Sasson Gabai Explained

Sasson Gabai
Birth Date:1947 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Baghdad, Iraq
Nationality:Israeli
Occupation:Actor
Yearsactive:1973–present

Sasson Gabai (or Gabay; Hebrew: ששון גבאי; born 1947 11, df=yes) is an Israeli actor.[1] He is the winner of an Ophir Award,[2] Asia Pacific Screen Award (nominated),[3] European Film Awards[4] and Jerusalem Film Festival[5] in 2007 as Best Actor in the highly acclaimed Israeli film The Band's Visit.[6]

Biography

Gabai was born in 1947 in Baghdad, Iraq, to a Baghdadi Jewish family. During his childhood he immigrated together with his family to Israel. After serving his mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he studied theater and psychology at the Tel Aviv University.[7] After graduating, he began playing in the Khan Theater in Michael Alfreds group. Afterwards, he played in several stage productions at the Hacameri Theater, the Be'er Sheva Theater and the Beit Lessin Theater. He is one of the permanent staff members at the Beit Lessin Theater. Among the many plays he participated in were Servant of Two Masters, Catch-22, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Rain Man. Gabai also played in the 1989 children's musical Peter Pan as Captain Hook.

Through the years, Gabai played in various Israeli and international films: Sipurei Tel-Aviv;Time for Cherries, for which he won an Ophir award; Rambo III; the Escape from Saudi Arabia; Made in Israel; Aviva, My Love and many others.

Gabai has also been on Israeli television in series The Haim Neighborhood (שכונת חיים), Siton (סיטון), Late Night Stories (סיפורים לשעת לילה מאוחרת), and in the drama series The Kastner Trial (משפט קסטנר) in which he played Rudolf Kastner. He was a host in the comedy series Zehu Ze!, and played a cameo role in the popular comedy series Krovim Krovim, in addition to many other productions.

Career highlights

He has acted in at least five different languages: Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, English and French.

Filmography

List of film and television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1973Or Min HahefkerShaya
1974Hayeladim Meshchoonat KhaiyimSasson
1987The Impossible SpyGeneral Haled[13]
1988Rambo IIIMousa Ghani
1991Time for Cherries or Cherry SeasonChokoOriginal title: Onat Haduvdevanim
1991Not Without My DaughterHamid
1992Blink of an EyeKhalil
1998Suliman Nasir RasiTV movie
1999Minister Oman
2001The OrderYuri
2006Aviva My LoveOded Zar
2007The Band's VisitLt. Col. Tawfiq Zacharya Original title: Bikur Ha-Tizmoret
2008Hello GoodbyePolice chief
2008House Of SaddamPresident Ahmed Hassan al-BakrTV drama
2009-2015PolishukMinister PolishukTV series
2011When Pigs Have WingsJafaar
2011RestorationYaakov FidelmanOriginal title: Boker Tov Adon Fidelman
2013Hunting ElephantsEliyahuOriginal title: Latzud Pilim
2013KidonYair Yitzhaki (as Sasson Gabay)
2013–presentShtiselNukhem ShtiselTV drama series
2014Gett – The Trial of Viviane Amsallem
2018The AngelPresident Anwar Sadat
2018The Other Story
2019A Brother's Love
2021OsloShimon PeresTV movie
2022KaraokeMeirTheatrical Film
TBAKugelNukhem ShtiselTV drama series, prequel of Shtisel[14]

Family

Gabai resides in Tel Aviv, is married and has five children.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SASSON GABAI BIOGRAPHY . . 24 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160314174212/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/sasson_gabai/biography . 14 March 2016.
  2. News: 'Zero Motivation' gets 12 Ophir nods . 24 December 2015 . The Jerusalem Post.
  3. Web site: INAUGURAL APSA NOMINEES ANNOUNCED. Asia Pacific Screen Awards. 24 December 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160501120846/http://www.asiapacificscreenacademy.com/2007/10/inaugural-apsa-nominees-announced/ . May 1, 2016.
  4. News: "Sasson Gabai named European Film Awards' best actor". Ynet.com . Ynetnews . December 2007 . Ynet . 2015-02-02. Crystal . Merav .
  5. News: Jonah Hill to Receive the Israel Film Festival's Achievement in Film Award . The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. Web site: The Bands visit: The Casts . . 24 December 2015.
  7. Web site: "The Band's Visit" Official Press Kit . 2015-02-02.
  8. Web site: 42nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) - Goa - 2011 - Shadow Play India . shadowplayindia.com.
  9. Web site: Shtisel (2013) - Full Cast & Crew . IMDb . 20 May 2021.
  10. News: Israeli star to headline 'Band's Visit' on Broadway . The Jerusalem Post JPost.com . 2018-06-11.
  11. News: Casey Mink on Twitter . Twitter . 2018-06-11 . en.
  12. News: Sasson Gabai, Original Star of The Band's Visit Film, Will Reprise His Turn on Broadway . Broadway.com . 2018-06-11 . en.
  13. Web site: The Impossible Spy (1987) . IMDb . 20 May 2021.
  14. News: בן נון . שגיא . אחרי ההצלחה הגדולה: בקרוב - סדרת ספין-אוף ל"שטיסל" - וואלה! תרבות . 26 March 2023 . וואלה! . . 22 January 2023 . he.