David Opatoshu


Actor
David Opatoshu

About

Birth Place
New York City, New York, USA
Born
January 30, 1918
Died
April 30, 1996

Biography

After 40 years of mostly single-episode TV work, actor David Opatoshu finally scored the big prize of his profession: an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor. He received it in 1991 for his contribution to the drama series "Gabriel's Fire," which starred James Earl Jones. But it could just as easily have come for some of his other work over the decades, everything from Professor Grey o...

Family & Companions

Nancy Opatoshu
Wife
Survived him.

Bibliography

"Between Sea and Sand"
David Opatoshu (1946)

Biography

After 40 years of mostly single-episode TV work, actor David Opatoshu finally scored the big prize of his profession: an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor. He received it in 1991 for his contribution to the drama series "Gabriel's Fire," which starred James Earl Jones. But it could just as easily have come for some of his other work over the decades, everything from Professor Grey on an episode of "The Paper Chase" in 1984 to Taylor Nash on a 1978 chapter of "Little House on the Prairie." Opatoshu worked non-stop during the halcyon days of 1950s New York live TV, putting his stamp most notably on the programs "The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse" and "Studio One in Hollywood." In the 1960s, he appeared on a number of medical programs, culminating with a seven-episode stint as Fred Kirsh on "Dr. Kildare." For "Star Trek" fans, Opatoshu will be forever associated with his portrayal of Anan-7 on a 1967 episode of the program. The actor was often typecast as a man of erudion, everything from a rabbi on "Ironside" to a professor on "Daniel Boone."

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 (1987)
Judge Julius Hoffman
Forty Days of Musa Dagh (1987)
Henry Morgenthau Sr
Almonds and Raisins (1985)
Forced Vengeance (1982)
Sam Paschal
Beyond Evil (1980)
Dr Solomon
Americathon (1979)
Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women (1978)
Who'll Stop The Rain? (1978)
Bender
Raid On Entebbe (1977)
Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident (1976)
Conspiracy of Terror (1975)
Arthur Horowitz
Romance of a Horsethief (1971)
Shloime Kradnik
Death of a Gunfighter (1969)
Edward Rosenbloom
The Fixer (1968)
Latke
Enter Laughing (1967)
Mr. Kolowitz
Torn Curtain (1966)
Mr. Jacobi
Sands of Beersheba (1966)
Daoud
Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966)
Vinaro
The Defector (1966)
Orlovsky
One Spy Too Many (1966)
Kavon
The Most Wanted Man (1962)
Slim
The Best of Enemies (1962)
Captain Bernasconi
Guns of Darkness (1962)
President Rivera
Cimarron (1960)
Sol Levy
Exodus (1960)
Akiva Ben Canaan
The Brothers Karamazov (1958)
Captain Snegiryov
Party Girl (1958)
Lou Forbes
Crowded Paradise (1956)
Jack Kaufer
Molly (1951)
Mr. Dutton
Thieves' Highway (1949)
Frenchy
Any Number Can Play (1949)
Bartender
The Naked City (1948)
Ben Miller
The Light Ahead (1939)
Fishke

Writer (Feature Film)

Romance of a Horsethief (1971)
Screenwriter

Cast (Special)

Woman on the Run (1977)
Editor Miles
Man Against Crime (1958)
Sam Mitschner

Cast (TV Mini-Series)

Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All (1983)
Voice Of Dr Hans Zarkov
Masada (1981)

Life Events

1938

Broadway debut with The Group Theater; acted in productions of "Golden Boy" and "Night Music"

1939

Feature film debut in Yiddish film, "The Light Ahead"

1948

Hollywood film acting debut, "The Naked City"

1960

Won acclaim for performance in "Exodus"

1971

Screenwriting debut, "Romance of a Horse Thief"

Family

Daniel Opatoshu
Son
Survived him.
Richard Saxon
Step-Son
Survived him.
Jennifer Watson
Step-Daughter
Survived him.
Nina Saxon Wizan
Step-Daughter
Survived him.

Companions

Nancy Opatoshu
Wife
Survived him.

Bibliography

"Between Sea and Sand"
David Opatoshu (1946)