Nehemiah Persoff
Nehemiah Persoff | |
|---|---|
נחמיה פרסוף | |
Persoff in 1960 | |
| Born | August 2, 1919 Jerusalem, Palestine |
| Died | April 5, 2022 (aged 102) |
| Citizenship |
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| Education | Hebrew Technical Institute |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1948–2003 |
| Spouse |
Thia Persov
(m. 1951; died 2021) |
| Children | 4 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1942–1945 |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Signature | |
Nehemiah Persoff (Hebrew: נחמיה פרסוף; 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 "Greasy Thumb" 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.