Renowned Turkish actor Halit Akçatepe, one of the most prominent figures of Turkish comedy movies and series of the "Yeşilçam" era, passed away Friday at the age of 79 in Istanbul.

He was taken to a hospital on Friday afternoon after his situation worsened suddenly at his home. The hospital said in a statement that the veteran actor died due to blockage in the upper part of his respiratory tract. Akçatepe had been under treatment after suffering a stroke last year.

Akçatepe made his debut in the film "Dertli Pınar" at the age of 5 and made more appearances in other films in some child roles.

He took part in nearly all of the famous Yeşilçam cult comedies in the 1970s, including "Mavi Boncuk" (1974), "Köyden İndim Şehire" (1974) and "Süt Kardeşler" (1976).

The Turkish public also knew him by the alias "Güdük Necmi," which stemmed from his acclaimed role in the "Hababam Sınıfı" series. Akçatepe was the only starring actor from the series who later took part in the remake of the series in the 2000s.

After the 1980s, he also took part in various television series.