Baris Manço

Singer, composer, movie actor, TV producer, TV celebrity. Born in Istanbul on January 2nd, 1943. Married to Lale, and father of two sons: Dogukan and Batikan. After high school education in Galatasaray Lisesi, Turkey, he graduated from "L'Académie Royale des Beaux Arts de Liège" in Belgium in 1969. He wrote, composed and performed more than 200 songs. A large number of these songs were translated into Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian, Arabic, Persian, Kurdish and re-recorded by local artists. 12 of his albums were crowned gold and 1 platinum. In 1988, after 30 years of brilliant singer career, with a young and dynamic team, he created a new "family and children oriented" TV show for TRT 1 (Turkish State TV, 1st. Channel). The basic idea was, to travel around the world, to meet remote people (mainly children) and to try to build new cultural bridges between countries in a unique blend of an educational, entertaining but musical atmosphere. "From 7 to 77 with Baris Manco", completed it's eight successful year, and reached its 300th. week (an anniversary that has never celebrated before by any TV show in Turkey) is still one of the nation's most favorite Sunday TV shows and is retransmitted the same day, by satellite to Europe, to the Mediterranean area, to the Central Asia and to the Middle East. Baris Manco and his TV crew traveled "From the Polar Circle to Equator", via Patagonia and Himalayas, and covered more than 150 countries. In other words, they toured some twelve times and a half, around the world. The presidents, philosophers, writers, members of the royal families, superstars, astronauts... are among those whom Baris Manco has already hosted in his show. As a token of appreciation for such an international cultural effort, Baris Manco received some 300 Grand Prix awards, trophies, prizes and nominations in his career. Such as: Doctor Honoris Causa Es Art of the Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey (1991), Turkish State Artist of the Republic of Turkey (1991), International Culture and Peace Award of the Soka University, Tokyo, Japan (1991), Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the Republic of France, Paris (1992), Chevalier de l'Ordre de Léopold II of the Kingdom of Belgium, Brussels (1992), Honorific Citizen of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat (1995), Doctor Honoris Causa of the Pamukkale University, Turkey (1995), Highest Honor Award of Art of Min-On foundation, Tokyo, Japan (1995). Baris also had political ambitions and in 1995 he was candidate for mayor of the Istanbul district of Kadikoy by the conservative True Path Party (DYP), but heart problems forced him to withdraw from the race. He was fond of Victorian and Art Deco furniture. He owned two of the largest collections of Art Nouveau Glass and 18th. century Japanese "Imari" porcelain in Turkey. He died unexpectedly on 31st January 1999, from a heart attack. His funeral service was held on the 3rd of February 1999 at the Ataturk State Theater in Istanbul and huge masses of people gathered along his last trip to the mosque of Levent, after which Baris Manco was Laid to rest.