fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Rex Joseph Kodippili (born 6 October 1938: Sinhala:රෙක්ස් කොඩිප්පිලි) is a Sri Lankan film actor and film director. Primarily acted as a villain for the most of his career, Kodippili appeared in more than 130 films and produced two films.[2] In 2019, he was honored with Janabhimani Honorary Award at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.[3]

Rex Kodippili රෙක්ස් කොඩිප්පිලි
Born	Rex Joseph Kodippili (1938-10-06) 6 October 1938 (age 83) Badulla, Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Other names	Rex
Education	St. Bede's College Sri Siddhartha Central College
Occupation	Actor, Producer, Stuntman
Years active	1968-present
Spouse(s)	Katherine Kodippili ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	3 [1]

Personal life

Rex Joseph Kodippili is born on 6 October 1938 in Badulla, Sri Lanka as the youngest of the family. His father Don Henry Kodippili was a surveyor.[4] His mother was Ethan Kodippili. His father died when he was 18 months old by a flooding occurred in Trincomalee district. Along with his two brothers, he was raised by his mother.[5] He along with his two brothers completed education from St. Bede's College. Badulla.[4] Though his brothers left the school early, Rex was boarded in the school. After Ordinary Level, he attended to Sri Siddhartha Central College, Badulla.[4]

After completing school life, he joined Police department. In 1958, he came to Colombo with the job. At the Apprentice Passing Out Ceremony, Rex finished second out of four hundred soldiers. He served for five years in police department and departed in 1961. While in the military, he played boxing, swimming and was the leader of the first swimming team of the military police. Kodippili was a physical training instructor in the Military Police.[5] He was then employed as a manager at the Marina Café and Hotel at Pettah, before becoming the manager at Salaka.[2]

He was married to Katherine where he met on a marriage proposal. The couple had two daughters: Roshanthi and Surekha, and one son: Prasanna.[6] His wife Katherine died in 2016.

Acting career

According to him, he was very good at singing than acting. A gifted singer, he was popularly known as 'Badulla Mohideen Beg' in the Badulla area.[7] He started singing since very little stage and also Won second place in the grand final of the 'Adunika Peya' program of the late 1950s radio commercial service where the award received from the hands of late prime minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike at the age of seven.[4] He joined a drama circle named as "Rohana Dramatic Society" while at the Siddhartha College.[4] They performed about five stage dramas including Maraka Daivaya and Sangeetha Pissa. After five-year police service, he Joined the "Adunika Peya" of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. In that competition, he won the second place and Nanda Malini won the first place. Then he got involved in programs like Nevum Mihira as well as recorded around five solo tracks.[2]

While working in Hotel Salaka, he became friends with Oswald Jayasinghe and Dommie Jayawardena.[5] In 1969, while he was dropping Jayasinghe off at a film location in Nugegoda, the film's director, K. A. W. Perera, approached him and cast him in the role of a pick-pocket in the film Kathuru Muwath.[5] In the meantime, he had the opportunity to do "double" roles in action scenes for the lead actors in movie fight scenes including stunt double for Senadheera Rupasinghe in the film Hathara Denama Soorayo. In 1972, he appeared in the film Lokuma Hinawa directed by K. A. W. During a stunt in the film, he broke his leg and was hospitalized for nine months.[5][7]

However in 1973, he joined another stunt role in the film Aparadaya Saha Danduwama. In the film, Oswald Jayasinghe and Rex had a deadly fight where the scene was filmed on a big rock on Maligathenna hill. He fell to the ground with a quick blow from Oswald. As he was falling from the hill, he was lucky enough to hanging from a tree branch. The branch shattered into a pile of glass on the ground. Later, he was hospitalized with serious injuries and rested for three weeks.[7] In the 1974 film Onna Babo Billo Enavo, he had a stunt scene where he climbed a helicopter with difficulty and fought with Gamini Fonseka. In the following years, he appeared in several action films such as Duppathage Hithawatha, Kalyani Ganga and Maruwa Samaga Wase.[2]

In 1976, he made his first romantic role with the film Lassana Dawadak. Then he moved to more dramatic roles than action stunt roles. Some of his most notable character roles came through the characters such as: 'Kadira' in the film Muwan Pelessa, 'Daanu' in the film Raktha, 'Ratne Ayya' in the film Sagarika and 'Sergeant Silva' in the film Koti Waligaya.[7] In 1987, he won the merit award at the 1987 Sarasaviya Awards for his performance in the film Koti Waligaya.[2]

In 1982, he became a producer with the film Bicycale. In the film, he was also the screenwriter. The theme of the film is boxing, which has never been discussed in a movie.[2]

Filmography

As an actor

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1971	Kathuru Muwath		debut film appearance
1972	Ihatha Athmaya
	Lokuma Hinawa
1973	Hondai Narakai
	Sunethra
	Aparadaya Saha Danduwama
1974	Duleeka		[8]
	Rodie Gama
	Sureka
	Dinum Kanuwa
	Onna Babo Billo Enawa
	Sagarika
	Duppathage Hithawatha	Lenin	[9]
1975	Damayanthi
	Lassana Kella
	Chandani
	Suraya Surayamai	Rex	[10]
	Hitha Honda Minihek
	Mage Nangi Shyama
1976	Lassana Dawadak		first romantic role
	Kauda Raja
	Adarei Mang Adarei
	Diyamanthi		[11]
	Nilla Soya	Disa Hamu	[12]
	Uannath Dahai Malath Dahai
	Hulawali	Second Maha Eka	[13]
	Ran Thilaka
1977	Hariyanakota Ohoma Thamai
	Yakadaya	Police chief	[14]
	Sakunthala
	Maruwa Samaga Wase	Siemen Appu
	Chin Chin Nona
	Hithuwoth Hithuwamai		[15]
	Niluka
	Yali Epade
	Chin Chin Nona		[16]
	Honda Hitha
	Yasoma
1978	Chandi Shyama
	Siripathula	King Nissankamalla
	Asha Desin
	Mage Ran Putha
	Sara
	Tikira	Lionel
	Hithamithura
	Deepanjali
	Seetha Devi	Kamal aka Kumbakarna
1979	Sugandi
	Hari Pudumai	Janthuwa
	Rosa Mal Thunak
	Minisun Athara Minisek
	Wisihathara Peya	Thomson Mudalali
	Monarathenna	King	[17]
	Geheniyak
	Samanmalee	Lawyer
	Muwan Pelessa
1980	Raktha	Daanu
	Mal Kekulu	Mahinda	[18]
	Uthumaneni		[19]
	Seetha
	Sankapali	Village head
	Mage Amma
	Muwan Pelessa-2	Kadira	fought with a live sloth bear in one of the scenes[5]
1981	Chanchala Reka
	Jeewanthi
	Ranga
	Thavalama
1982	Eka Diga Kathawak
	Sudu Ayya
	Bicykaley	Kalu mahaththaya
1983	Sister Mary
	Hithath Hondai Wedath Hondai
	Chandi Sriya
	Chandira	Sakkara Mama
1984	Namal Renu
	Rana Derana	Nikapitiye Bandara
	Sasara Chethana
	Thaththai Puthai	Saliya's father
1985	Kiri Madu Wel
	Araliya Mal	Police Inspector
	Suradhuthiyo
	Channai Kello Dennai
1986	Koti Waligaya	Sargent Silva
	Peralikarayo
1987	Ahinsa
	Kavuluwa
	Raja Wedakarayo
	Hitha Honda Chandiya
1988	Satana
	Sathutai Kurula Ape
1989	Mamai Raja
1990	Christhu Charithaya	Pontius Pilath	[20]
	Veera Udara
	Thanha Asha	Sydney
	Wana Bambara
	Hitha Honda Puthek
1991	Salambak Handai
	Raja Sellam
	Uthura Dakuna	Rex de Silva
1992	Rumathiyai Neethiyai
	Ahimi Dadaman
	Kadira
	Sinhayageth Sinhaya
1993	Jeevan Malli
	Weli Sulanga
1994	Nohandan Kumariye
	Raja Wansen Ekek	Wilson
	Nomiyena Minisun
	Ahas Maliga
1996	Sebe Mithura
	Loku Duwa
	Soora Daruwo
	Bawa Sasara
	Obatai Me Aradhana
1997	Soorayo Wedakarayo
	Apaye Thathpara Asu Haradahak
	Rathtaran Minihek
	Puthuni Mata Wasana	Doctor Perera
1998	Dorakasa Marawa
1999	Kolompoor	guest appearance
2000	Anuragaye Ananthaya		[21]
2000	Kauda Bole Alice	Nelson Fernando
2001	Oba Koheda Priye	Madanayake	[22]
	Pissu Puso	Mahanama	[23]
2002	Somy Boys	Rex Mahaththaya
	Pissu Double	Danapala
2003	Pissu Trible	Police Inspector
	Sonduru Dadabima	Police OIC
2004	Underworld
	Ohoma Harida	Gajasinghe Mudalali
	Katawath Kiyannepa
	Sumedha
2005	Mata Thama Mathakai
	One Shot	Minister Sallala Arachchi
	Sanduni		[24]
2006	Naga Kanya
2006	Eka Malaka Pethi	Mahela's father
2006	Anjalika	Kavya's father
2007	Wada Bari Tarzan	Treasure hunter
2007	Jundai Gundai
2007	James Bond
2008	Heart FM	Child specialist doctor
2008	Superstar	Jayawardana
2008	Rosa Diganthe
2009	Ali Surathal	Mr. Senarathna
2009	Juliya
2009	Thushara remake	Sonia's father
2010	Suwanda Denuna Jeewithe	Ayeshmantha's father
2010	Jaya Pita Jaya	IP Saliya
2011	Kiwwada Nahi Nokiwwada Nahi
2011	Nidi Yahana Kelabei
2011	Mahindagamanaya
2012	Sakvithi Dadayama	Cyril
2014	Ranja	OIC. guest appearance
2015	Maharaja Ajasath	Purohitha
2017	Devani Warama	Wickrama Karaliyadde
2017	Dr. Nawariyan[25]	Mr. Senanayake
2018	Yama Raja Siri	Nilnayani's father[26]
2020	Ethalaya		[27]
TBD	Marukathara		[28]
TBD	Breaking News
TBD	Divorce
TBD	Rainbow
TBD	Black Male
TBD	Hamlet	Post production.[29]
TBD	Dewani Inima	Mr. Feranando

As a producer

Year	Film	Notes
1974	Sihasuna
1982	Bycikalaya

References

[1] [2]

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