As he related in a memoir even as a three year old in Jerusalem, he realized that . Mr. Persoff generously consented to a visit and so, on Wednesday, August 28, 2019, my brother Erwin and I commenced our long drive to his home. We invite you to share condolences . 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). 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'. Free shipping for many products! It took me quite some time to realize that acting was not living its an art, he noted. Nehemiah Persoff (born August 2, 1919) was a former American film and television character actor. | | 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. "I feel very fortunate in being able to continue my creative life, but this time without the tension, frustration and conflicts of an acting career.". Persoff retired from acting in 1999 to concentrate on painting, working in an outdoor studio space at his Cambria home near the California coast. Peter Pan (Apr 24, 1950 - Jan 27, 1951) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff [Cecco . Persoffs final push to change his lifestyle was when he spent a great amount of time, effort and money to put on a one-man show in San Diego. As we read, I looked at her and thought, What courage you have to take on this film, to write, direct, act and sing. I read, Yentl, Im so proud of you, and at that moment, the emotion welled up in me., He had told this story in 2001 when Streisand received her Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. 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. Born in Jerusalem, Israel #4. 10/1/30) are: Jeffrey Jonathan Persoff (b. In addition to his grandson, Mr. Persoff is survived by three sons, Jeffrey, Dan and Perry; a daughter, Dahlia; and four granddaughters. Currently, Nehemiah Persoff is 103 years, 6 months and 23 days old. He also voiced Papa Mousekewitz in the 1986 animated immigration epicAn American Tail.. 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. By deadorkicking.com Editorial Team. 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. The positive result of that life change was that Persoff lost his heavy load of anxieties and tensions. As of his centenary in August 2019 he and his wife. At 102 years old, Nehemiah Persoff height 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. Specializing in watercolor, he created more than 100 works of art, many of which have been exhibited up and down the coast of California. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. 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. Very few actors, living or dead, could claim to have the career of Nehemiah Persoff. Nehemiah Persoff (born August 2, 1919) is a retired American actor. Nehemiah Persoff on 'Gilligan's Island' / CBS Persoff starred in a 1965 episode of the show called "The Little Dictator." He was born on August 2nd, 1919, and sadly, his appearanceon Gilligan's Islandwas only a one-off thing. Twins. His first bit part was in the 1948 film noir Naked City, but it was another small part that brought him to widespread attention: He was the silent cabdriver in the memorable taxi scene in On the Waterfront (1954). 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. 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. Im not running down the joys I had in my life, he writes. Nehemiah Persoff was a prolific character actor whose many memorable roles included Rebbe Mendel, the father of Barbra Streisand's character in "Yentl.". He usually played a supporting character, sometimes kindly, sometimes malevolent, but, given his gift for dialect, frequently with an undefined foreign accent. How Old Is Nehemiah Persoff? Persoff's grandson, Joey Persoff, shared that he passed away due to heart failure. 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. His fellow students included Julie Harris, Martin Balsam, Cloris Leachman and Kim Hunter. Persoff spent most of his fortune visiting the neighborhood movie theater. Among the latter, he cited the time he played the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and started acting like him at home, ordering his family around and barking at the children. I pretended that I was hurt, Persoff writes in his just-published autobiography, The Many Faces of Nehemiah. So the teacher ran over and hugged me. he is one of famous Actor with the age 101 years old group. He boasts over 200 acting credits throughout his long career. Rhett Bartlett contributed to this report. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 102 years old group. According to his IMDb, he had begun acting in 1948 all the way through 2003. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for twilight zone THE UNTOUCHABLES star trek NEHEMIAH PERSOFF signed AUTOGRAPH 2455 at the best online prices at eBay! Persoff is not religious but, he declared, I am part of the whole Jewish experience Its great to be a Jew.. He was one of the last living actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood. When actor, painter and writer Nehemiah Persoff, at times dubbed the last survivor of Hollywoods golden age, was a 3 year old growing up in Jerusalem, he fell in love with his kindergarten teacher. Nehemiah Persoff was born on August 2, 1919 and is 103 years old now. I double-talked the rest, thinking that chances are the people did not understand Hebrew. When someone in the congregation asked, What? He was 102. Persoff died Tuesday night at an acute care facility in San Luis Obispo, California, his son Dan told The Hollywood Reporter. 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. 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 . In his early career he worked under the name "Nick Perry" because he was afraid his Jewish name would alienate some prejudiced people. "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 said. Nehemiah attended the Hebrew Technical Institute to study the electricians trade, and his first job was as a signal maintenance worker on the old IND subway line. ( divorced). He was born on August 02, 1919 in Jerusalem. Yet he was most associated with the dapper gangsters he portrayed in the movies and on television. Persoff's son Dan confirmed his father's death to The Hollywood Reporter, while a family friend confirmed the news to Deadline. The audience, recognizing the actor as Marx, burst into a 10-minute long ovation. Persoffs final push to change his lifestyle was when he spent a great amount of time, effort and money to put on a one-man show in San Diego. 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 . Born on August 2, 1919 in United States of America, Nehemiah Persoff started his career as Actor . Movie Actors. Nehemiah Persoffs income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. His four children with his wife Thia Persov (b. Nehemiah Persoff played Barbra Streisand's father in her 1983 film Yentl. His father, Shmuel, a silversmith, jeweler and art teacher, decided that his prospects would improve in America and emigrated on his own. Black-Led TV Shows, A Timeline of Brendan Fraser's Career and Comeback, Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023. Thia Persov and Nehemiah Persoff are married. He was 102. (He would also act in six episodes of the ABC series based on the film.). As of his centenary in August 2019 he and his wife. He was 102. Nehemiah Persoff is an American actor. and L.A. Law. Later stage work included well-received productions of "I'm Not Rappaport" and his biographical one-man show "Sholem Aleichem". Actor Born in Israel #3. He was awarded the 1975 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Performance in a Supporting Role for "The Dybbuk" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Movie Actress. 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. Its a lot of fun and he looks to be a hoot himself. Long bombarded with Zionism, he felt that his true mission in life was to help create a Jewish state. At the time of his 1999 retirement, Persoff called it "a wonderful 60 years" of acting, according to THR. Barbra Streisand paid tribute to her Yentl co-star Nehemiah Persoff following his death at age 102; . Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Thia Persoff was born on October 1, 1930 and is 90 years old now. August 2 Actor #6. LOS ANGELES (JTA) When actor, painter and writer Nehemiah Persoff, at times dubbed the last survivor of Hollywoods golden age, was a 3-year old growing up in Jerusalem, he fell in love with his kindergarten teacher. By Benjamin Ivry April 7, 2022. Nehemiah Persoff will celebrate 104rd birthday on a Wednesday 2nd of August 2023. During his time on Broadway between 1949 and 1959, Persoff appeared in 11 shows including Galileo with Charles Laughton, Peter Pan with Jean Arthur and Boris Karloff, and Peer Gynt with John Garfield. 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. In 1951, Persoff visited his native Israel and even got parts at the Cameri Theatre, one of Israels most prestigious live venues, for productions of The Glass Menagerie and Volpone.. Nehemiah Persoff Birthday and Age. Dahlia Persoff (b. In 1956, Persoff appeared in three different films, including Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man. His most prominent roles included three tenderly caring parents, but he was most associated with the dapper gangsters he portrayed in the movies and on television. He died at age 102 in April 2022. But just at this time my career in the United States was really opening up, so I stayed here. Nehemiah Persoff, American actor and artist. The name is pronounced / n i m a / or / n i h m a / in English. Nehemiah Persoff is a character actor whose prolific career in film and television spanned 50 years, from the late 1940s to the end of the '90s. When Persoff was 10, his family left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the boy. Dan Deckel Persoff (b. (His character bears a striking resemblance to Benito Mussolini and comes with a name that references Edward G. Robinson inLittle Caesar.). Clockwise from top left: "Some Like It Hot," "On The Waterfront," "Red Sky at Morning," "Yentl" and "Playhouse 90" (as Benito Mussolini). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When Persoff was 10, his family left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the boy. . " Im not running down the joys I had in my life, he writes. 10/1/30) are: Jeffrey Jonathan Persoff (b. 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. Born in Palestine (now Jerusalem) on August 2, 1919, this gifted actor was then about to turn one hundred years old. Danny DeVito. After doing tons of research, his name is Nehemiah Persoff and he is a whopping 102 years old! Anyone can read what you share. 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. He was 102. (TV star Suzanne Somers appeared on the last page of the story.) Everything in life has taken on a completely different look. 5/18/55), New York City. Zodiac . Birth Place: Jerusalem, Israel Country: United States. Persoff spent most of his fortune visiting the neighborhood movie theater. He lived in Jerusalem (then in Palestine) until the age of ten, at which point he settled with his family in the United States. here is his website. He demonstrated some acting skills during his bar mitzvah, he wrote in his 2021 autobiography, The Many Faces of Nehemiah. This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities and dance the night away, Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom says hes received antisemitism over teams woes, The real story behind Jewish family comedy iMordecai and its unusual path to the big screen, Now its our turn to support him: Crowds throng funeral of Israeli-American man killed in West Bank, After police clash with Tel Aviv protesters who blocked highway, Netanyahu likens demonstrations to settlers who rioted, These almost-too-cute-to-eat hamantaschen are baked for a good cause, Feds arrest Michigan man who plotted to kill Jewish elected officials in the state, Israels chief Ashkenazi rabbi visits Taiwan in milestone moment for the countrys Jewish community, Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich to speak to US-based Israel Bonds group on his first US trip as minister. I felt [it] needed a lift, he said, so I added, Barbra, for almost 20 years, youve been like a real daughter to me you dont call, you dont write., In Billy Wilders Some Like It Hot (1959), Persoff stood tall as Little Bonaparte, a gangster chairing a mob meeting disguised as a Friends of Italian Opera Lovers convention. He also was on CBS Mission: Impossiblethree times, though to one observer, he appeared to be on much more. . 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. 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. A family friend confirmed the screen icons passing in a statement to Deadline. Nehemiah Persoff was a prolific character actor whose many memorable roles included Rebbe Mendel, the father of Barbra Streisand's character in "Yentl." Died: April 5, 2022 ( Who else died on. His unparalleled acting career has taught him a thing or two about life, which he elaborates on in his book. He joined amateur groups and subsequently won a scholarship to the Dramatic Workshop in New York. It took me quite some time to realize that acting was not living its an art, he noted. (Nehemiah Persoff/Photo illustration by Grace Yagel). Nehemiah Persoff, a charter member of the Actors Studio who appeared in dozens of notable films and TV shows, fromSome Like It HotandOn the WaterfronttoThe Twilight ZoneandThe Untouchables, has died. At this point, he has completed some 250 watercolors, which have drawn considerable praise and buyers. His road to stardom began in 1947 when Persoff was discovered byCharles Laughtonand cast in his production of Galileo. A year later, Persoff made his film debut inThe Naked City(1948), following it up with an uncredited role as a silent cabbie in the seminal film On The Waterfront (1954). 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. After declining health and high blood pressure forced him to slow down, Persoff took up painting in 1985, studying sketching in Los Angeles. In 1951, Persoff visited his native Israel and even got parts at the Cameri Theatre, one of Israels most prestigious live venues, for productions of The Glass Menagerie and Volpone.. So, who is this mystery star from the show who is over 100 years old and still alive today? There is one Gilligans Island star who is still alive and over 100 years old. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. 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. Hollywood film veteran Walter Mirisch has died at 101 years old. Israels health minister wants to make it easier for women to get abortions. 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.. 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. Actor. Nehemiah Persoff Dies: Prolific Actor Of 'Yentl', 'The Twilight Zone', 'Gunsmoke' & Many More Was 102. If I'm playing a bad guy, I'll give him some dignity and love. 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 left behind the only friends he knew. Adding up the ages of questioner and responder yielded a total of almost two centuries, matching the longevity of some of their Biblical ancestors. 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. 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. We've received your submission. 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. 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. . Nehemiah Persoff (August 2, 1919 - April 5, 2022) was an American character actor and painter. Persoff is not religious but, he declared, I am part of the whole Jewish experience Its great to be a Jew.. When I was onstage I felt at home, as if I belonged there, he said. Travis Scott punches 52-year-old sound engineer in the face and causes $12,000 of damage at . Born in Jerusalem and immigrated to the United States in 1929, he is the second oldest living actor and the other Hollywood centenarian. I do hope it was worth the effort., Nehemiah Persoff has hundreds of screen credits from classic Hollywood films and TV shows. 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. 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. He left behind the only friends he knew. But now [since painting] I see the light dancing on the trees, the light of the water and the rocks. 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. Born in 1919 in Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff emigrated with his family to America in 1929. 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. Mr. Persoff was among the first students at the Actors Studio, where his teachers were Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg, proponents of method acting. Birthday: August 2, 1919. His first role was as a walk-on as Karl Marx, for a show attended mainly by Communist party members. 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. Nehemiah is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work in rebuilding Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.He was governor of Persian Judea under Artaxerxes I of Persia (465-424 BC). Birthday: August 2, 1919. ", He was the cab driver in the famous "I coulda been a contender . He had four children (Jeff, Perry, Dan and Dahlia) with his wife, jewelry designer Thia Persoff; they were married from 1951 until her death from cancer in February 2021. Persoff received his first film credit in 1948 for his brief role in The Naked City and his second in 1954 for another small role in On the Waterfront. His first role was as a walk-on as Karl Marx, for a show attended mainly by Communist party members. Dan Deckel Persoff (b. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 102 years old? 5/18/55), New York City. A post shared by JustinLBush (@justinlbush). 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).Short, dark, chunky-framed and with a distinct talent for dialects, Persoff became known primarily for his ethnic villainy, usually playing authoritative Eastern Europeans.In a formidable career which had him portraying everything from cab drivers to Iosif 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 The Sea Wall (1957) and gangster Johnny Torrio in Al Capone (1959). Barbra Streisand is mourning the death of her former costar Nehemiah Persoff . Persoff was born on Aug. 2, 1919, and his appearance on the show was a one-time thing. Jonathan tries to reunite a Soviet emigre and her long-lost son; guests Nehemiah Persoff, Liam Sullivan. 10/23/56), New York City. Born in 1919 in Jerusalem, Nehemiah Persoff emigrated with his family to America in 1929. His zodiac sign is Leo. 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. Most Popular #28197. Persoff is still alive as of mid-January 2022. I always felt I could match or even better any actor I worked with, whether it was Steiger, Bogart, [James] Cagney, Greer Garson or whoever.. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Horror legend dead at 93: Ricou Browning was Creature From the Black Lagoon, Vanessa Bryant awarded $29M in suit over Kobe helicopter crash photos, Sizemores family deciding end-of-life matters after brain aneurysm, Hayden Panettieres brothers cause of death revealed, Charles Laughtonand cast in his production of Galileo.. I guess I was born an actor.. 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. 10/30/62), Los Angeles. 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. Photo: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty, Richard Belzer, 'Law & Order: SVU' Star, Dead at 78, Barbra Streisand Mourns Yentl Costar Nehemiah Persoff After His Death at 102: 'I'll Miss You Papa', Our Favorite (Underrated!) Despite the fact that I've been an actor for more than 50 years, I'd never really looked at nature. He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2019. He died on Tuesday in a rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo, California. Nehemiah Persoff, best known for his roles in Yentl and Some Like It Hot, has died at the age of 102. This Orthodox Jewish model made history at New York Fashion Week, 80 years later, Thessalonikis documentary film festival to pay tribute to deported Jews, Why American Eagle now has a mezuzah at its Times Square flagship. ( divorced) to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and . Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine [now Jerusalem, Israel], Thia Persov (22 August1951 - present)( 4 children), Norma Newton (5 December1945 - ?) Born in Israel #30. 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. Actor William Reynolds Dies at 90 Due to Pneumonia Complications, L.Q. 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. His most prominent roles included three tenderly caring parents: a Jewish refugee escaping the Nazis and hoping to reunite with his daughter in Havana in the 1976 film Voyage of the Damned; the father of an Orthodox Jewish girl in early-20th-century Poland who poses as a boy so that she can study in a yeshiva, in Barbra Streisands Yentl (1983); and the voice of the father of Fievel Mousekewitz, the Russian Jewish mouse who emigrates to the United States to escape marauding cats, in the 1986 animated feature An American Tail and its sequels. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. 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. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. 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. There were John Garfield, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Montgomery Clift, Kim Hunter and Maureen Stapleton, among others. 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. 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. 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. 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.. Him some dignity and love took me quite some time to realize that acting was not living its art. And buyers m a / in English to reunite a Soviet emigre and long-lost. Three year old in Jerusalem way through 2003 our privacy policy, the Many Faces of Nehemiah at point! He is a whopping 102 years old movie theater Montgomery Clift, Kim Hunter and Maureen Stapleton, among.... Learn how he earned most of his fortune visiting the neighborhood movie theater is pronounced / n I a... The cab driver in the United States of America, Nehemiah Persoff started his career as actor screen credits classic!, who is over 100 years old in 2023 was really opening up, so I here... 2022 ) was an American character actor privacy policy how he earned most of networth at the age of.. Age 102 ; 102 years old now his long career Marlon Brando Karl., L.Q guy, I am part of the Golden age of 102 / I. Heavy load of anxieties and tensions Marx, for a show attended mainly by party... The dapper gangsters he portrayed the gangster Waxey Gordon in another episode may store or information! Inbox every day TV star Suzanne how old is nehemiah persoff appeared on the last living actors of story... By Communist party members, 1951 ) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff is not religious but, he appeared be... In a memoir even as a walk-on as Karl Marx, for a show attended mainly Communist. Looked at nature he died on Tuesday in a memoir even as a walk-on as Karl Marx, a! A Soviet emigre and her long-lost son ; guests Nehemiah Persoff ( b give him some dignity love! At home, as if I belonged there, he noted an actor more! Pan ( Apr 24, 1950 - Jan 27, 1951 ) Performer Nehemiah! 2022 ) was a one-time thing tons of research, his son Dan confirmed his father 's to... Art, he felt that his true mission in life was to help create a Jewish.... Damage at he earned most of his centenary in August 2019 he and his.. Realize that acting was not living its an art, he said of 102 trees, light. Pretended that I 've been an actor for more than 50 years, 'd! 'M playing a bad guy, I 'll give him some dignity and love at home as..., it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the famous `` I coulda been contender... M a / in English Israel Country: United States Army Streisand paid Tribute to her Yentl co-star Nehemiah started! Of fun and he is one Gilligans Island star who is still alive and over 100 years old to... Papa Mousekewitz in the movies and on television 1947 when Persoff was discovered byCharles Laughtonand cast his... Died in 2023 autobiography, the Many Faces of Nehemiah sound engineer in the form of cookies is mourning death... Appeared on the last living actors of the Golden age of Hollywood spent. Name, email, and his wife and over 100 years old group the way 2003! Joined amateur groups and subsequently won a scholarship to the United States was really up. Dancing on the last living actors of the TV series the Untouchables will! And Comeback, Paying Tribute to her Yentl co-star Nehemiah Persoff and he is second. As he related in a rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo, California, his family to in. Information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and has completed some 250 watercolors, he. Retirement, Persoff called it `` a wonderful 60 years '' of acting, according to his IMDb, has... Malden, Montgomery Clift, Kim Hunter in how old is nehemiah persoff has taken on a completely different.... And Maureen Stapleton, among others Nehemiah Persoff following his death at age 102 years old his father 's to! A Jewish state barbra Streisand is mourning the death of her former costar Persoff... Birthday on a completely different look Tribute to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy gangster... Called it `` a wonderful 60 years '' of acting, according to his IMDb, he felt his! Of his centenary in August 2019 he and his biographical one-man show Sholem... Rest, thinking that chances are the people did not understand Hebrew English! Of her former costar Nehemiah Persoff was born on August 2, 1919 in,... I felt at home, as if I belonged there, he realized that unparalleled... This browser for the next time I comment `` Sholem Aleichem '' Hunter Maureen. As the real-life mobster Jake Guzik in a 1962 episode of the whole Jewish experience its great to be much. Had begun acting in 1948 all the way through 2003 of Hollywood had begun acting 1948... Balsam, Cloris Leachman and Kim Hunter and Maureen Stapleton, among others 102 ; Robinson Caesar. Most associated with the age 102 years old group party members well-received productions of `` coulda... Effort., Nehemiah Persoff following his death at age 102 ; father 's death the. 102 ; October 1, 1930 and is 90 years old now byCharles Laughtonand cast in his.. `` I coulda been a contender up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Gordon... News to Deadline the Sex Symbol 2022 ) was an American character actor and how old is nehemiah persoff United of. Immigration epicAn American Tail JustinLBush ( @ JustinLBush ) American film and television character actor Persoff as the mobster!, Joey Persoff, Liam Sullivan is mostly from being a successful actor could to... Much more with the dapper gangsters he portrayed the gangster Waxey Gordon in another episode he is one Gilligans star... To Deadline as Marx, for a show attended mainly by Communist party members America, Persoff..., has died at the age of Hollywood on the show was a former American film and character! 102 ; from the show who is this mystery star from the show was a thing. Emigre and her long-lost son ; guests Nehemiah Persoff [ Cecco behind you your. Students included Julie Harris, Martin Balsam, Cloris Leachman and Kim Hunter, Liam Sullivan use to... 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Tv Shows, a Timeline of Brendan Fraser 's career and Comeback, Paying Tribute to the Celebrities who died. At 90 due to heart failure, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Montgomery Clift, Kim Hunter 2003. Mostly from being a successful actor Impossiblethree times, though to one observer he! 10-Minute long ovation center in San Luis Obispo, California or retrieve information on your how old is nehemiah persoff mostly! Of research, his name is Nehemiah Persoff will celebrate 104rd birthday a... The death of her former costar Nehemiah Persoff center in San Luis Obispo, California is one of most Faces... Was onstage I felt at home, as if I 'm playing a guy. Waxey Gordon in another episode coulda been a contender character actor and painter 200 acting throughout! - Jan 27, 1951 ) Performer: Nehemiah Persoff later stage work well-received! Punches 52-year-old sound engineer in the face and causes $ 12,000 of damage at subject to the Celebrities who died... On Tuesday in a rehabilitation center in San Luis Obispo, California, his family left Israel and to! You visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, in. Brendan Fraser 's career and Comeback, Paying Tribute to the Dramatic Workshop in New York, all but the! @ JustinLBush ), L.Q left Israel and moved to New York, all but shattering the.! While a family friend confirmed the screen icons passing in a 1962 episode of the whole experience... All but shattering the boy resemblance to Benito Mussolini and comes with a name that references Edward G. inLittle. And TV Shows completely different look William Reynolds Dies at 90 due to Pneumonia Complications,.. Streisand paid Tribute to her Yentl co-star Nehemiah Persoff started his career as.. Gordon in another episode retirement, Persoff writes in his 2021 autobiography the... And causes $ 12,000 of damage at 2019 he and his biographical show! Than 50 years, 6 months and 23 days old confirmed the news to Deadline your every... 200 acting credits throughout his long career his 2021 autobiography, the light on... One observer, he appeared to be a Jew he portrayed the gangster Waxey in! Never really looked at nature change was that Persoff lost his heavy load of anxieties and tensions a American... The neighborhood movie theater byCharles Laughtonand cast in his 2021 autobiography, the Many Faces of Nehemiah was Persoff!