Inanoglu is born on May 18th, 1936 in Safranbolu. His father, Dr.Hakki Nevin, was the the son of Mustafa Lutfu Efendi who was a religious consultant to Sultan Abdulhamid. His mother, Nazmiye Hanim, was a member of Cizmecioglu’s, one of Safranbolu’s well-off families.
After Turker, the twins Sezer and Berker were born, yet Sezer died when he was three months old only. Inanoglu spent the first 15 years of his life between Safranbolu and Istanbul. During his childhood and teenage years, his main passions were soccer and cinema. He played soccer in school teams and local sports clubs. He didn’t give up pursuing his passion for cinema either. After finishing high school, he enrolled in the department of graphic arts of the Academy of Fine Arts, but didn’t complete his studies as he coincidentally entered the world of cinema.
He assisted to acclaimed directors O. Lutfi Akad and Nisan Hançer in 9 of their movies. His career as a director started in 1959 with the movie “Senden Ayri Yasayamam”. After directing 10 movies for various producers, he founded his own company Erler Film in 1960. Since then, he produced over 200 black-and-white and color feature films with his company, 21 of which are co-productions realized with Greece, Italy, Iran and Hong Kong. Turker Inanoglu, who directed 66 feature films till today, also provided executive production services for American, Japanese, French and German producers who shot feature films and documentaries in Turkey. Erler Film has thus become the oldest Turkish film production company that is still in business.
In 1963, Inanoglu began his military service as army reserve officer with teaching duties. After serving as elementary school teacher at Taksim and Hacihusrev (Istanbul), he completed his field duty in Ezine (Canakkale).
Inanoglu married actress Filiz Akin in 1964. This marriage lasted till their divorce in 1974. Their son Ilker would become the child star of Turkish cinema with the series “Yumurcak”.
In 1975, Inanoglu wed Gulsen Bubikoglu. The couple has a daughter, Zeynep.
In 1979 Turker Inanoğlu founded Ulusal Video Company and thus initiated the video phenomenon in Turkey. Providing programs to 1860 videotheques in Turkey and abroad, he enabled the distribution of Turkish movies. For around 5 years, video business relieved Turkish Cinema that was going through a crisis.
In 1985, Inanoğlu founded a television studio to prepare television programs. He thus produced many news, entertainment and show programs including “Bir Baska Gece”, “Hodri Meydan” and “Gecenin Getirdikleri” for TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), the only broadcasting corporation of the country at that time. Upon the establishment of private televisions, Inanoglu prepared for broadcasting institutions (i.e. Star TV, Show TV, Kanal 6, ATV and Kanal D) programs exceeding 10.000 hours in total.
In 1985, Inanoğlu founded a television studio to prepare television programs. He thus produced many news, entertainment and show programs including “Bir Baska Gece”, “Hodri Meydan” and “Gecenin Getirdikleri” for TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation), the only broadcasting corporation of the country at that time. Upon the establishment of private televisions, Inanoglu prepared for broadcasting institutions (i.e. Star TV, Show TV, Kanal 6, ATV and Kanal D) programs exceeding 10.000 hours in total.
In 1987, Inanoglu initiated the production of government’s national address programs (“Icraatin Icinden”) to be broadcasted by TRT for the then Prime Minister Turgut Ozal. After Ozal, he continued shooting this program with the following Prime Ministers Yildirim Akbulut and Mesut Yilmaz.
In 1994, he assumed the position of Chairman at the private television channel ATV and made a great contribution to its incredible success. He also established a channel called “Super Kanal” which still continues broadcasting music on the Turkish cable net under the name of “Dream TV”.
Inanoglu also managed various movie theaters in Istanbul (Beyoglu Saray, Besiktas Yumurcak, Kadikoy Reks, Karagumruk Hakan, Bakirkoy Unverdi) and Ankara (Ankara Akay Dedeman, Bahcelievler Dedeman). He is currently the owner of Beyoglu Atlas, Sisli Kent, Kavacik Bogazici and Maslak TIM cinema complexes.
One of Turker Inanoglu’s latest contributions to Turkey’s cultural life is TIM - Turker Inanoglu Maslak Show Center, a cultural venue he established in 2005 for staging top quality performing arts events, national and international meetings and conferences, movie premiers, concerts, exhibitions, company events, new product launches and contests. Designed and built as an attractive, stylish venue, TIM features a grand hall of 1.820 seats, a theater hall of 300 seats, 5 movie theaters, meeting rooms, restaurants, cafés and souvenir shops.
For long years, Inanoglu assumed executive positions in professional associations and organizations related to movie industry as well as in the professional committees of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. His activities in professional associations started in the 1960s, with his executive board membership in the Filmmakers Society. Together with 8 colleagues, he founded The Turkish Filmmakers Association in 1973 which was closed down in 1980 while he was the chairman. He then founded FIYAP (Film Producers Association) in 1982 and assumed its chairmanship for a long period. Later, he became the founding member and first chairman of SE-SAM (the Professional Union of Cinema Production) that was established with state initiative. Inanoğlu, being the chairman of these societies and associations for 14 years, pioneered for the introduction of new legislations and professional regulations which were crucial for the Turkish cinema industry.
Inanoglu is still the Honorary Chairman of SE-SAM. He received many certificates of appreciation as well as various plates and lifetime achievement awards from private and corporate institutions (including Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Izmir International Fair Administration, Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation and Turkish Ministry of Culture) that all document his lifelong contribution to culture, arts and cinema.
In 1997, Turker Inanoglu established TURVAK - Turker Inanoglu Cinema Foundation and transferred to this foundation the royalty rights of all the movies and TV programs he produced. This foundation financially supports needy cinema workers and their families. It also provides scholarships for university students studying cinema and who are in need of financial support. Inanoğlu also founded an elementary school of 16 classrooms and TURVAK Applied Cinema and Television Education Center operating according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and where students are rather trained for assuming roles behind the scenes.
Founder of the first and only Cinema and Theatre Museum in Turkey, Inanoglu also entered publishing business and founded a publishing company named “Turvak Kitaplari”. He thus published several books including “Sinema ve Televizyon Uzerine Denemeler / Essays on Cinema and Television”, “5555 Afisle Turk Sinemasi / Turkish Cinema in 5555 Posters” (an archival book covering almost all movie posters of films produced in the Turkish Cinema from the very beginning till the publication of the book in 2004), “Bay Sinema / Mr. Cinema” (a 500-page biographical book prepared by acclaimed cinema historian Giovanni Scognamillo, depicting the development of cinema, television, arts, culture and relevant industrial technology in Turkey within the scope of Inanoglu’s personal and professional life), “Bir Vakfin Hikayesi / The Story of a Foundation”, “Erler Film 50 Yasinda / Erler Film is 50 Years Old” and “Mutlu Son / Happy Ending” which tells the story of the museum. On the other hand, several TV channels (e.g. TRT, CNN Turk, ATV, NTV, SHOW TV) prepared documentary programs about Inanoglu’s life as well.
ERLER FILM and TÜRVAK are now managed by İLKER İNANOĞLU and ZEYNEP İNANOĞLU ÖZDEMİR, who have divided responsibilities following the passing of TÜRKER İNANOĞLU on April 2, 2024.