Mabel Josephine Blythe (28 March 1930–27 December 2004: මේබල් බ්ලයිත්) was an actress and singer in Sri Lankan cinema. One of the earliest pillars in Sinhala cinema, she acted in several popular films as well as worked as a playback singer.

Personal life

Blythe was born on 28 March 1930 in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka as the second child of the family. Her father John Blythe was a Burgher physician. Her mother was from upcountry with the initials 'Kumarihamy'. The couple got married amid protests on both sides. She was educated at the Good Shepherd Convent in Nuwara Eliya and the Good Shepherd's Convent in Kandy in English Medium. At the age of sixteen, she took Senior Certificate. She has two sisters and two brothers. Her sister Shirley Blythe is also a popular film actress who acted in the early Sinhala films: ''Hadisi Vinischaya'', ''Segawunu Pilithura'', ''Kusumalatha'', ''Umathu Wishwasaya'', ''Hadisi Vivahaya'' and ''Vanaliya''. Her younger sister Princey Blythe also acted in the films ''Umathu Wishwasaya'', ''Iranganie'' and ''Daiva Vipakaya''. Blythe married Ranjith Anthony and settled in

Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...

subsequently relying on a Tower Hall pension. On 24 December 2004 she suffered a heart attack and suddenly hospitalized. She died the day after Sri Lanka suffered the Tsunami tragedy, on 27 December 2004 at the age of 74. She was later buried in Hawaeliya.

Career

Even though she had an interest to become an actress, her mother stood against her for acting. Her father also insisted Mabel to be a doctor like him. One day Mabel went with her sister Shirley to meet Gemini Kantha's uncle without telling her parents. He then sent Mabel's photos to

B. A. W. Jayamanne Bernard Aloysius Wanniarachchi Jayamanne who was better known as B.A.W. Jayamanne (20 May 1908 – 16 February 1965: as බී.ඒ.ඩබ්ලිව්. ජයමාන්න) was a Sri Lankan playwright, director, producer and actor. He playe ...

via Jemini Kantha. Later, Jayamanne sent a letter to Mabel in Nuwara Eliya asking her to come for an interview. Unfortunately, her mother hid the letter from came from Minerva Academy. Then Mabel went to see Gemini's uncle again and found out the date and time he had been asked to come for the interview. Somehow mother became suspicious and locked her in a room and tied her hands to a window sill. Her mother put all her clothes in a trunk and sent them to a neighbour house. Finally, out of grief, her father released Mabel from home and took her to Negombo for the interview. Two weeks later, she received a letter saying that she has been selected for the film 'Hadisi Vinischaya'. In 1954, she made her maiden cinema appearance through the film ''Hadisi Vinishchaya'' opposite Eddie Jayamanne. In the film, she also got the opportunity to have the background vocals for the song "Mage Mawuni" under the music director

B. S. Perera Balasuriyage Steven Perera (born 31 March 1924 – died 24 June 1982 as බී. එස්. පෙරේරා) inhala, popularly as B. S. Perera, was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema and theater as well as a director and singer. One of the earlie ...

, composed by Marcelino Albert. After the successful debut, she then appeared in the 1951 film ''Sengawunu Pilithura'' to play the role of 'Nancy'. Then in the film ''Umathu Wishwasaya'' in 1952, she played the role 'Lizzy'. In 1953, she made the popular role 'Missy' in the film ''

Kele Handa ''Kele Handa'' is a 1953 Sri Lankan romantic musical starring Rukmani Devi, Stanley Perera, Eddie Jayamanne, Rita Ratnayake and Mabel Blythe. It is based on a popular Sinhala novel by W. A. Silva. The adaption was successful due to the book be ...

'' opposite to Eddie. The background vocals for the songs: ""Mama Manamali Obe"" and "Ho Manamalaya". Like the movie, their songs were extremely popular. She subsequently had similar roles in ''Iranganie'' (1954), ''Matha Bedhaya'' (1955), ''Perakadoru Bena'' (1955), ''Daiwa Wipaakaya'' (1956), ''Vanaliya'' (1958; with her sister Shirly Blythe), ''Kawata Andare'' (1960) and ''Mangalika'' (1963). Blythe sang in her movies. Her song "Sara Goiya" done for ''Daiwa Wipaakaya'' is considered one of the longest songs in Sri Lankan cinema running in at eight minutes. Blythe dueted with Mohideen Baig on "Surathaliye Sukumaliye" for the same film. She also starred in several stage plays such as ''Mal Yahanawa'', ''Sasara Duka'' and ''Seethala Nadiya''. Blythe's later movies include ''Senasuma Kothanada'' (1966), ''Geetha'' (1970), ''Sujeewa'' (1972), ''Sukiri Kella'' (1975) and ''Mangala'' (1976). She also appeared in two South Indian films, ''Walliyin Selvan'' (with

MG Ramachandran Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 24 December 1987), also popularly known as M.G.R., was an Indian politician, actor, philanthropist, and filmmaker who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987 ...

) and ''Periya Ediththa Pen'' (alongside

Chandrababu Joseph Panimayadas Chandrababu Rodriguez (1927–1974) was an Indian actor, comedian, director, singer and dancer, whose Chaplinesque-style on-screen movements and singing style made him popular from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. He had ...

). Blythe retired from film after filling in the role originally done by Jemini Kantha in the remake of ''

Kadawunu Poronduwa ''Kadawunu Poronduwa'' ( Sinhala: ''කඩවුනු පොරොන්දුව'', "The Broken Promise") was the first film to be made in the Sinhala language; it is generally considered to have heralded the coming of Sinhala Cinema. The fil ...

'' (1982) pairing with Eddie Jayamanne one last time. She was presented the Sarasaviya Rantisara Award in 2002.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blythe, Mabel 1930 births 2004 deaths Sri Lankan film actresses 20th-century Sri Lankan actresses 20th-century Sri Lankan women singers