Somapala was born on 13 September 1921 in Maligakanda, Colombo 10, Sri Lanka. His father, A. D. Edmund, was also a stage drama producer. He received his primary education at Clifton Girls' School and his secondary education at Lawrence College, Maradana. He left school in 1941 and worked as a clerk in a Maliban Street office of a rubber exporter.

 

Somapala met his future wife Chithra Perera Somapala (b. 1932) in 1942, when she was studying at St Bridget's Convent. Chithra was also a singer, and in 1948, she sang for Columbia Records under Master U. D. Perera. They married on 27 September 1952.The couple had four sons: Prasanna, Rohan, Nalin, Chitral and one daughter, Piumi.[4] The eldest son Prasanna is a retired cameraman who worked in the Ministry of Mahaweli. Their younger son Chitral Somapala is a playback singer, composer and musician.

 

In 1991, Somapala went to India for eye surgery where he later died of cancer on 26 March 1991 at the age of 69. Chitra Somapala died in 1994.