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David Opatoshu 1918 - 1996

David Opatoshu of Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles County, CA was born on January 30, 1918 at New York City.. He was married to Lillian Weinberg in June 1941 and they later divorced in 1996. He had a child Danny Opatoshu. David Opatoshu died at age 78 years old on April 29, 1996 at Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles.

David Opatoshu

Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles County, CA 91423

January 30, 1918

New York City.

April 29, 1996

Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

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David Opatoshu David Opatoshu (1918 - 1996)

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David Opatoshu's History: 1918 - 1996

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Introduction

David Opatoshu Born January 30, 1918 in New York City, New York, USA Died April 30, 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA (undisclosed) David Opatoshu was born on January 30, 1918 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Exodus (1960), Torn Curtain (1966) and Star Trek: The Original Series (1966). He was married to Lillian Weinberg. He died on April 30, 1996 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Lillian Weinberg (1941 - 30 April 1996) ( his death) ( 1 child) Father of Danny Opatoshu His dark, balding, slightly swarthy features made him a versatile character player, either the perfect ethnic villain in crimers or the epitome of saintliness in bible stories. He was often utilized playing wise, often beleaguered Jewish pops. Delivered the evening news in Yiddish on New York radio during the war years on WEVD. Received his start in the New York Yiddish theater. His first film, The Light Ahead (1939), was all-Yiddish. Father-in-law of Anne Spielberg. Son of Joseph Opatoshu, a prominent Yiddish novelist and short-story writer. Won an Emmy for Best Performance in a Dramatic Series for Gabriel's Fire: A Prayer for the Goldsteins (1991). Made his Broadway debut with the Group Theater in 1938, appearing in 'Golden Boy' and 'Night Music' by Clifford Odets. Served in the U.S. Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II. He pronounced his last name as "Oh-puh-tosh-you".
01/30

1918

Birthday

January 30, 1918

Birthdate

New York City.

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Russian and Jewish.
Nationality & Locations

New York City.
Religious Beliefs

David Opatoshu BIRTH 30 Jan 1918 New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA DEATH 30 Apr 1996 (aged 78) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA BURIAL Hillside Memorial Park Culver City, Los Angeles County, California, USA PLOT Garden of Memories, Court of Dedication, Block 1, Plot 40, Grave 6 MEMORIAL ID 5433 · View Source Family Members Parents Photo Joseph Opatoshu 1886–1954 Adele Wolfe Opatoshu unknown–1970 Spouse Photo Nancy Judith Rigler Opatoshu 1929–2015 (m. 1984)
Military Service

Served in the U.S. Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II.
Professional Career

Complete filmography The Light Ahead (1939) — Fishke The Naked City (1948) — Sgt. Dave Miller (uncredited) Illegal Entry (1949) — Al (uncredited) Any Number Can Play (1949) — Bartender (uncredited) Thieves' Highway (1949) — Frenchy — Thug in Cap (uncredited) The Goldbergs (1950) — Mr. Dutton The Most Wanted Man (1953) — Slim le Tueur Crowded Paradise (1956) The Brothers Karamazov (1958) — Capt. Snegiryov Where Is Thy Brother? (1958, TV movie) — Father Party Girl (1958) — Lou Forbes Cimarron (1960) — Sol Levy Exodus (1960) — Akiva Ben Canaan Black City (1961) — Il commissario Natalucci The Best of Enemies (1961) — Italian Physician Bernasconi Guns of Darkness (1962) — President Rivera The Cardinal (1963) — Mr. Rampell (uncredited) Sands of Beersheba (1963) — Daoud One Spy Too Many (1966) — Mr. Kavon Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966) — Augustus Vinero Torn Curtain (1966) — Mr. Jacobi The Defector (1966) — Orlovsky Enter Laughing (1967) — Mr. Morris Kolowitz Ha-Dybbuk (1968) — Zadik The Fixer (1968) — Latke The Smugglers (1968, TV movie) — Alfredo Faggio Death of a Gunfighter (1969) — Edward Rosenbloom The D.A.: Murder One (1969, TV movie) — Dr. Rudolph Grainger A Walk in the Spring Rain (1970) — (uncredited) Incident in San Francisco (1971, TV movie) — Herschel Roman Romance of a Horsethief (1971) — Schloime Kradnik Portrait: A Man Whose Name Was John (1973, TV movie) — Rabbi Isaac Herzog Conspiracy of Terror (1975, TV movie) — Arthur Horowitz Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident (1976, TV movie) — Grinev Raid on Entebbe (1976, TV movie) — Menachem Begin Woman on the Run (1977, TV movie) — Ed Mills Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women (1978, TV movie) — Flo's Father Who'll Stop the Rain (1978) — Bender In Search of Historic Jesus (1979, Documentary) — Herod Americathon (1979) — Abdul Muhammad Beyond Evil (1980) — Dr. Solomon Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All (1982, TV movie) — Vultan (voice) Forced Vengeance (1982) — Sam Paschal Forty Days of Musa Dagh (1982) — Henry Morgenthau, Sr. Under Siege (1986, TV movie) — Ambassador Sajid Moktasanni Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 (1987, TV movie) — Judge Julius Hoffman
Personal Life & Family

Actor. He received notoriety as an award-winning American actor of stage, screen, and television during the 20th century. In 1991 he was the recipient of the Emmy Award for his guest appearance in the episode “A Prayer for the Goldsteins” of the ABC series “Gabriel's Fire.” Starting with parts in Yiddish theater, he did a film in Yiddish in 1938. During World War II, he delivered the evening news in Yiddish on the New York City radio station WEVD and served in the South Pacific in the Air Force. Yiddish is the language spoken by Jewish people of central and eastern Europe prior to the mid-20th century, and with migration, it is spoken in the United States and Israel. His wartime experiences gave him the material for “Between Sea and Sand,” a collection of short stories he published in Yiddish in 1946. From 1948 to 1949 he had four uncredited parts before the 1950 comedy film “Goldbergs”. Born first-generation American to Polish Jewish parents, he was the son of Yiddish author, Joseph Opatoshu, and wrote a screenplay for the 1971 film “Romance of a Horse Thief,” which was based on his father's novel. His ten stage roles included “Night Music” in 1940, “Silk Stockings” in 1956, “The Wall” in 1960, and his last in 1969 “Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie”. In the fall of 1953, he had a leading role in the NBC situational comedy, “Bonino.” This was followed by the 1958 made-for-television movie “Where Is thy Brother?” He was known for his role of Akiva, a scholarly Jewish resistance leader in the 1960 film, “Exodus.” He made at least 45 films or made-for-television movies. He made hundreds of 30-minute to an-hour guest television appearances such as "Mission Impossible", “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” “Mannix,” “Ironside,” “Bionic Woman” with 3 episodes, “Daniel Boone,” “Dr. Kildare” with a seven-episode stint,” “Twilight Zone,” ”Fantasy Island,” “Little House on the Prairie,” and “Star Trek the Original Series.” In 1982 his voice was used as King Vultan in the animated movie, “Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All.” With his dark, balding hair, and olive-colored skin, along with speaking Yiddish, he was often given roles as a Jewish or Arabic character. His last role was as the judge in a 1987 made-for-television movie, “Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8.” Never leaving his roots, he directed Yiddish theater and narrated a documentary film on the Yiddish theater in America. Bio by: Linda Davis
04/29

1996

Death

April 29, 1996

Death date

Unknown.

Cause of death

Sherman Oaks in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
California United States
Burial location
Obituary

David Opatoshu, a versatile character actor best known for his role as Akiva, a scholarly Jewish resistance leader in the 1960 film "Exodus," died on Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 78. Mr. Opatoshu, whose father was the Yiddish novelist Joseph Opatoshu, was born in New York City and began his acting career in the Yiddish theater. He made his Broadway debut in 1938 with the Group Theater's productions of the Clifford Odets plays "Golden Boy" and "Night Music." A year later he appeared as Fishke, a lame boy in love with a blind girl, in the Yiddish film "The Light Ahead," directed by Edgar G. Ulmer. After serving with the Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II, he returned to Manhattan and worked in radio, theater, television and films. His wartime experiences provided the material for "Between Sea and Sand," a collection of short stories he published in Yiddish in 1946. His theater credits include the musicals "Silk Stockings" and "Bravo Giovanni," the comedies "Me and Molly," "Reclining Figure" and "Once More With Feeling" and the dramas "Flight Into Egypt," "The Wall" and "Lorenzo." He made his Hollywood film debut in 1948 in "The Naked City," directed by Jules Dassin, and later appeared in "The Brothers Karamazov," "Party Girl," "Cimarron," "The Best of Enemies," "Torn Curtain," "Enter Laughing" and "The Fixer." He wrote the screenplay for "Romance of a Horse Thief" (1971), based on a novella by his father, and also appeared in the film. On television he acted in numerous productions on "Studio One," "Philco Playhouse" and "Playhouse 90," and he appeared as a guest star on "Perry Mason," "Kojak," "Star Trek" and other series. In the miniseries "The Trial of the Chicago Seven," he played Judge Julius Hoffman. In 1991 he won an Emmy Award for best appearance in a dramatic series for an episode of "Gideon's Trumpet." He is survived by his wife, Nancy, of Los Angeles; a son, Dan, and three stepchildren, Richard Saxon, Jennifer Watson and Nina Saxon Wizan.David Opatoshu passed away on April 29, 1996 at Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California at 78 years of age. He was born on January 30, 1918 at New York City.. We know that David Opatoshu had been residing in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles County, California 91423.

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David Opatoshu lived 1 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 78.

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5 Memories, Stories & Photos about David

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

05/02/2021

He was so sweet to meet.

So talented and modest.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

05/02/2021

David Opatoshu

Great, sensitive, and brilliant character actor.
I met him once in the '50s when I was a teenager. He was startled that I knew who he was. "Oh my! You're David Opatoshu!" "How do you know me?" "You're a famous actor. Anyone who has ever seen you could never forget you."

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

05/02/2021

Love the hat and the goatee.

David Opatoshu.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

05/02/2021

David Opatoshu.

Famous American Character Actor.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

05/02/2021

He began in Yiddish theater and films.

he delivered the news on the radio in Yiddish.

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

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David Opatoshu's Family Tree & Friends

David Opatoshu's Family Tree

Parent

David Opatoshu Jan 30, 1918 - Apr 29, 1996

Partner

Child

Sibling

Marriage

Lillian Weinberg

David Opatoshu

June 1941

Marriage date

Divorce

Cause of Separation

1996

Divorce date

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David Opatoshu Jan 30, 1918 - Apr 29, 1996

Lillian Weinberg died May 13, 2000

Child

Danny Opatoshu born 1947

Friendships

David's Friends

1 Follower & Sources

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Other Biographies

Other Opatoshu Family Biographies

Opatoshu, Lillian (Mar 5, 1920 - May 13, 2000)

Opatoshu, Danny (Born 1947)

About the AncientFaces Community

David Opatoshu 1918 - 1996

David Opatoshu's History: 1918 - 1996

Introduction

Birthday

Ethnicity & Family History

Nationality & Locations

Religious Beliefs

Military Service

Professional Career

Personal Life & Family

Death

Gravesite & Burial

Obituary

5 Memories, Stories & Photos about David

David Opatoshu's Family Tree & Friends

David Opatoshu's Family Tree

Lillian Weinberg

David Opatoshu

David's Friends

Other Opatoshu Family Biographies