on a proper track. I am greatly debted to him for his guidance. This is why I invite him as one of the chief guests of my function."