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Nehemiah Persoff (; August 2, 1919 – April 5, 2022) was an American actor and painter. 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.
His first acting role was as an extra in The Naked City (1948). Persoff is best known for roles as Leo in The Harder They Fall (1956), as Little Bonaparte in Some Like It Hot (1959), as Jake Guzik in The Untouchables (1959–1963), as Rebbe Mendel in Yentl (1983), and as the voice of Papa Mousekewitz in the animated film An American Tail (1986) and its sequels. He also made appearances on episodes of The Twilight Zone, Gilligan's Island, Hawaii Five-O, Adam-12, and Law & Order.
His first role was an uncredited bit part in the film noir The Naked City (1948).
Among his early film roles was as the taxi driver during Marlon Brando's "I coulda been a contender" scene in On the Waterfront (1954); Leo the accountant in The Harder They Fall (1956), with Humphrey Bogart and Rod Steiger; and the gangster boss Little Bonaparte (a parody of Rico/Little Caesar) in Billy Wilder's film Some Like It Hot (1959),Jeffrey Meyers: The Genius and the Goddess: Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe. University of Illinois Press, 2010, , p. 193. and he appeared again with Steiger in Al Capone (also 1959). He also appeared in supporting roles in films such as The Comancheros (1961) and The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965).
Persoff, alongside Dean Stockwell and Andrew Bloch, appeared as Darius the Great's wicked Babylonian administrators in the 1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible episode Daniel in the Lions' Den.
In the film Yentl (1983), Persoff portrayed the father of Barbra Streisand's character. He appeared in the comedy film Twins (1988) and in the American Tail animated-film series as Papa Mousekewitz. His last movie was 4 Faces (1999), the last film to be directed by Ted Post.
His acting career included many appearances in television series, including six episodes of The Untouchables, three episodes of which he appeared as Jake Guzik (regarded by many as his signature role), and Gilligan's Island as the title character in the episode "The Little Dictator" (the favorite episode of the show's creator Sherwood Schwartz). Persoff appeared on the episode "The Most Toys" and was the oldest living male actor to appear in a Star Trek production at the time of his death.
His memoir, The Many Faces of Nehemiah, was published by The Autumn Road Company in July 2021.
Retirement and memoir
Persoff retired from acting in 2003 and pursued painting, specializing in watercolors.
Personal life
In 1951, Persoff married Thia Persov, who had served as a nurse with the Palmach, the elite fighting force of the Haganah, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. She died of cancer in 2021. The couple had four children: Jeffrey, Dan, Perry, and Dahlia.
Death
On April 5, 2022, at the age of 102, Persoff died of heart failure at a rehabilitation facility in San Luis Obispo, California.
Filmography
Film
1948 The Naked City Smiling Man Departing Subway Jules Dassin 1954 On the Waterfront Cab Driver Elia Kazan 1956 The Harder They Fall Leo Mark Robson The Wrong Man Gene Conforti Alfred Hitchcock The Wild Party Kicks Johnson Harry Horner 1957 Men in War SFC Nate Lewis Anthony Mann Street of Sinners Leon William Berke This Angry Age Albert René Clément 1958 The Badlanders Vincente Delmer Daves 1959 Never Steal Anything Small Pinelli Charles Lederer Green Mansions Don Panta Mel Ferrer Some Like It Hot Little Bonaparte Billy Wilder Al Capone Johnny Torrio Richard Wilson Day of the Outlaw Dan Andre de Toth 1961 The Big Show Bruno Everard James B. Clark The Comancheros Graile Michael Curtiz
John Wayne1963 The Hook Captain Van Ryn George Seaton 1964 A Global Affair Undersecretary Segura Jack Arnold Fate Is the Hunter Ben Sawyer Ralph Nelson 1965 The Greatest Story Ever Told Shemiah George Stevens 1967 Too Many Thieves Georgi Abner Biberman 1968 The Money Jungle Lieutenant Dow Reeves Francis D. Lyon The Day of the Owl Pizzuco Damiano Damiani The Power Professor Carl Melnicker Byron Haskin Panic in the City August Best Eddie Davis 1969 The Girl Who Knew Too Much Lieutenant Miles Crawford Francis D. Lyon 1970 The People Next Door Dr. Salazar David Greene 1971 Mrs. Pollifax-Spy Berisha Leslie H. Martinson Red Sky at Morning Amadeo Montoya James Goldstone 1972 Lapin 360 Robert Michael Lewis 1975 Psychic Killer Dr. Gubner Ray Danton 1976 Voyage of the Damned Mr. Hauser Stuart Rosenberg 1977 Deadly Harvest Mort Logan Timothy Bond 1979 In Search of Historic Jesus Herod Antipas Henning Schellerup 1981 St. Helens Mr. Ellison Ernest Pintoff 1982 O'Hara's Wife Dr. Fischer William Bartman 1983 Yentl Rebbe Mendel (Papa) Barbra Streisand 1986 An American Tail Papa Mousekewitz (voice) Don Bluth 1988 The Last Temptation of Christ Rabbi Martin Scorsese Twins Mitchell Traven Ivan Reitman 1991 Papa Mousekewitz (voice) Phil Nibbelink
Simon Wells1998 Larry Latham 1999 2001 4 Faces Ted Post
Television
1949 Actors Studio 1953 Suspense 1953–1954 You Are There Captain de Sandoval Goodyear Television Playhouse Papa / Joe Marco 1953–1955 The Philco Television Playhouse Various 1954–1955 The Stranger 1954–1956 Armstrong Circle Theatre The Man / Jeff Gardell 1955 The Man Behind the Badge Appointment with Adventure Various I Spy Phineas 1955–1957 Producers' Showcase Various 1955–1958 The United States Steel Hour Various 1956 Playwrights '56 Adam The Kaiser Aluminum Hour Leonard Brill 1956–1957 Kraft Television Theatre Mr. Arnothy 1957 The Alcoa Hour Willie Hauptmann Alfred Hitchcock Presents Ralph Collins Season 3 Episode 4: "Heart of Gold" 1957-1960 Playhouse 90 Various 1958 Climax! Lieutenant Cal Nourse Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Jules Dreise Shirley Temple's Storybook Ali Baba 1959 The Third Man Sandor Varnezki Five Fingers Hildalgo Mr. Lucky El Presidente The Twilight Zone Carl Lanser Episode: "Judgment Night" 1959–1962 The Untouchables Various 6 episodes 1959–1963 Naked City Various 1960 Startime Prior Andry Alfred Hitchcock Presents Jeff Jensen Season 5 Episode 17: "The Cure" Moment of Fear The Witness Charles Becker 1961 Thriller Lieutenant Jim Wagner Wagon Train Tiburcio Mendez Route 66 Jack / Vladis Dvorovoi Bus Stop Dr. Emil Kroger 1962 The Dick Powell Show El Valiente King of Diamonds Frank Goby The New Breed Louis Morley Frontier Circus Paco Durando 1963 Sam Benedict Vernon Hill 1963–1964 Rawhide Michob / Domingo 1964–1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Alverian / Martin Vesper Burke's Law Various 1965 Mr. Novak Henry Selkirk For the People Stephen Wiseman Seaway
Montagna
Gilligan's Island Pancho Hernando Gonzalez Enriques Rodriguez Episode: "The Little Dictator" Ben Casey Don Ferando Convoy Dimitri Federenko A Man Called Shenandoah Father Rodriguez 1965–1968 The Wild Wild West Major Hazard Episode: "The Night of the Underground Terror" 1965–1975 Gunsmoke Jack Pinto,
Alex Skouras, Driscoll,
Ben Rando,
Alejo Etchahoun Episode: "Ten Little Indians"; Episode: "Blood Mondey"; Episode: "The Mark of Cain"; Episode: "Like Old Times"; Episode: "Manolo" 1966 The Legend of Jesse James El Carnicero Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Dobbs Honey West Faustini - Bogus Mystic The Trials of O'Brien Georgi The Big Valley General Vicente Ruiz Episode: "Legend of A General, Part 1 & 2" Jericho Paul Marchand The Time Tunnel Professor Anton Biraki 1966–1967 I Spy Roop / Coly Collisi 1966 Prince Iben Kostas Episode: "Odds on Evil" 1967 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Valandros Off to See the Wizard El Primero The Danny Thomas Hour Lew Beckman Maya Lansing, the Pilot 1967 The Wild Wild West Adam Barclay Season 2, Episode 25: "The Night of The Deadly Blossom" 1968 Tarzan Chembe Kunji CBS Playhouse Dr. Salazar The Name of the Game Ambassador 1968–1972 The Wonderful World of Disney Artie Moreno / Captain Malcione 1968–1979 Hawaii Five-O Various Episode: "Deathwatch" 1969 Igor Stravos Episode: "Fool's Gold" 1969 Phillipe Pereda Episode: "The Vault" 1969 It Takes a Thief Harry Lavender Corwin The Flying Nun Alonzo Baldazon The Bill Cosby Show Mr. Byron Land of the Giants Titus 1969–1972 The Mod Squad Various 1969–1975 Marcus Welby, M.D. Various 1970 Cutter's Trail Santillo TV movie Dan August Leo Cussoni The High Chaparral Homero José 1970–1973 Love, American Style Carl Colbert / Mr. Stone Insight Bishop Palmera / Mr. Gennaro 1971 The Chicago Teddy Bears Morris 1972 Adam-12 Angelo Covelli Cool Million Karinakis Mannix Anton Wojeska The Streets of San Francisco 'Papa' Kampacalas 1973 Search Emmett Brugman Purple Playhouse Dr. Van Helsing Dr. Simon Locke Mr. John Warren 1973–1977 McCloud Tereshkov / Perry Cicero 1974 McMillan & Wife Clementa Habib The Stranger Within Dr. Edward Klein TV movie The Missiles of October Andrei Gromyko TV movie 1974–1979 Police Story Dr. Burke / Fabrizzio 1975 The Invisible Man Dr. Leon Barnard Ellery Queen Dr. Mustafa Haddid 1976 Columbo Jesse Jerome Episode: "Now You See Him" Baretta Vittorio Luzianno 1977 The Six Million Dollar Man Major Popov Wonder Woman Professor Moreno Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Charles Dietrich Hunter Sheik Farakbi Quincy, M.E. Matt Dorsey Charlie's Angels Anton Police Woman Como 1978 Logan's Run Asa Little House on the Prairie Mr. Olaf Lindstrom Episode: "The Stranger" High Hopes Dr. Aaron Herzog The Bionic Woman Dr. Philip Jennings Richie Brockelman, Private Eye Saul Girardi Charles Frohman TV movie Sword of Justice Carlos Vega$ The Sheikh The Word Abbot Petropolous The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Vladimir 1978–1980 Fantasy Island Andreas / Horst Von Stern 1978–1981 Barney Miller Carl Simms / Yacov Berger 3 episodes 1979 Delta House Mayor DePasto Supertrain Max Battlestar Galactica Eastern Alliance Leader The Rebels Baron Von Steuben The French Atlantic Affair Colonel Schreiner 1980 B.A.D. Cats Matt and Jenny Barnabas Bletcher The Littlest Hobo Lukash F.D.R.: The Last Year Joseph Stalin TV movie Condominium Conlaw 1983 This Is the Life Sadat Leonid Brezhnev 1984 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Brobich 1985 Magnum, P.I. Rabbi Asher Solomon Hotel Nicholas Petrovsky 1986 The Facts of Life Sam Highway to Heaven Deputy Premier Andrey Malinoff 1987 Adderly J.J. Starbuck Patul Batulik 1988 American Playhouse Marcus Hoff 1989 MacGyver Sam Bolinski 1990 L.A. Law Rabbi Isadore Glickman Toff Episode: "The Most Toys" Hunter Harold Goodman Murder, She Wrote Constantin Stavros 1992 Doogie Howser, M.D. Max Wernick 1993 Reasonable Doubts Klaus Reichel Law & Order David Steinmetz 1995 Chicago Hope Rabbi Ben Taubler 1996 Tracey Takes On... Grandfather 2003 Angels in America Rabbi Episode: "Millennium Approaches: Bad News"; uncredited
See also
External links
Categories: 1919 Births, 2022 Deaths, American Ashkenazi Jews, American People Of Palestinian-jewish Descent, American Male Film Actors, American Male Television Actors, American Male Voice Actors, American Male Painters, United States Army Personnel Of World War Ii, 20th-century American Painters, 21st-century American Painters, 21st-century American Male Artists, Painters From New York City, Military Personnel From New York City, Emigrants From Mandatory Palestine To The United States, American Electricians, Jews From Mandatory Palestine, Jewish American Male Actors, Jewish American Painters, Male Actors From Jerusalem, United States Army Soldiers, Western Television Actors, American Men Centenarians, 21st-century American Jews, Deaths From Congestive Heart Failure In The United States, 20th-century American Male Artists, Jewish Centenarians, American People Of Ukrainian-jewish Descent
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