Chaim Topol, Fiddler On The Roof Star And Memorable James Bond Ally, Dead At 87
Chaim Topol, the renowned star of "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Flash Gordon," has died. The world renowned actor of both the stage and screen was 87 years old. According to The Times of Israel, Topol passed away in Tel Aviv after dealing with Alzheimer's disease for many years.
In large part thanks to his decades-long run as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof," both on stage and on screen, Topol earned a reputation as being the first Israeli actor to truly find fame and recognition around the world. His profile was bolstered greatly following the smash success of 1971's Oscar-winning adaptation of "Fiddler," for which Topol was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Topol "one of the most outstanding Israeli stage artists," as well as a "giant of Israeli culture and will be greatly missed." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also had the following to say in a statement:
"Sadly, the fiddler on the roof is no longer with us. The strings of the fiddle have fallen silent. The story of Chaim Topol's life has been sealed but I am certain that his contribution to Israeli culture will live on for generations."
Topol was born in Tel Aviv in 1935 and began his acting career while finishing his work in the armed services as part of an entertainment troupe before joining a theater group. But it was the 1964 film "Sallah Shabati" that turned the tide for his career. Ultimately though, Topol would always be known best as Tevye, having played the role hundreds of times in various productions, in different parts of the world, throughout his career.
Topol's work beyond Tevye
Be that as it may, Topol had a career that extended well beyond the classic play by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein. Throughout the '70s, the actor starred in other films such as "The Public Eye" and "Galileo." However, it was in the '80s where Topol would land another pair of roles that would etch his name into the pop culture history books as a counterpart to two very different heroes: Flash Gordon and James Bond.
In 1980, Topol appeared as Dr. Hans Zarkov in "Flash Gordon," an adaptation of the classic comic strip that originated in the 1930s. While the film was a relatively modest success in its day, it has gone on to become a timeless sci-fi cult classic. Not long after, the actor also appeared in one of the most enduring franchises in cinema history in 1981's "For Your Eyes Only" during Roger Moore's tenure as 007. In one of Moore's finer moments as the beloved MI6 agent, Topol starred as Milos Columbo, a smuggler and ally to Bond.
Topol left screen acting behind in the late '90s, with his final credit coming in the form of 1998's "Left Luggage." May his memory be a blessing.