In 1997, he started his professional career at Erkan Yücel People's Theatre. He worked as an actor in Tuncay Özinel Theatre, Abdullah Şahin Nokta Theatre and many private theatres. He starred in various cinema films and TV series.

He taught Karagöz-Puppet and Traditional Turkish Theatre at IBB Performing Arts Centre and Performing Arts Workshop, Kocaeli BB Municipal Conservatory.

Cengiz Samsun was selected as a SOKÜM (Bearer of Intangible Cultural Heritage) by UNESCO and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2012. He participated in festivals with Karagöz and Puppet plays in Türkiye and abroad.

 In 2017, he was awarded the UNESCO Living Human Treasure Metin Özlen Special Award by Karagöz Association.

In the same year, he was given the "Successful Karagöz and Puppet Artist Award" by UNİMA.

The artist, who also performs classical Karagöz plays, reinterprets some classics with today's language and techniques, as well as writing and staging modern original plays.