Legendary actor-director Thomas Burleigh Kurisingal has died at the age of 92

Thomas Burleigh Kurisingal

Veteran actor-director Thomas Burleigh Kurisingal has died at the age of 92.

Popularly known for playing cowboys in television serials and Hollywood movies, he passed away on December 16, 2024 (Monday) at a private hospital in Kochi, Kerala after undergoing treatment for age-related ailments. According to family members, his funeral will be held on Thursday (December 19) at the Santa Cruz Basilica Cemetery in Veli, Fort Kochi.

Hollywood dreams

Born on September 1, 1932, he had a passion for acting since his childhood and entered the tinsel town at the age of 20 when he played the lead role in a film. Thiramala Released in 1953. Although his acting career was followed by small roles, he was undeterred and left Kerala in 1957 to pursue his Hollywood dreams and enrolled at the University of California to study films. He was tutored by famous actors and filmmakers including Nancy Reagan.

He acted in the film Never so little With Frank Sinatra and Gina Lollobrigida. Actor Steve McQueen, who became his friend, signed him for a film based on the story of the American West. His successful role stereotyped him for many cowboy films. He acted Wanted dead or alive, There is a gun , Will travel , Gun smoke And so on. “I was often mistaken for Mexican and could imitate Mexican English very well,” he said Hindu Earlier in an interview.

In 1973, he made his directorial debut with a suspense film Here are the people And followed it up with a full-length comedy Velarikkapattanam 1985 starring Prem Nazir, Sukumari, and Jagathy Sreekumar. He also wrote the screenplay, Maya and the elephantWhich was later called movie love.

Apart from his passion for acting and directing, he was a writer, cartoonist and musician. He has contributed to the Illustrated Weekly, Shankar Weekly and present. beyond the heartA work in prose-poetry, Fragrant petalsSong book and O KeralaAn illustrated work on Kerala is among some of his published works.

His last outing as an actor was in 2012 Double barrel Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery and released in 2015. He also tried his luck in business as a seafood exporter.