Dudley Wanaguru

Don Samuel Dudley Wanaguru (16 December 1924 – 3 April 2002 ), popularly known as Dudley Wanaguru was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema.

Personal life Dudley was born on 16 December 1924 in Grandpass, Colombo, Sri Lanka. His father, Don Martolis Wanaguru, was a renowned Sinhala physician born into a traditional medical family in Hokandara. Martolis studied medicine at the Colombo Ayurveda College and was an expert in fracture medicine. Dudley's mother Nanayakkara Pathirajage Rosalyn Perera, was from Kosgas Junction, Grandpass. She was a close relative of renowned politician, Minister of Finance and Leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Nanayakkara Pathirajage Martin Perera popularly known as Dr. N. M. Perera. Dudley had one brother: Jayashantha, and two sisters: Nandawathi, Chandrawathi.

Dudley received his primary education at Grandpass St. Joseph's College and his secondary education at Ananda College, Colombo. Then he passed the London English Matriculation Examination with distinction and was first appointed as an English Assistant Teacher. After few years, he became a police inspector attached to the Ceylon Police Service. Due to his love for cinema, he became the cinema manager and an executive in charge of cinemas at Ceylon Theaters. She first appeared as a child actor in the film Vanaliya in 1958 directed by B. A. W. Jayamanne. Manel is married to fellow dramatist Ananda Wickramage since 1984. The couple has two sons: Janith Abhishek and Sanketh Abhilash, both are actors.

He died on 3 April 2002 in England at the age of 77.

In 1967, he made his directorial debut Segawunu Menika, where he also made the script. In this film, his daughter Manel entered mainstream cinema with the role of a doctor. Then he appeared in many supportive roles in the films, Samanala Kumariyō Samanga Api Kavadat Surayō (1971), Dāhakin Ekek (1973), Hāratha Hathara (1976), Magē Nangi Shyāmā (1975), Unnath Dāhayi Maḷat Dāhayi (1976), Hithuvot Hituvāmayi (1977), Chaṇḍi Shyāmā (1982) and Hellō Shyamā (1982).