Chaim Topol, a leading Israeli actor who charmed generations of theatergoers and movie-watchers with his portrayal of Tevye, the long-suffering and charismatic milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof,” has died in Tel Aviv, Israeli leaders said Thursday. He was 87.Israeli leaders on Thursday tweeted their memories and condolences to Topol's family.
Benny Gantz, Israel’s former minister of defense, praised Topol for helping Israelis connect to their roots. Topol's charity, Jordan River Village, also announced his death, paying tribute to him as an “inspiration” whose “legacy will continue for generations to come.” Two years later, he made his English-language film debut alongside Kirk Douglas in “Cast a Giant Shadow.” But the role of his life arrived in the long-running musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” in which he played the dairyman protagonist, Tevye, a Jewish father trying to maintain his family’s cultural traditions despite the turmoil gripping their Russian shtetl.
Topol played the part more than 3,500 times on stage, most recently in 2009. With the help of heavy makeup and costume work, he first portrayed the much older, burlier dairyman in his 30s and quite literally aged into the role. “I wasn’t brought up in Hollywood. I was brought up in a kibbutz,” he said. “Sometimes I am surprised when I come to China or when I come to Tokyo or when I come to France or when I come wherever and the clerk at theTopol also starred in more than 30 other movies, including as the lead in “Galileo,” Dr. Hans Zarkov in “Flash Gordon” and James Bond’s foil-turned-ally Milos Columbo in “For Your Eyes Only" alongside Roger Moore.
He was a great actor. Fiddler on the roof remains one of my favorite movies . Rest in peace See my homepage plz
I was lucky enough to see Topol in Fiddler on the Roof in London in the early seventies. Will never forget it. He was brilliant! RIP
Topol as mentioned in Notting Hill
😪🥀 StacyMacCallum
Saw him when I was in high school when I went on a field trip to see Fiddler on the Roof. Was the beginning of my love for the theater. I have never forgotten his performance. Thank you sir. Blessings for safe passage.
I was a young kid when I saw my first movie with him in it: Flash Gordon. Then I saw For Your Eyes Only (also my first James Bond movie). Not until I was an adult did I realize what a prolific actor he was. He will be missed.
I guess he deedle-died
He was a great actor. Fiddler on the roof remains one of my favorite movies . Rest in peace 🙏
BDE, but ABC News doesn't care another Jews or Israelis.
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So sad. Was even more distressed to hear a radio announcer just now garble the pronunciation of the name of the actor and the character!
Dr Hans Zarkov in Flash Gordon also
That is sad news
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