Nehemiah Persoff
Known for: Acting
Nehemiah Persoff was an American film and television actor. Persoff emigrated with his family from Palestine to the United States in 1929. He began to take an interest in acting in the 1940s, and after serving in the Army during World War II, he began to pursue his acting career in the New York Theater. In 1947, he was accepted into the Actor's Studio and eventually began appearing in films. His film credits include: On the Waterfront, Some Like It Hot, Al Capone, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Voyage of the Damned, The Comancheros, Yentl (portraying Barbra Streisand's character's father), Twins and the American Tail (animated-film series) (voiced, "Papa Mousekewitz"). Persoff appeared in such television series as, Five Fingers ("The Moment of Truth"), The Big Valley ("Legend of a General", Parts I & II, episode), The Twilight Zone ("Judgment Night" episode), Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Heart of Gold" episode), The Untouchables, Naked City, The Legend of Jesse James, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West, Hawaii Five-O, Ellery Queen ("The Adventure of the Pharaoh's Curse" episode), Mission: Impossible (3 episodes), Adam-12 ("Vendetta" episode), Charlie's Angels, Hunter, Columbo, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Magnum, P.I., Law & Order and Chicago Hope. In the mid-1980s, Persoff began to pursue painting, specializing in watercolour. This was at a time when health problems forced him to decrease his acting workload.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
David Steinmetz
1990
Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Toff
1987
Series
Columbo
Jesse Jerome
1971
Series
Chicago Hope
Rabbi Ben Taubler
1994
Series
MacGyver
Sam Bolinski
1985
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Constantin Stavros
1984
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Harry Cardonus
1969
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Winkler
1969
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Leo Paoli
1969
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Cordell
1969
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Victor Palua
1969
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Allie Francis
1969
Series
Magnum, P.I.
Rabbi Asher Solomon
1980
Series
Wagon Train
Tiburcio Mendez
1957
Series
L.A. Law
Rabbi Isadore Glickman
1986
Series
Adam-12
Angelo Covelli
1968
Series
American Playhouse
Marcus Hoff
1982
Series
Mannix
Anton Wojeska
1967
Series
Love, American Style
Mr. Stone
1969
Series
Little House on the Prairie
Mr. Olaf Lundstrom
1974
Series
Mission: Impossible
Igor Stravos
1966
Series
Mission: Impossible
Phillipe Pereda
1966
Series
Mission: Impossible
Prince Iben Kostas
1966
Series
Quincy, M.E.
1976
Series
Charlie's Angels
Anton
1976
Series
Climax!
Lieutenant Cal Nourse
1954
Series
The Six Million Dollar Man
Major Popov
1974
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Alverian
1963
Series
Barney Miller
Carl Simms
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Yacov Berger
1975
Series
The Twilight Zone
Carl Lanser
1959
Series
Naked City
Barney Peters
1958
Series
Naked City
Carlos Ruldan
1958
Series
Naked City
Max Evar
1958
Series
Naked City
Dominic Venussi
1958
Series
Naked City
Berco Romanu
1958
Series
Naked City
Merritt Griffin
1958
Series
The Facts of Life
1979
Series
Hotel
1982
Series
Highway to Heaven
1984
Series
The Untouchables
Jake 'Greasy Thumb' Guzik
1959
Series
The Untouchables
Johnny Fortunato
1959
Series
The Untouchables
Waxey Gordon
1959
Series
The Philco Television Playhouse
Ed Kagan
1948
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
The Wild Wild West
Major Hazard
1965
Series
The Wild Wild West
Gen. Andreas Cassinello
1965
Series
Rawhide
Domingo
1959
Series
Rawhide
Michob
1959
Series
The Name of the Game
Ambassador
1968
Series
Route 66
1960
Series
The Big Valley
General Vicente Ruiz
1965
Series
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Max Behrman
1969
Series
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Nick Kolinski
1969
Series
Burke's Law
Jason Flonder
1963
Series
Burke's Law
Albert Indigo, 'Mr. I'
1963
Series
Burke's Law
Wilhelm Kasimer
1963
Series
Hunter
Harold Goodman
1984
Series
Fantasy Island
Horst Von Stern
1978
Series
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Max Wernick
1989
Series
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
Series
Gunsmoke
Jack Pinto
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Mr. Dano
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Alex Skouras
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Driscoll
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Ben Rando
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Alejo Etchahoun
1955
Series
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Series
McCloud
1970
Series
McCloud
Perry Cicero
1970
Series
The High Chaparral
Homero José
1967
Series
Baretta
1975
Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Valandros
1964
Series
The Bionic Woman
1976
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Ralph Collins
1955
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Jeff Jensen
1955
Series
Vega$
1978
Series
Gilligan's Island
1964
Series
Police Story
1973
Series
The Mod Squad
1968
Series
The Mod Squad
Nick Master
1968
Series
The Time Tunnel
Prof. Anton Biraki
1966
Series
Battlestar Galactica
Eastern Alliance Leader
1978
Series
Armstrong Circle Theatre
1950
Series
Wonder Woman
Professor Moreno
1975
Series
Mr. Novak
Henry Selkirk
1963
Series
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Ali Baba
1958
Series
Ellery Queen
1975
Series
Land of the Giants
Titus
1968
Series
McMillan & Wife
Clementa Habib
1971
Series
The United States Steel Hour
Dr. Arnault / Oliver
1953
Series
Tarzan
Chembe Kunji
1966
Series
Playhouse 90
Pablo
1956
Series
Playhouse 90
Prisoners Father
1956
Series
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Vladimir
1977
Series
Honey West
Faustini
1965
Series
It Takes a Thief
Harry Lavender
1968
Series
Sam Benedict
1962
Series
The New Breed
Louis Morley
1961
Series
Startime
Prior Andry
1959
Series
Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II
Charles Dietrich
1976
Series
Mr. Lucky
1959
Series
The Bill Cosby Show
Mr. Byron
1969
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Artie Moreno
1954
Film
Some Like It Hot
Little Bonaparte
1959
Film
The Harder They Fall
Leo
1956
Series
The Legend of Jesse James
El Carnicero
1965
Series
Bus Stop
1961
Series
Dan August
Leo Cussoni
1970
CBS Playhouse
Dr. Salazar
1966
Series
Logan's Run
ASA
1977
Series
J.J. Starbuck
1987
Series
Supertrain
Max
1979
Series
Jericho
1966
Playwrights '56
1955
Film
Twins
Mitchell Traven
1988
Series
The Invisible Man
Dr. Leon Barnard
1975
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
1961
Series
Hunter
Sheik Farakbi
1977
Series
The French Atlantic Affair
Col. Schreiner
1979
Series
Angels in America
Rabbi (uncredited)
2003
Film
An American Tail
Papa Mousekewitz (voice)
1986
Film
On the Waterfront
Cab Driver (uncredited)
1954
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Dr. Duchesnes
1951
Film
The Last Temptation of Christ
Rabbi
1988
Film
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Shemiah
1965
Series
The Word
Abbot Petropolous
1978
Film
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
Papa Mousekewitz (voice)
1991
Series
Cool Million
Karinakis
1972
Series
Search
1972
The Chicago Teddy Bears
1971
Series
The Motorola Television Hour
1953
Film
The Wrong Man
Gene Conforti
1956
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Jules Dreise
1951
Series
The Rebels
Baron Von Steuben
1979
Film
Voyage of the Damned
Herr Hauser
1976
Film
The Comancheros
Graile
1961
Film
Day of the Outlaw
Dan, Starret's Foreman
1959
Series
Condominium
Conlaw
1980
Film
An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster
Papa Mousekewitz (voice)
1999
Series
B.A.D. Cats
1980
Series
McNaughton's Daughter
Vinnie Laine
1976
Film
An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island
Papa Mousekewitz (voice)
1998
Film
Fate Is the Hunter
Ben Sawyer
1964
Film
The Power
Carl Melnicker
1968
Film
The Thief
D'Arnault-Olivier
1955
Film
Green Mansions
Don Panta
1959
Film
The Treasure of San Bosco Reef
Captain Malcione
1968
Film
Al Capone
Johnny Torrio
1959
Film
Yentl
Rebbe Mendel
1983
Film
The Day of the Owl
Pizzuco
1968
Film
The Badlanders
Vincente (The Powder Monkey)
1958
Film
Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident
Rudenko
1976
Film
O'Hara's Wife
Dr. Fischer
1982
Film
Michael O'Hara the Fourth
Artie Moreno
1972
Series
The Treasure of San Bosco Reef
Captain Malcione
1968
Series
Purple Playhouse
Dr. Van Helsing
1973
Film
Men in War
Sgt. Lewis
1957
Film
The Killers of Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
1959
Film
The People Next Door
Dr. Salazar
1970
Film
Panic in the City
August Best
1968
Dracula
Dr. Van Helsing
1973
Film
Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women
Charles Frohman
1978
Film
Lieutenant Schuster's Wife
Champagne Joe Carroll
1972
Film
Red Sky at Morning
Amadeo Montoya
1971
Film
A Cry for Justice
Dr. Burke
1979
Film
F.D.R.: The Last Year
Josef Stalin
1980
Film
A Global Affair
Under Secretary Segura
1964
Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story
Self - Interviewee
2022
Film
Never Steal Anything Small
Pinelli
1959
Film
Cutter's Trail
Santillo
1970
Film
Too Many Thieves
Georgi
1966
Film
The Stranger Within
Dr. Edward Klein
1974
Film
Mayerling
Police Officer
1957
Film
The Dangerous Days of Kiowa Jones
Skoda
1966
Film
The Wild Party
Kicks Johnson
1956
Film
Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
Self
2012
Film
The Making of a President
1978
Film
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Lieutenant Crawford
1969
Film
The Sex Symbol
Nick Fortis
1974
Film
The Hook
Capt. Van Ryn
1963
Film
The Death of Manolete
Camera
1957
Film
A Double Life
1978
Film
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Pablo
1959
Film
Daniel in the Lions' Den
Malimar
1978
Film
Mrs. Pollifax — Spy
Berisha
1971
Film
St. Helens
Mr. Ellison
1982
Film
This Angry Age
Albert Legros
1957
Film
Eric
Dr. Duchesnes
1975
Film
The Henderson Monster
Prof. Leo Tedeschi
1980
Film
The Big Show
Bruno Everard
1961
Film
Psychic Killer
Doctor Gubner
1975
Film
The Money Jungle
Lt. Dow Reeves
1967
Film
Turnover Smith
Ashmed Amad
1980
Film
Deadly Harvest
Mort Logan
1977
Film
Escape to Mindanao
Capt. Kramer
1968
Film
Marty
The Critic
1953
Film
Street of Sinners
Leon
1957
Film
In Search of Historic Jesus
Herod Antipas
1979
Film
Killing Stone
Earl Stone
1978
4 Faces
2001
Film
Lapin 360
1972