Chaim Topol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chaim Topol
Topol in 1971
Born	(1935-09-09)September 9, 1935 Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine
Died	March 8, 2023(2023-03-08) (aged 87) Tel Aviv, Israel
Nationality	Israeli
Other names	Haym Topol Topol
Occupation	Actor singer illustrator
Years active	1957–2015
Notable work	Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof (1971) Milos Columbo in For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Spouse(s)	Galia Finkelstein ​ ​ (m. 1956)​
Children	3
Awards	Kinor David (1964) Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer—Male (1964) Golden Globe for Best Actor (1971) Israel Prize (2015)

Chaim Topol (Hebrew: חיים טופול; September 9, 1935 – March 8, 2023), often known simply as Topol, was a famous Israeli actor, singer, and artist. He is best known for playing the main character, Tevye, in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. He played this role on stage and in the 1971 film over 3,500 times.

Topol started his acting journey in the Israeli army entertainment group. He later performed with different theater companies across Israel. He also helped start the Haifa Theatre. His big break in movies came in 1964. He starred in the film Sallah Shabati, which won him a Golden Globe Award.

Topol appeared in more than 30 films in Israel and the United States. These included Galileo (1975), Flash Gordon (1980), and the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981). He was seen as Israel's most famous international entertainer for many years. For his role as Tevye in the 1971 film, he won another Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for a Broadway show of Fiddler on the Roof in 1991.

Beyond acting, Topol helped start Variety Israel, an organization for children with special needs. He also co-founded Jordan River Village. This is a special camp for Arab and Jewish children with serious illnesses. In 2015, he received the Israel Prize, one of Israel's highest honors, for his lifetime achievements.

Early Life and Beginnings

Chaim Topol was born in Tel Aviv. At that time, it was called Mandatory Palestine, before the country of Israel was formed. His father, Jacob Topol, was a plasterer and served in the Haganah, a defense group. His mother, Imrela Topol, was a seamstress.

Topol grew up in a working-class area of Tel Aviv. As a child, he wanted to be an artist. However, his elementary school teacher noticed his talent for acting. She encouraged him to perform in school plays and read stories aloud.

At age 14, he started working as a printer at a newspaper called Davar. He also studied high school at night. After graduating at 17, he joined the Israeli army. He became part of the Nahal entertainment troupe. Here, he sang and acted in shows that traveled around.

After leaving the army, Topol married Galia Finkelstein. She was also in the Nahal troupe. They settled in a Kibbutz, which is a community village. Topol worked as a mechanic. He also started a kibbutz theater company with friends. They toured and performed several days a week.

Topol and his wife Galia had three children: a son and two daughters. They lived in Tel Aviv. Topol enjoyed sketching and sculpting in his free time.

Later Years and Passing

In 2022, Topol's son shared that his father was living with Alzheimer's disease. Chaim Topol passed away on March 8, 2023, at the age of 87. Before his burial, a memorial was held in Tel Aviv to honor his life and work.

A Lasting Legacy

After Topol's death, many important people spoke about his impact. Israel's President Isaac Herzog called him "one of the most prominent Israeli stage artists." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Topol's "wide smile, warm voice, and unique sense of humor made him a folk hero." Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid noted that Topol's "rich legacy will forever remain a part of Israel."

Acting and Singing Career

From 1960 to 1964, Topol performed with a comedy theater group called Batzal Yarok ("Green Onion"). In 1960, he also helped create the Haifa Theatre. He worked there as an assistant director and acted in plays by famous writers like Shakespeare.

Topol's first movie role was in 1961 in I Like Mike. His big breakthrough came with the 1964 film Sallah Shabati. This movie was a comedy about an immigrant family facing challenges in Israel. Topol, who was 29, played the older father figure. He helped shape the character to be more relatable to many different Jewish groups.

The film Sallah Shabati won a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Topol won an award for Best Actor at the San Francisco International Film Festival. He also received a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer—Male.

In 1966, Topol made his first English-language film. It was called Cast a Giant Shadow.

Playing Tevye the Dairyman

Topol became most famous for playing Tevye the Dairyman. He first played Tevye in the Israeli stage production of Fiddler on the Roof in 1966. The producer of the original Broadway show, Harold Prince, saw Topol in Sallah Shabati. He invited Topol to audition for a new production in London in 1967.

Topol was not yet fluent in English. He learned the songs by listening to the Broadway cast album. He practiced the words with a British teacher. When he auditioned, the producers were surprised that this 30-year-old could play a man in his fifties or sixties. Topol explained that a good actor can play any age. He said, "Makeup is not an obstacle." He was hired and spent six months learning his lines perfectly.

A few months after the show opened, Topol returned to Israel for army duty during the Six-Day War. He performed for soldiers. After the war, he went back to the London show. He performed in 430 shows in total.

During his time in London, people started calling him "Topol" because his first name, Chaim, was hard for them to pronounce.

Topol in 2013

When making the 1971 film version of Fiddler on the Roof, the director, Norman Jewison, wanted Topol for the lead role. Topol was 36 years old at the time. He had to wear makeup and costumes to look 20 years older and heavier. He used a special acting technique to make his body movements and voice sound like an older person.

For his performance, Topol won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Topol played Tevye many more times throughout his career. He performed the role in London again in 1983. In 1989, he toured the U.S. with the show. By then, he was closer to Tevye's age. He said, "I didn't have to spend the energy playing the age." He also starred in a Broadway revival in 1990–1991. For this, he was nominated for a Tony Award.

He continued to play Tevye in London and on tour in Australia and New Zealand until 2007. In 2009, Topol began a farewell tour as Tevye. He had to stop early due to a shoulder injury. Topol estimated that he played the role of Tevye over 3,500 times.

Other Roles in Film and Stage

Topol's sketch of himself as Sallah Shabati

Topol appeared in over 30 films. Besides Tevye, some of his well-known English-language roles include:

• The main role in Galileo (1975).
• Dr. Hans Zarkov in Flash Gordon (1980).
• Milos Columbo in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981).

In Israel, Topol acted in and produced many films and TV shows. He also lent his voice to animated characters. He was the voice of Bagheera in the Hebrew versions of The Jungle Book and its sequel. He also voiced Rubeus Hagrid in the first two Harry Potter films in Hebrew.

Topol also wrote plays and screenplays. He was featured in two BBC TV shows, It's Topol (1968) and Topol's Israel (1985). A Hebrew documentary about his life, Chaim Topol – Life as a Film, aired in 2011.

Musical Recordings

Topol was a baritone singer. He recorded several songs and albums. These included film soundtracks, children's songs, and Israeli war songs. His albums include Topol '68 and Topol Sings Israeli Freedom Songs. He also appeared on the soundtrack for the Fiddler on the Roof film.

Literary and Art Work

Shimon Peres by Topol

Topol wrote his autobiography, Topol by Topol, in 1981. He also wrote To Life! (1994) and Topol's Treasury of Jewish Humor, Wit and Wisdom (1995).

Topol was also an illustrator. He drew pictures for about 25 books in both Hebrew and English. He also created drawings of important Israeli figures. His sketches of Israeli presidents were even used on a series of stamps in 2013. His self-portrait as Tevye was on a stamp in 2014, celebrating 50 years of Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.

Helping Others

In 1967, Topol founded Variety Israel. This group helps children with special needs. He also helped start and led the board of Jordan River Village. This special camp opened in 2012. It provides a fun vacation spot for Arab and Jewish children who have serious illnesses. The camp is run mostly by volunteers. Topol said this project was the one he felt "most connected to."

Awards and Honors

Topol (center row, far right) and other winners of the Kinor David award in arts and entertainment, 1964

Topol received many awards for his work. In 1964, he won Israel's Kinor David award for arts and entertainment. He also won a Best Actor award for his role in the 1972 film Follow Me!. In 2008, he was recognized as an Outstanding Member of the Israel Festival for his contributions to Israeli culture.

In 2014, the University of Haifa gave Topol an honorary degree. This was to recognize his 50 years of work in Israeli culture and public life. In 2015, he received the prestigious Israel Prize for his lifetime achievements.

Rabbi Moshe Azman and Chaim Topol in 2015

In 2015, Chaim Topol was honored by the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine. Topol's famous role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof inspired the creation of the Anatevka Refugee Village. This village was named after the fictional village in the story.

Filmography