Veteran actor and dramatist, Henry Jayasena passed away at the Colombo South Kalubowila Hospital on Wednesday afternoon following a brief illness. He was the husband of the late Manel Jayasena. He acted in many popular Sinhala films and dramas including Gamperaliya, Hansa Vilak, Handaya, Hunuwataye katawa and Doo Daruwo.

At the time of his demise, Henry Jayasena was 78 years old.

He studied at the Gampaha branch of Lorenz College and later at Nalanda College, Colombo. He began his career as an Assistant Teacher of English at the Dehipe Primary School in Padiyapelella in the Nuwara Eliya district in 1950 where he directed his first play Janaki.

Jayasena gave up this post a few months later after passing the General Clerical Service Examination and securing a job with the Public Works Department (PWD). He married artiste Manel Jayasena in 1962. They had one son, Saumya Sudharake.