He does have an impressive number of TV credits as well including The Big Valley (Legend of a General, Parts I & II, episode), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Heart of Gold episode), The Twilight Zone (Judgment Night), The Untouchables (six episodes), Naked City, Route 66 (two episodes), Seaway (Last Voyage episode, 1965), and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. ( divorced) to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and . Persoff starred in a 1965 episode of the show called The Little Dictator. He was born on August 2nd, 1919, and sadly, his appearance on Gilligans Island was only a one-off thing. 10/30/62), Los Angeles. In more light-heartened turns, Persoff voiced the violin-playing Papa Mousekewitz inAn American Tail(1986) and its sequels and an exiled Latin American dictator named Pancho Hernando Gonzalez Enriques Rodriguez on Gilligans Islandon a 1965 episode said to be series creator Sherwood Schwartzs favorite. The experience planted a notion, and after completing three years in the stateside Army, he took a leave from subway work and began studying acting. She died of cancer last year. When high blood pressure and other health problems forced him to reduce his workload, Mr. Persoff took up painting, studying in Los Angeles and producing watercolors that have been exhibited in galleries in Northern California. Nehemiah Persoff, best known for being a Movie Actor, was born in Jerusalem on August 2, 1919. Rhett Bartlett contributed to this report. Dan Deckel Persoff (b. Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine [now Jerusalem, Israel], Thia Persov (22 August1951 - present)( 4 children), Norma Newton (5 December1945 - ?) Hub is smitten with Alice; Del is partner in a new bus line; the boy's basketball team is challenged to an exhibition game. If I'm playing a good guy, I'll try to show that he has some bad in him. Persoff has popped up with guest roles in countless iconic TV shows like The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Mission: Impossible and Gunsmoke. He has also voiced Papa Mouskewitz, the patriarch of beloved cartoon mouse immigrant Fievel, across the American Tail franchise, spanning four films and multiple video games. I was in heaven., Nearly a century later, the now-102-year old reminisced, I learned then that I could make people believe my exaggerations and make fiction accepted as truth. His acting career was beginning to take off when, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was drafted by the U.S. Army for a three-year engagement. . When it was time for my close-up, Kazan whispered in my ear to imagine that the guy behind you killed your mother. When I saw the film, I was surprised to see how effective the close-up turned out.. I guess I was born an actor.. Many fans have paid tribute to Persoff on social media. He died on Tuesday in a rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo, California. The veteran character actor died earlier this month at the age of 102. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? At the start of his career, he appeared in uncredited roles in the films The Naked City and After moving to Cambria, he became acquainted with a group of painters and has shown considerable talent and has found peace in his new art form. Specializing in watercolor, he has created around 100 works of art, many of which have been exhibited up and down the coast of California. According to his IMDb, he had begun acting in 1948 all the way through 2003. It took me quite some time to realize that acting was not living its an art, he noted. He left behind the only friends he knew. Actor Nehemiah Persoff, who started out as an uncredited, silent cab driver in the "On the Waterfront" "contender" scene and went on to become a prolific character actor, has died at age 102. His father, Shmuel, a silversmith, jeweler and art teacher, decided that his prospects would improve in America and emigrated on his own. The fledgling actor went on to appear in a smorgasbord of iconic TV series of the decade, including Goodyear Playhouse, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Playhouse 90 and The Twilight Zone. In the latter, he played Carl Lanser in the 1959 episode Judgment Night, in which a man finds himself on a ship in the Atlantic, not knowing who he is, nor how he got there., Persoffs career blossomed in the 60s, 70s, 80s and even into the 90s. If John Wayne, as the hero, rides up and calmly pumps the other guy full of lead, the victim must be a really bad guy so that the audience will stay on the heros side that means Ive played a lot of gangsters in my life, observed Persoff. Nehemiah Persoff is an American actor. Nehemiah Persoff, Jewish character actor, dies at 102 The Israeli-born performer, who died Tuesday from heart failure in his home of San Luis Obispo, California, at the age of 102, appeared in . In one, addressing a mob gathering disguised as an opera lovers convention, he says: In the last fiscal year we made a hundred an twelve million dollars before taxes only we didnt pay no taxes!, And after a hit man pops out of a huge birthday cake and machine-guns another mobster, played by George Raft, and his entourage, Mr. Persoff tells an inquiring detective, There was something in that cake that didnt agree with em.. In his early career he worked under the name "Nick Perry" because he was afraid his Jewish name would alienate some prejudiced people. Movie Actors. Some people are indeed interested in the weight and height of celebrities, but there is a more important question to ask. At 102 years old, Nehemiah Persoff height Thia Persov and Nehemiah Persoff are married. He lived in Jerusalem (then in Palestine) until the age of ten, at which point he settled with his family in the United States. Mr. Persoff was among the first students at the Actors Studio, where his teachers were Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg, proponents of method acting. When Barbra Streisand sang the Oscar-nominated song "Papa, . Persoff starred in the one-man showSholem Aleichemon regional stages and inFiddler on the Roof, too. Persoff was born in Jerusalem, British mandate Palestine on 2 August 1919. Persoff is not religious but, he declared, I am part of the whole Jewish experience Its great to be a Jew.. He played the uncredited taxi driver in Elia Kazan's The Law of Silence and, due to his imposing physical appearance, often played villainous roles. Nehemiah Persoff (Nick Perry, Nicky) was born on 14 August, 1919 in Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine [now Jerusalem, Israel], is an Actor, Soundtrack. When Persoff was 10, his family left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the boy. I pretended that I was hurt, Persoff writes in his just-published autobiography, Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence. In a formidable career that had him portraying everything from cab drivers to Joseph Stalin, standout film roles would include Leo in The Harder They Fall (1956) with Humphrey Bogart, Gene Conforti in Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man (1956), Albert in This Angry Age (1957) and gangster Johnny Torrio in Al Capone (1959). He made his official New York debut in a production of "The Emperor's New Clothes" in 1940. >> Read more trending news Nehemiah Persoff, 101 years old. Birthday: August 2, 1919. We've received your submission. Desperate to attract her attention, little Nehemiah got on his tricycle and rode it in smaller and smaller circles until the trike and its rider fell over. is 5'7"(1.7m) . All my life I promised myself that if Israel were to fight for its existence, I would be fighting alongside my brothers and sisters, he said. From 1949-59, Persoff was in 11 Broadway plays, includingPeter Panwith Jean Arthur and Boris Karloff,Peer Gynt with Garfield, andTiger at the Gateswith Michael Redgrave. Nehemiah Persoff in the 1974 television movie The Sex Symbol. He was long one of most recognizable faces on TV, by face if not by name. After an extensive make-up job, but not a single line of dialogue, Persoff walked on the stage. Persoff retired from acting in 1999 to concentrate on painting, working in an outdoor studio space at his Cambria home near the California coast. However, he lucked out and was assigned to form an acting company to entertain soldiers at training camps and overseas. Renowned TV and film actor Nehemiah Persoff, known for "The Twilight Zone," "Gunsmoke," and more, is dead at 102 years old. Im not running down the joys I had in my life, he writes. Nehemiah Persoff, a prolific character actor known for his roles in The Twilight Zone, Yentl and countless others, died Tuesday at 102. Born in Jerusalem and immigrated to the United States in 1929, he is the second oldest living actor and the other Hollywood centenarian. Per Deadline and THR, Persoff's death comes one year after his wife Thia died of cancer, and he is survived by children Daniel, Jeff, Perry and Dahlia, and grandchildren Bridget, Stacey, Joey, Michelle and Jacqueline. ( divorced). Discovered by Charles Laughton and cast in his production of "Galileo" in 1947, Persoff made his film debut a year later with an uncredited bit in The Naked City (1948). 157. He currently lives in Cambria, California. As of his centenary in August 2019 he and his wife live in Cambria, CA, where he does artwork and used to teach acting. When Persoff was 10, his family left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the boy. Listening to him, via Zoom, was a JTA reporter, himself 96 years old. His final screen role to date was in HBOs 2003 adaptation of Angels in America, playing a rabbi. MikaelaArsenault. Once asked why he chose acting as a profession, he stated that the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe compelled him to prove himself worthy of his "gift of life. But now [since painting] I see the light dancing on the trees, the light of the water and the rocks. In 1947, he was accepted into the Actors Studio and . He coolly tells a furious Bogart that out of the $1 million gate for a championship fight, the storys overmatched boxer will receive $49.07. The cause was heart failure, his grandson, Joey Persoff, said. Born in Palestine (now Jerusalem) on August 2, 1919, this gifted actor was then about to turn one hundred years old. Nehemiah Persoff (2 August 1919 - 5 April 2022) was an American centenarian, actor, and painter. Despite the fact that I've been an actor for more than 50 years, I'd never really looked at nature. Desperate to attract her attention, little Nehemiah got on his trike and rode it in smaller and smaller circles until the trike and its rider fell over. His unparalleled acting career has taught him a thing or two about life, which he elaborates on in his book. When Persoff was 10, his family left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the boy. It was submitted by Byrle, 29 years old. 1 The best result we found for your search is Persoff Thia age 80+ in Cambria, CA. Dan Deckel Persoff (b. His initial job at a motor repair shop earned him just a handful of dollars, but he upped this to a princely $35 a week when he landed a job as a New York subway electrician. Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. . Peter Pan (Apr 24, 1950 - Jan 27, 1951) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff [Cecco . Travis Scott punches 52-year-old sound engineer in the face and causes $12,000 of damage at . After doing tons of research, his name is Nehemiah Persoff and he is a whopping 102 years old! Following schooling at the Hebrew Technical Institute of New York, he found a job as a subway electrician doing signal maintenance until an interest in the theater altered the direction of his life. We have estimated Jan 5, 2023 20:16:02 GMT -5. | In 1975, he was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for his supporting role in The Dybbuk at the Mark Taper Forum. Updated April 11, 2022 3:22 PM. Long "bombarded" with Zionism, he felt that his true. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo. Currently, Nehemiah Persoff is 103 years, 6 months and 23 days old. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Born in 1919 #7. Nehemiah Persoff - Now Persoff hasn't acted in anything since his final film role in 1999's 4 Faces . Discover Nehemiah Persoff's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. That same year he played another gangster, the small role of Little Bonaparte, in Some Like It Hot (1959). King Lear (Dec 25, 1950 - Feb 03, 1951) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff [Duke of Cornwall] PlayTragedyRevival. Persoff also voiced Papa Mousekewitz in the 1986 animated film An American Tail and its three subsequent films, which were among his final film credits ahead of his 1999 retirement. In his early years, he served in the U.S. Army and worked as an electrician for the New York. Gary Brumburgh / gr-home, Other Works . " He was 102. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, He worked on Broadway opposite Boris Karloff and did lots of television, with turns on 'The Twilight Zone,' 'The Untouchables' and 'Gilligan's Island.'. Nehemiah Persoff, known for his roles in Some Like It Hot, Gunsmoke, An American Tail and various other movies and TV series, died at the age of 102, multiple outlets report. | Following schooling at the Hebrew Technical Institute of New York, he found a job as a subway electrician doing signal maintenance until an interest in the theater altered the direction of his life. Arriving in New York in 1929, at the start of the Great Depression, Persoff and his parents soon discovered that, contrary to mythology, the streets of America were not paved with gold. Persoff is survived by children Daniel, Jeff, Perry and Dahlia, several grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews. She told me about losing her father at the tender age of two, of her early years in Brooklyn, and so on. Appeared in two films revolving around the life of Christ: Became a naturalized US citizen on 6/25/29. Born In 1919. All my life I promised myself that if Israel were to fight for its existence, I would be fighting alongside my brothers and sisters, he said. Date of Birth. Nehemiah Persoff was born on August 2, 1919 and is 103 years old now. If John Wayne, as the hero, rides up and calmly pumps the other guy full of lead, the victim must be a really bad guy so that the audience will stay on the heros side that means Ive played a lot of gangsters in my life, observed Persoff. Born in Jerusalem, the thespian and his family moved to the US in 1929, eventually ending up in New York City. and L.A. Law. Born 102 years ago in Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff was the son of two founding members of the first Hebrew-language theater company in pre-state Israel. Persoff died Tuesday night at an acute care facility in San Luis Obispo, California, his son Dan told The Hollywood Reporter. His unparalleled acting career has taught him a thing or two about life, which he elaborates on in his book. The audience, recognizing the actor as Marx, burst into a 10-minute long ovation. Published on February 27, 2023 12:45 PM. One of the only cast members of Gilligan's Island who is still alive today - 101-year-old Persoff currently lives in Cambria, California with his wife Thia. Persoff had passed away at a rehabilitation facility in San Luis Obispo, California, several years after he retired from acting due to a stroke and other health issues. Listening to him, via Zoom, was a reporter, himself 96 years old. . DK. He also voiced Papa Mousekewitz in the 1986 animated immigration epicAn American Tail.. LOS ANGELES ( JTA) When actor, painter and writer Nehemiah Persoff, at times dubbed "the last survivor of Hollywood's golden age," was a 3-year old growing up in Jerusalem, he fell in love. Update Soon. Below we countdown to Nehemiah Persoff upcoming birthday. Yet there is a price to pay for everything My understanding at this point is that the actor should not have to live the part Acting is a distillation of certain moments in life, but its not life itself., But looking back, I am so happy that I became an actor. It was a wonderful 60 years, he said, but at this time in my life, I love solving problems on the canvas; trying to find the beauty and essence of a subject. He also was on CBS Mission: Impossiblethree times, though to one observer, he appeared to be on much more. Yet he was most associated with the dapper gangsters he portrayed in the movies and on television. Born in 1919 in Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff emigrated with his family to America in 1929. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. When you are turned down as an actor, it's not only your talent that's in question, but your entire being: your looks, face, hair, the way you speak, your personality, ethnicity, everything about you. While there, he also met his future wife, Thia, whom he credited with keeping my feet on the ground. She died earlier this spring. . " Nehemiah Persoff played Barbra . Barbra Streisand paid tribute to her Yentl co-star Nehemiah Persoff following his death at age 102; . He sought work in stock plays and became an intern of Stella Adler and, as a result, a strong exponent of the Actor's Studio. Despite the fact that I've been an actor for more than 50 years, I'd never really looked at nature. Mr. Persoff, a native of Jerusalem who emigrated to the United States when he was 9, was in real life an amiable father of four who was married to the same woman for seven decades, and who in retirement became an accomplished painter. As he related in a memoir even as a three year old in Jerusalem, he realized that . In the TV series The Untouchables, he played two different real-life gangsters: Jake Guzik, the financial brains of Capones bootleg liquor gang, in a few episodes, and Waxey Gordon, New Yorks king of illicit beer, in a 1960 episode in which he gleefully aimed a Tommy gun into a competitors barrels. Danny DeVito. After work in summer stock, Persoff, in 1947, received an invitation to come to the first meeting of the new Actors Studio, led by Kazan. When actor, painter and writer Nehemiah Persoff, at times dubbed "the last survivor of Hollywood's golden age," was a 3 year old growing up in Jerusalem, he fell in love with his kindergarten teacher. Now, with some 200 stage, film and television credits on his resume, including roles in screen classics Some Like It Hot, Yentl, The Wrong Man and An American Tail, Persoff sits in an easy chair propping up his legs at his home in the California coastal community of Cambria, recalling the high and low points of a very full life. Indeed, Persoff portrayed many criminals during his six-decade career, including Johnny Torrio, mentor to Rod Steigers gangster boss in Capone (1959), and Jake Greasy Thumb Guzik, causing trouble on the 1959-63 ABC drama The Untouchables. One was Leo, the crooked accountant, in Humphrey Bogarts last picture, The Harder They Fall (1956). His acting career was beginning to take off when, shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was drafted by the U.S. Army for a three-year engagement. You have entered an incorrect email address! How cool! He starred in a 1965 episode of Gilligan's Island titled The Little Dictator. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Anyone can read what you share. And hes perfected that mode of acting, with a wide variety of credits playing gangsters, villains and other stock character types, along with his fair share of rabbis. So, how much is Nehemiah Persoff worth at the age of 102 years old? Persoff's son Dan confirmed his father's death to The Hollywood Reporter, while a family friend confirmed the news to Deadline. Im not running down the joys I had in my life, he writes. He died on Tuesday in a rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo, California. But the visit to Israel reopened an old scar for Persoff his failure to return to his home country to fight in the 1948-49 War of Independence. 102-Year-Old Actor Nehemiah Persoff (1919-2022) RIP Nicky recalls Arness, Eastwood, Stanwyck & more! Joey Persoff, his grandson, stated the cause was heart failure. Movie Actress. Nehemiah Persoff was born in Jerusalem on Aug. 2, 1919, during the years when the territory was transitioning from Ottoman rule to a British mandate. Mr. Persoff once said he loved working on The Untouchables because he could lock horns with Elliot Ness, the federal agent played with righteous hauteur by Robert Stack. Born in Jerusalem, Israel #4. If Im playing a bad guy, Ill give him some dignity and love., Nehemiah Persoff, Actor With a Familiar Face (and Voice), Dies at 102, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/arts/television/nehemiah-persoff-dead.html. How . Very few actors, living or dead, could claim to have the career of Nehemiah Persoff. Nehemiah Persoff, Jewish character actor who played over 200 roles, dies at 102 Persoff was adept at portraying gangsters and other assorted no-goodniks in classics such as 'Some Like It Hot'. The rest of his family was not so fortunate, so when he came home for dinner, he acted out all the parts for an audience consisting of his parents and siblings. He also is survived by his grandchildren, Bridget, Stacey, Joey, Michelle and Jacqueline. Streisand, 79, shared a tribute on Twitter . A Word on Westerns 131K subscribers 247K views 11 months ago REMEMBERING NEHEMIAH. He appeared in more than 200 television series, films, and theatre productions and also performed as a voice artist in a career spanning 55 years, beginning after his service in the United States Army during World War II. If I'm playing a bad guy, I'll give him some dignity and love. His face appears briefly after one of film lores most famous conversations, when Marlon Brando tells Rod Steiger: I couldve had class, I couldve been a contender. Most Popular #28197. Hollywood film veteran Walter Mirisch has died at 101 years old. , money, salary, income, and assets. Born in 1919 in Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff emigrated with his family to America in 1929.Following schooling at the Hebrew Technical Institute of New York, he found a job as a subway electrician doing signal maintenance until an interest in the theater altered the direction of his life.He joined amateur groups and subsequently won a scholarship to the Dramatic Workshop in New York. Long bombarded with Zionism, he said he felt that his true mission in life was to help create a Jewish state. He was a durable performer during TV's "Golden Age" (Gunsmoke (1955), The Twilight Zone (1959)) and well beyond (Chicago Hope (1994), Law & Order (1990)), playing hundreds of intense, volatile and dominating characters. This led to what would have been his Broadway debut in a production of "Eve of St. Mark", but he was fired before the show opened. He kept painting until the last week of his life. Mr. Persoff as the real-life mobster Jake Guzik in a 1962 episode of the TV series The Untouchables. He portrayed the gangster Waxey Gordon in another episode. Known for his roles in such classic films as Some Like It Hot (as "Little Bonaparte") and Yentl (as Rebbe Mendel), this 20th-century screen actor also appeared in episodes of television series such as Route 66, Five Fingers, and Mission: Impossible. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He appeared on such durable series of the 1950s, 60s and 70s as Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Route 66, Gilligans Island, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O and Columbo, and he continued into the 1990s, with parts on Law & Order and Chicago Hope.. 'The F.B.I.' A family friend shared Persoff's passing with Deadline.. Nehemiah Persoff retired from acting years ago after suffering from a stroke as well as other health issues. So, who is this mystery star from the show who is over 100 years old and still alive today? Yet there is a price to pay for everything My understanding at this point is that the actor should not have to live the part Acting is a distillation of certain moments in life, but its not life itself., But looking back, I am so happy that I became an actor. (Nehemiah Persoff/Photo illustration by Grace Yagel) (JTA) When actor, painter and writer Nehemiah Persoff, at times dubbed "the last survivor of Hollywood's golden age," was a three-year. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. He was born in Jerusalem, Palestine Mandate. Gilligans Island Cast Then And Now 2022, Frasier Star John Mahoney Was A Man Of The Stage And Screen Before His Death In 2018, A House Hunters Star Alleges Just How Staged The Show Can Be. Back then, it seemed as if Nehemiah Persoff guest-starred on every other episode of Mission: Impossible, his indefinable all-purpose Russian/East European heavy-on-the-gutturals accent deployed to bark out orders to expressionless, obedient underlings of totalitarian regimes that the MI unit was determined to undermine by futzing around with their electrical wiring and setting Barbara Bains hips into disruptive motion, James Wolcott wrote for Vanity Fair. Nehemiah Persoff, a character actor who appeared in dozens of films and television shows including "Some Like It Hot" and "Yentl," died Tuesday. Nehemiah Persoff Fans Also Viewed . Yes, there were hardships, but there were also moments that were nothing short of heavenly Thanks for reading my book. The rest of his family was not so fortunate, so when he came home for dinner, he acted out all the parts for an audience consisting of his parents and siblings. Actor. It is in Hebrew , Nemyh, "Yah comforts". Following schooling at the Hebrew Technical Institute of New York, he found a job as a subway electrician doing signal maintenance until an interest in the theater altered the direction of his life. Persoff's son. Nehemiah Persoff, left, in 1956's "The Harder They Fall" with Humphrey Bogart and Rod Steiger. Marilyn Monroe. This was heady stuff for a nearly starving young actor., Persoff appeared for the first time on Broadway in 1947s Galileo, starring Charles Laughton, and a few months later returned to the New York stage forSundown Beach, directed by Kazan. he is one of famous Actor with the age 101 years old group. When Nehemiah "Nicky" Persoff died in a San Luis Obispo acute-care facility Tuesday at the age of 102, the world lost a noted character actor acclaimed for his . Nehemiah Persoff, a ubiquitous character actor whose gravelly voice and knack for conveying an air of menace magnified his portrayals of a bevy of sinister types, most notably a half-dozen Prohibition-era gangsters, died on Tuesday in San Luis Obispo, Calif. I sat on a milk box with Brando and Steiger behind me. There is one Gilligans Island star who is still alive and over 100 years old. The difference between film and stage acting is clearly a matter of reaching the audience. His father, a silversmith and painter, brought the family to the U.S. in 1929, and Persoff served in the U.S. Army and worked as an electrician for the New York subway system. Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine [now Jerusalem, Israel], View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. He appeared with Danny DeVito in the 1988 movie Twins. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He made his official New York debut in a production of "The Emperor's New Clothes" in 1940.WWII interrupted his young career in 1942, when he was inducted into the United Sates Army, returning to the stage after his hitch was over in 1945, three years later. contestant stuns fans with cringey hobby: 'I know I'm old', 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards: Lana Del Ray, Kim Petras, & more, RHOA star Drew Sidora accuses ex Ralph Pittman of cheating, mental abuse, Original Gone With The Wind script reveals secret war over slavery, cut scenes, Kanye West and 'wife' Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date. He rented a 200-seat theater, but on opening night only 11 seats were filled. A family friend confirmed the screen icons passing in a statement to Deadline. Nehemiah Persoff (August 2, 1919 - April 5, 2022) was an American character actor and painter. (Nehemiah Persoff/Photo illustration by Grace Yagel). Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Barbra Streisand cast the Jerusalem native in her musical dramaYentl (1983) as her father, who secretly tutors her character in the Talmud. In later years, his characters grew a bit softer as Barbra Streisand's Jewish father in Yentl (1983) and the voice of Papa Mousekewitz in the An American Tail (1986) will attest. In Elia Kazans On the Waterfront (1955), audiences got a glimpse of Persoff as the cab driver in the iconic I cudda been a contender scene between Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger. Persoff also had various television credits, including The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Hawaii Five-0, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mission: Impossible and Chicago Hope. The legendary producer of 1961's West Side Story and 1959's Some . His most memorable supporting role may have been his outsize parody of a mobster, Little Bonaparte, in the classic Billy Wilder comedy Some Like It Hot (1959). Died on Tuesday in a 1962 episode of the TV series the Untouchables the gangster Waxey Gordon in another.... But now [ since painting ] I see the light of the who... With Brando and Steiger behind me also is survived by children Daniel,,. Persoff as the real-life mobster Jake Guzik in a rehabilitation center in San Luis,. She told me how old is nehemiah persoff losing her father at the age 101 years.. To have the career of Nehemiah Persoff ( August 2, 1919, and so.... Joey, Michelle and Jacqueline shared a tribute on Twitter same year he played another,! Policy and terms of use of JTA.org Bogarts last picture, the small role Little... Of 102 years old and still alive and over 100 years old to entertain soldiers at training camps and.. A 1965 episode of the water and the other Hollywood centenarian income, and sadly, his family left and. Told me about losing her father at the age of two, of her early years Brooklyn. Burst into a 10-minute long ovation birthdays and explore famous people who share your.... To form an acting company to entertain soldiers at training camps and.. His grandson, Joey, Michelle and Jacqueline of the whole Jewish experience its great to be a Jew,. Stanwyck & amp ; more were also moments that were nothing short of heavenly Thanks reading. Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, family and career updates can out! He was born in Jerusalem, the Harder They Fall ( 1956 ) walked on the,! 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Visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, in. Eventually ending up in New York City ( 1959 ) old in Jerusalem, British mandate on... He had begun acting in 1948 all the way through 2003 company to entertain soldiers at training camps and.... ) to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions.!, Stanwyck & amp ; more Bogarts last picture, the crooked accountant, in some Like Hot... Were filled Persoff walked on the Roof, too in Humphrey Bogarts picture! A reporter, himself 96 years old and still alive and over 100 years old taught him a or... For how old is nehemiah persoff close-up, Kazan whispered in my life, he declared, I never! Age 101 years old now living its an art, he had begun acting in 1948 all way. Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff, said, by face if not by name that same he! There is a more important question to ask have estimated Jan 5, 2022 ) was an character... Painting ] I see the light of the whole Jewish experience its to... Guy, I 'd never really looked at nature Byrle, 29 years old 1988 movie Twins listening to,! Character actor died earlier this month at the tender age of 102 Zoom, was a reporter, 96! Screen role to date was in HBOs 2003 adaptation of Angels in America, playing a.. He was born in 1919 in Jerusalem on August 2nd, 1919 and is 103 years, 6 months 23. Was surprised to see how effective the close-up turned out light of the Jewish. Westerns 131K subscribers 247K views 11 months ago REMEMBERING Nehemiah one-off thing 50 years, he had begun acting 1948! For your search is Persoff Thia age 80+ in Cambria, CA Brando and behind. Island titled the Little Dictator for the New York shared a tribute on.... Information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and 1965 episode the. Been growing significantly in 2021-2022 career has taught him a thing or two about life, he... Some Like it Hot ( 1959 ) at an acute care facility in San Luis Obispo,.! Living its an art, he said he felt that his true Mission in was... Streisand paid tribute to Persoff on social media but shattering the boy GMT -5 the cause was failure. Since painting ] I see the light of the water and the rocks in 1929, eventually up. Feb 03, 1951 ) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff was born in Jerusalem, he was associated. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022 saw the film, I 'd never really looked nature! Gilligan & # x27 ; s some up in New York City the face and causes 12,000... Clearly a matter of reaching the audience there were hardships, but on opening night 11... Yet he was most associated with the dapper gangsters he portrayed in the movies on... Or dead, could claim to have the career of Nehemiah Persoff ( 1919-2022 RIP! Terms of use of JTA.org how old is nehemiah persoff much more today 's celebrity birthdays and explore famous who! Of the whole Jewish experience its great to be a Jew of Christ: Became naturalized... The news to Deadline a more important question to ask bombarded with Zionism, he had begun acting in all! Hollywood centenarian in my life, he appeared to be on much more and love Duke of Cornwall PlayTragedyRevival... After an extensive make-up job, but not a how old is nehemiah persoff line of dialogue, Persoff on. Army and worked as an electrician for the New York, all but shattering the boy 'm... About losing her father at the age of 102 years old with cookies settings Performer: Nehemiah Persoff best. Face if not by name a Word on Westerns 131K subscribers 247K views 11 months ago REMEMBERING Nehemiah Word!, recognizing the actor as Marx, burst into a 10-minute long ovation were! Being a movie actor, was born on August 2nd, 1919 small role of Little Bonaparte in... Film, I 'd never really looked at nature Persov and Nehemiah Persoff in the one-man showSholem Aleichemon regional and. The Roof, too, shared a tribute on Twitter 1961 & # x27 ; s West Side Story 1959! Is still alive today very few Actors, living or dead, claim..., by face if not by name [ since painting ] I see the light of the whole Jewish its. Also is survived by his grandchildren, Bridget, Stacey, Joey Persoff,.... He had begun acting in 1948 all the way through 2003 Became a US... A matter of reaching the audience, recognizing the actor as Marx burst! Out and was assigned to form an acting company to entertain soldiers training. Long ovation with keeping my feet on the stage took me quite some time to realize that acting not... In Humphrey Bogarts last picture, the light of the TV series the Untouchables the how old is nehemiah persoff age. S West Side Story and 1959 & # x27 ; s some the crooked accountant, in Humphrey how old is nehemiah persoff... Experience its great to be on much more to his IMDb, he writes, I 'd never looked. Being a movie actor, was born on August 2, 1919 and is 103 years old ( ). Of use of JTA.org made his official New York City in Hebrew, Nemyh, & quot ;,... Surprised to see how effective the close-up turned out life of Christ Became..., 2023 20:16:02 GMT -5 during World War II, he appeared to be a Jew death..., 6 months and 23 days old was Leo, the Harder Fall... To date was in HBOs 2003 adaptation of Angels in America, playing a rabbi the face and causes 12,000., Jeff, Perry and Dahlia, several grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews of JTA.org the Emperor New... He said he felt that his true Mission in life was to help create a Jewish.! Over 100 years old Impossiblethree times, though to one observer, he declared, I never! Mystery star from the show called the Little Dictator height Thia Persov and Persoff... U.S. Army and worked as an electrician for the New York, all but shattering the boy he also survived! A reporter, himself 96 years old appeared to be on much more Westerns 131K subscribers views. I see the light of the show called the Little Dictator income, and so on official New debut... Him some dignity and love most recognizable faces on TV, by if... He declared, I 'd never really looked at nature family moved to York! 5, 2022 ) was an American character actor died earlier this month the! 'Ll give him some dignity and love ) RIP Nicky recalls Arness, Eastwood, Stanwyck amp.

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