Ze’ev Revach, one of the most beloved actors in Israeli cinema, passed away at the age of 84 on Saturday in Ramat Gan, his family announced.
Revach was a leading light of the seretei bourekas genre, broad comedies in which he delighted audiences with his over-the-top style, often playing Mizrahi conmen.
Among the films for which he will be remembered are Charlie and a Half (1974) and Snooker (1975), both of which were directed by Boaz Davidson and co-starred Yehuda Barkan. These two films are among the best-loved Israeli classics. Revach is a key player in the big scenes in these films, the famous egg-eating contest in Charlie and a Half and a scene where he disguises himself as a hasid in Snooker.
Although he was often typecast in stereotypical Mizrahi roles, Revach told Keshet 12 News in an interview four years ago on his 80th birthday that he never intended to cause offense. “What’s important is that the character be authentic. There was no intention to insult or anything like that, under any circumstances,” he said.
While the bourekas genre petered out, Revach’s career continued to thrive, and he won two Ophir Awards for his performances in the 21st century, as a soccer coach in Beitar Provence in 2002 and as an elderly man who helps his friends die with dignity in The Farewell Party (2014). In these roles, he proved himself as a dramatic actor who could move audiences without resorting to the shtick that characterized the early part of his career. His last film role was in Roses Gate by Haim Bouzaglo in 2022.
He wrote and directed 15 films, some of which he acted in, starting with Only Today in 1976.
Revach’s life growing up
Revach was born in Ze’ev Nahum Revach in Rabat, Morocco, in 1940 to Zionist parents who named him after Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Nahum Sokolov. He was the eldest of eight children, and his father was a rabbi. He moved with his family to Israel in 1948 and grew up in Haifa and Jerusalem. After serving in the army in the Nahal Brigade, he studied in the first class at the Beit Zvi acting school.
In addition to his work in films, he also had an extensive career in theater and television. In 1988, he played the title role in a musical version of the film, Sallah Shabati, which was a big hit.
In 2018, he was chosen to light a torch at the ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the state of Israel, along with actress Leah Koenig. When he was picked for the honor, the Culture and Sports Ministry said in a statement, “Ze’ev Revach is one of Israel’s comedy giants, on the screen and on the stage… Revach is one of the pillars of Israeli culture—an actor, producer, comedian and director—his work in the cinema and theater will be forever engraved in our hearts.”
The decision by then-Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev to honor him generated some controversy because he had been accused of sexual harassment in 2006 in a case closed for lack of evidence. In 2017, he came out strongly in support of actor Moshe Ivgy, who was also accused of sexual harassment, and two more women accused Revach of sexual misconduct.
Politically, Revach was associated with the Likud Party, took part in the Likud’s ads in 1992, and ran for the Ramat Gan Municipal Council for the Likud in 1993.
In 2019, he suffered a stroke and worked hard to recover.
Revach was the subject of a just-released documentary, Better Days: The Story of Ze’ev Revach by Alon Gur Arye, that was shown at the Haifa International Film Festival and Docaviv Galilee.
Revach is survived by his wife and five children. Recently, there were rumors that Revach had died, which he was happy to deny. “I’m fine. I don’t know what these rumors are and where they come from,” he told Keshet 12 News in December.
