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 "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.
Early life and education Persoff was born to Shmuel Persoff and Puah Holman in the city of Jerusalem in 1919.International Television & Video Almanac (2007), pg. 366This former Hollywood movie star living in Cambria just celebrated his 100th birthday His father, Shmuel, was a silversmith, jeweler, and art teacher born in Chernihiv, Russian Empire (now Ukraine).New York, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1882–1944 His mother, Puah, was from a Jewish family that had lived in Jerusalem for many generations. His father decided that there were better prospects for him and his family in the United States and in 1923 immigrated on his own. By 1929, he had become financially secure in New York City and sponsored the immigration of his wife, three sons and two daughters. At first, the family lived in an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, before eventually moving to The Bronx. The family spoke Yiddish and Hebrew at home.1930 United States census Although not religious, Persoff was a devout Zionist for his entire life. As a teenager Persoff worked in odd jobs to support his family during the Great Depression. He attended the Hebrew Technical Institute in New York City, graduating as a certified electrician in 1937. He studied acting at the New Theatre acting school after obtaining a scholarship.Jewish character actor Nehemiah Persoff looks back at ups and downs of his first 102 years
Military service In 1942, he was drafted into the United States Army and served for the remainder of World War II; he was assigned to the Special Services for entertainment. He was tasked with forming an acting company that performed for soldiers.Nehemiah Persoff, Jewish character actor who played over 200 roles, dies at 102 After he completed his military service, he took up an electrician's job as a subway signal maintenance worker in New York City.
Career Persoff began to pursue his acting career in New York theatre. In 1947, he was accepted into the Actors Studio and was one of the 26 members of the beginners' class taught by Elia Kazan, along with Martin Balsam, Julie Harris, Kim Hunter, Cloris Leachman, and James Whitmore. He began his acting career in 1948. His first role was an uncredited bit part in the documentary–style detective film The Naked City (1948).
To further his acting career, Persoff stayed in the United States and did not return to Israel to fight in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, a decision he later regretted. In 1951, he visited Israel and performed at the Cameri Theatre in productions of The Glass Menagerie and Volpone.
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 "Greasy Thumb" 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 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Most Toys" and was the oldest living male actor to appear in a Star Trek production at the time of his death.
Retirement and memoir Persoff retired from acting in 2003 and pursued painting, specializing in watercolors.
His memoir, The Many Faces of Nehemiah, was published by The Autumn Road Company in July 2021.
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. He met her while visiting Israel. 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 Year Title Role Director(s) 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 CurtizJohn Wayne 1963 The Hook Captain Van Ryn George Seaton 1964 A Global Affair Under Secretary 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 An American Tail: Fievel Goes West Papa Mousekewitz (voice) Phil NibbelinkSimon Wells 1998 An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island Larry Latham 1999 An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster 2001 4 Faces Ted Post
Television Year Title Role Notes 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 Gardell1955 The Man Behind the Badge Appointment with Adventure Various I Spy Phineas 1955–1957 Producers' Showcase Various 1955–1958 The United States Steel Hour Various1956 Playwrights '56 Adam The Kaiser Aluminum Hour Leonard Brill 1956–1957 Kraft Television Theatre Mr. Arnothy1957 The Alcoa Hour Willie Hauptmann Alfred Hitchcock Presents Ralph Collins Season 3 Episode 4: "Heart of Gold" 1957–1960 Playhouse 90 Various1958 Climax! Lieutenant Cal Nourse Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Jules Dreise Shirley Temple's Storybook Ali Baba1959 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 Various1960 Startime Prior Andry Alfred Hitchcock Presents Jeff Jensen Season 5 Episode 17: "The Cure" Moment of Fear The Witness Charles Becker1961 Thriller Lieutenant Jim Wagner Wagon Train Tiburcio Mendez Route 66 Jack / Vladis Dvorovoi Bus Stop Dr. Emil Kroger1962 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 / Domingo1964–1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Alverian / Martin Vesper Burke's Law Various1965 Mr. Novak Henry Selkirk For the People Stephen Wiseman Seaway