Israeli actor, singer and illustrator best known for his portrayal of Tevye, the lead role in the stage musical Fiddler on the Roof and the 1971 film adaptation, performing this role more than 3,500 times from 1967 through 2009.
He began acting professionally after gaining experience with the Israeli Army Entertainment Unit during his military service. Achieving stardom with the stage production of Fiddler on the Roof, he later did the lead role for the film version, in which he was nominated for an Oscar. Starring in over 13 films, he has also appeared in TV mini-series The Winds of War and Queenie.
He was described as Israel’s only internationally recognized entertainer from the 1960s through the 1980s. He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his 1971 film portrayal of Tevye, and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor for a 1991 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
He was a founder of Variety Israel, an organization serving children with special needs, and Jordan River Village, a year-round camp for Arab and Jewish children with life-threatening illnesses, for which he served as chairman of the board. In 2015 he was awarded the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement.
Topol and his wife Galia Finkelstein had three children, a son and two daughters. In June 2022, Topol’s son, Omer, revealed that his father was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Chaim Topol died on 9 March 2023 at 2.50 AM in Tel Aviv at the age of 87.
Link to Wikipedia biography