israeli actor Chaim Topol (September 9, 1935), aged 87, died this Thursday in Tel Aviv after an arduous battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He is one of the actors who participated in the famous musical fiddler on the rooffrom 1971.
Topol played the character of Tevye in the big-screen version of this work, created by Norman Jewison, but he also put himself in the shoes of the protagonist from the year 1966 until the last time of the function, in 2009.
The news of Chaim Topol’s death was advanced by the newspaper The Times of Israel, from where they pointed out that the interpreter said goodbye to this world in his own house and surrounded by his family.
“He was one of the most prominent Israeli theater artists, a talented actor who conquered many stages in Israel and abroad, filled cinema screens with his presence and above all penetrated deeply into our hearts” , lamented Isaac Herzog, President of Israel, praising his “glorious” professional career.
From fiddler on the roof to roof of the world, Haim Topol, who passed away, was one of Israel’s most prominent performing artists, a gifted actor who conquered many stages in Israel and abroad, has filled cinema screens with his presence and above all entered the depths of our hearts.
— Isaac Herzog Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) March 9, 2023
Likewise, he was keen to point out that, although he is a decorated actor, “the most important prize of all was won by us, who laughed and laughed with him in the dozens of characters he played. “.
“Topol was one of the giants of Israeli culture and he will be greatly missed. Condolences to his loving family and all those close to him,” the president concluded in a message on Twitter.
Thanks to his role as Tevye, Chaim Topol got a nomination, which later became a victory, for the Golden Globes and was even nominated for the Oscars in 1971.
But it was not his only film role, he also participated in other films like Galileo (1975), Flash Gordon (1980), where he played Doctor Hans Zarkov and in Just for your eyes (nineteen eighty one).
fiddler on the roof is a 1971 American musical film produced and directed by Norman Jewison. It’s a Broadway musical adaptation of the same name which originated in 1964 and whose music is composed by Jerry Bock, are lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and a screenplay by Joseph Stein.
In addition to Topol, the play features actors such as Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon and Paul Mann. A story that focuses on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and their attempts to maintain their Jewish religious and cultural traditions before the outside influences that invade the life of the family.