Born in Balikesir in 1934, Fikret Hakan began his artistic career in 1950 as an actor for the Ses Theatre and a regular contributor to literary magazines. He performed his first screen role in 1953 in the film Köprüalti Çocuklari (Kids Under the Bridge), and quickly progressed to become one of the most sought-after actors of the 1960s and 1970s. He ranks today among the leading actors of Turkish cinema, having starred in close to 200 films, among them a handful of Italian productions. Hakan has also directed four films, three of which he wrote himself. Cinema aside, he has remained actively involved with the theatre and in the last five years has starred in several television series.