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Shaike Ophir

Shaike Ophir

Actor

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.

Born: November 4, 1928 in Jerusalem, Israel

Died: August 17, 1987 (Age 58)

Streaming Sources for all Shaike Ophir Movies & TV Shows

Shaike Ophir  Movies & TV Credits

Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
Movie
4.1
ActorLelz1986
Movie
5.7
ActorFather Nicholas1986
Movie
7.5
ActorPolice Officer1969
Movie
7.2
ActorConstable Sgt. Abraham Azulai1971
Movie
7.6
ActorAmitz Dolniker1978
Movie
5.3
ActorAvram1977
Movie
6.5
ActorHaim1973
Movie
7
Actor1966
Movie
6.2
Actor1977
Movie
6.4
ActorSuperintendent Moshe Cohen1979
Movie
6.6
Actor1968
Movie
6.8
Actor1977
Movie
7.2
Actor1972
Movie
5
ActorMoshe1975
Movie
6.4
ActorGadi Arnon1977
Movie
7.4
ActorJacko1964
Movie
6.3
Actor1975
Movie
5.6
ActorSchmul1979
Movie
5
ActorKassam1985
Movie
6.3
ActorMark1956
Movie
7
ActorShneider1963
Movie
7
ActorSabbatai Alfandari1974
Movie
ActorMiney1958
Movie
6.2
Actor1964
TV Show
8.4
ActorBourdette
1 Episode
1955-1962
TV Show
6.4
ActorSpider
1 Episode
1954-1958
TV Show
8.6
ActorSelf
1 Episode
1964-2014
Movie
7.3
Actor1960
Movie
6.8
Actor1971
Movie
7
WritingWriter1974
Movie
6.2
DirectingDirector, Writer1977
Movie
6.4
WritingWriter1979
Movie
6.6
WritingWriter1968
Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
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