Shaike Ophir

Shaike Ophir (Hebrew: שייקה אופיר; November 4, 1928 – August 17, 1987) was a versatile Israeli actor, comedian, playwright, director, screenwriter, and the pioneering mime of Israel. Born Yeshayahu Goldstein-Ophir in Jerusalem to a Masorti family with deep Ashkenazi roots, he began his acting studies as a teenager but interrupted his education in the 1940s to serve in the Palmach during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, where he played a crucial role in escorting convoys to besieged Jerusalem and participated in naval battles.

Ophir's comedic talents soon led him to the Chezbatron, an entertainment troupe for the military. By the 1950s, he had established himself as a dynamic performer, even recording popular songs. His career expanded internationally as he guest-starred on American television shows like Shirley Temple's Storybook and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

His most notable work came with the film Ha-Shoter Azoulay (The Policeman), directed by Ephraim Kishon, which earned a Golden Globe for Best Foreign-Language Film in 1972 and received an Academy Award nomination. Ophir also starred in several other Kishon films, including Ervinka and Blaumilch Canal. He showcased his theatrical prowess in the stage adaptation of Janusz Korczak's King Matt the First, which ran successfully for three years.

Despite battling lung cancer later in life, Ophir continued his creative pursuits until his death in 1987. He was married twice, had four children, and left a lasting legacy in Israeli entertainment, including a series of popular comedy sketches and Arabic-language TV programs. His daughter, Karin Ophir, followed in his footsteps as an actress.