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Shaike Ophir

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
34

Gender
Male

Birthday
November 4, 1928 (97 years old)

Place of Birth
Jerusalem, Israel

Shaike Ophir

Biography

Shaike Ophir (Hebrew: שייקה אופיר; November 4, 1928 – August 17, 1987) was an Israeli film and theater actor, comedian, playwright, screenwriter, director, and the country's first mime.

Yeshayahu (Shaike) Goldstein-Ophir was born in Jerusalem. His family was Masortiim, and his Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry in the city goes back to the mid-19th century. He studied acting as an adolescent but left school in the 1940s to enlist in the Palmach. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War he escorted convoys to the besieged city of Jerusalem and took part in naval battles.

Thanks to his comic skills he was accepted to the Chezbatron, an army entertainment troupe. In the 1950s, he made a name for himself as a multi-talented performer. He even recorded a few hit songs during this period.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s Ophir occasionally guest-starred in American TV shows such as Shirley Temple's Storybook and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (in the episode "The Waxwork," where he was billed as Shai K. Ophir). Ophir acted in 28 films, wrote, directed, and starred in several variety shows, and was an accomplished mime, appearing alongside Marcel Marceau. He reached the peak of his international fame in the title role of Ha-Shoter Azoulay (literally, Policeman Azoulay, translated as The Policeman), a film vehicle by Ephraim Kishon which won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Film (1972) and was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Academy Award the same year. He also starred in other Ephraim Kishon films, including Ervinka, Blaumilch Canal and The Fox in the Chicken Coop, and the 1973 Moshé Mizrahi film Daughters, Daughters. In 1977 he starred opposite Melanie Griffith in The Garden.

In 1985, Ophir starred in a stage adaptation of Janusz Korczak's children's novel King Matt the First, where he played seven different roles. The children's play was very successful and ran for three years. Over this period Ophir was diagnosed with lung cancer, to which he succumbed in 1987. Ophir was a theatrical director for HaGashash HaHiver. He also directed the Israeli movie Hamesh Ma'ot Elef Shahor, and wrote the screenplay for 4 Israeli movies. He wrote and performed many sketches and comedy routines, many of which are still popular in Israel today. He also did a series of Arabic-instruction TV programs that ran through the 1980s.

He also appeared in the Chuck Norris film, The Delta Force.

Ophir was married twice and had four children, two from each spouse. His daughter, Karin Ophir, is also an actress. Shaike Ophir, a heavy smoker, died from lung cancer in 1987.

Known For

Acting

1987Sleeping Beautyas Elf Master
1986America 3000as Lelz
1986The Delta Forceas Father Nicholas
1985King Solomon's Minesas Kassam
1979The Magician of Lublinas Schmul
1979Wrong Numberas Superintendent Moshe Cohen
1978The Fox in the Chicken Coopas Amitz Dolniker
1977Half a Million Blackas
1977Operation Thunderboltas Gadi Arnon
1977Theft from a Thiefas
1977500000 Blackas
1977The Gardenas Avram
1975Diamondsas Moshe
1975The Fatheras
1974Daughters, Daughtersas Sabbatai Alfandari
1973The House on Chelouche Streetas Haim
1972The Great Telephone Robberyas
1971Carlosas
1971The Policemanas Constable Sgt. Abraham Azulai
1969The Big Digas Police Officer
1968Fish, Football and Girlsas
1967Ervinkaas
1966Moishe Air-Conditionas אפס אפס אפס
1964Einer wird gewinnenas Self
1964Dalia and the Sailorsas Jacko
1964Hole in the Moonas
1963El Doradoas Shneider
1960The Fifth Columnas
1958Hansel and Gretelas Miney
1958Shirley Temple's Storybookas Rumpelstiltskin
1956Tel Aviv Taxias Mark
1956Without Homeas
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Bourdette
1954Climax!as Spider

Production

1979Wrong Number...Writer
1977Half a Million Black...Director
1977Half a Million Black...Writer
1977500000 Black...Director
1974Daughters, Daughters...Writer
1968Fish, Football and Girls...Writer