Ze'ev Revach

Ze'ev (Ze'evik) Nachum Revach (; 15 August 1940 – 18 January 2025) was an Israeli comedian, actor and filmmaker. His prolific acting career included many roles in film, TV, and theater.

Revach was a particularly prominent actor in the Bourekas films genre, and some of those films, such as Hagiga B'Snuker, and Charlie Ve'hetzi, developed a cult following in Israel over the years. In addition to his acting career, Revach also wrote and directed over a dozen films, mostly comedies, in which he also starred.

Revach has won a total of three Ophir Awards – two in the Best Actor category and one in the Lifetime Achievement category. He is considered one of the most influential and important figures in Israeli cinema.

Biography Early life Revach was born in 1940 in Rabat while it was part of the French protectorate in Morocco to Hana and Rabbi Yitzhak Rioch. He was the eldest of eight siblings. His parents named him after Ze'ev Jabotinsky and Nahum Sokolow. In 1948, at the age of eight, he immigrated with his family to Israel. The family initially settled in an Israeli refugee absorption camp in Haifa. Between the ages of nine and thirteen he lived with his family in the Musrara neighborhood of Jerusalem, where his father later established a synagogue. The family eventually moved to the Kiryat HaYovel neighborhood of Jerusalem. His Moroccan heritage and the working-class environment he grew up in would later inspire many of the characters and scenarios depicted in his films.

At thirteen Revach began studying at the agricultural high school yeshiva in Kfar Hasidim. He later served as a combat soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces as part of the Nahal Brigade.

After his military service Revach studied at the Beit Zvi School for the Performing Arts. as Figaro in "The Marriage of Figaro", and as Inspector Azoulay in "The Inspector".

In 1988 Revach played in the popular musical "Salleh Shabati" at the Habima Theatre which was directed by Ephraim Kishon and had music composed by Nurit Hirsh. The production, which featured also Geula Nuni and Hanny Nahmias, included the hit song "Ah Ya Rab" and it was performed 172 times across Israel.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Revach continued to act in various notable productions with different theaters, include the plays "The Baker's Wife", "Peter Pan" in which he played Captain Hook, in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", in "Valentino" and in the play "Rubber Merchants".

During the 2000s Revach began also directing theater plays including the 2004 play "I Raised and Elevated Children" in which he directed and performed, and the 2014 play "Momo Renovations" which he both directed and starred in.

In 2013 Revach reprised his role as 'Haham' Hannukah in the theatrical adaptation of the popular 1975 Israeli film "Snooker".

In 2019 Revach acted in a leading role in the play "Restless Old Men".

Film

Throughout his prolific career, spanning more than five decades, Ze'ev Revach appeared in over 40 films, directed 15, wrote or co-wrote the scripts for 16, and solidified himself as one of the most prominent figures in Israeli cinema. Renowned for his versatility as an actor, director, and writer, Revach contributed to various cinematic genres, though he is particularly revered for his significant contributions to the Bourekas genre—a distinctly Israeli style of comedy-drama films that employs exaggerated ethnic stereotypes to explore social issues. Revach became synonymous with the genre, portraying many colorful and larger-than-life characters, many of whom depicted Mizrahi Jews navigating life on the fringes of society. His roles often embodied underdogs, misfits, or con men, as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities, who found themselves entangled in humorous yet chaotic situations. Revach’s characters frequently used disguises and switched identities during the films, including transformations between Ashkenazi and Mizrahi identities, male and female personas, or playing characters from vastly different socioeconomic backgrounds. Ravach's films often reflected and satirized the social dynamics of the Israeli society, and using humor to tackle serious themes such as cultural assimilation, poverty, and the struggles of marginalized communities. His ability to balance slapstick comedy with poignant social commentary made him a beloved figure in Israeli popular culture.

Revach began his film career in the mid-1960s, making his debut in the film "Sabina" (1966), followed by the film "Scouting Patrol" (1967). His early work also included a role in the Italian-produced film "La Battaglia Del Sinai" (1968), which was released in both Italy and Israel. That same year, he appeared in the short film "The Other Side", directed by Uri Zohar.

During the 1970s Revach collaborated with the director Boaz Davidson in three films which ended up producing some of Revach's most iconic performances. Those three films were "The Snail" (1970), "Charlie and a Half" (1974), and "Snooker" (1975). The latter two, in particular, solidified Revach's status as one of Israel’s leading comedic actors. In addition to these iconic roles, In the first half of the decade Revach also portrayed Elimelech Zorkin in "Hasamba and the Deserted Youths" (1971) and appeared in the American production "The Jerusalem File" (1972), directed by John Flynn.

In the mid-1970s Revach began directing films in which he also starred. His directorial debut, "Only Today" (1976), in which he also played the lead role, became a critical and commercial success. This marked the beginning of a prolific period as a filmmaker which led to the production of the films "Stealing From a Thief is Excused" (1977), "Little Man" (1978), "Wrong Number" (1979), and "Sweet and Sour" (1979). In the second half of the 1970s, besides his directorial projects, Revach also starred in the film "Beautiful Troubles!" (1976) which was directed by Assi Dayan, and in the film "Five Hundred Thousand Under the Table" (1977) which was directed by Shaike Ophir.

In the 1980s Revach co-wrote and starred in the satirical film "The Man Who Flew in to Grab" (1981). In addition he continued his work as a director-actor in films like "Mr. Leon" (1982), "The Ladies' Hairdresser" (1984), "Batito the Unemployed" (1987), "On the Fringe" (1988), and "Lend Me Your Wife" (1989). In 1987 he also played a lead role in the French film "If You Go to Rio...You Die", which was filmed in Brazil and co-written by Revach.

The 1990s marked Revach’s entry into Hollywood, with appearances in productions such as "The Quest" (1996), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and "Escape: Human Cargo" (1998). In addition, during this period Revach also directed the films "A Bit of Luck" (1992) and "Buskila Twins" (1998) in which he also played a lead role.

In 2000, he appeared in the Hollywood action film "The Last Warrior" (2000), starring Dolph Lundgren. This decade saw him transition to more dramatic roles, with notable performances in the films "Beitar Provence" (2002), "It Will Be Alright" (2008), and Haim Bozaglo's crime drama "Honor" (2009), which demonstrated his range and depth as an actor.

In the 2010s were marked by critically acclaimed performances in films such as Shemi Zarhin's "The World is Funny" (2012), David Ohana's "White Panther" (2013), and in Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz's "Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (2014). He also appeared in the films "The Farewell Party" (2014) and "Last Honor" (2017), further cementing his reputation as a dramatic actor of note.

During the 2020s Revach voiced the character Ben-Gamla in the animated historical drama film "Legend of Destruction" (2021) directed by Gidi Dar, and starred in the film "The Flower Gate" (2022). In 2021 Revach also participated in a music video for Eyal Golan's cover version of the song “Yamim Tovim” (ימים טובים), originally composed by Yair Rosenblum with lyrics by Yoram Taharlev. The song originally served as the opening theme song for Revach’s film "Only Today" and was originally performed by his younger brother, Uri Revach. The music video, which paid homage to Revach's cinematic legacy, featured Golan and Revach viewing clips from the original film.

In 2025, a documentary titled "Good Days: The Story of Ze'ev Revach", directed by Alon Gur Aryeh, is set to premiere. The film, which focuses on Revach's life and career, includes also interviews with Revach and archival footage. The film is set to compete at the Haifa International Film Festival, the Docaviv Film Festival, and Cinema Darom Festival. It will also air on the Israeli TV channels Hot 8 and Yes Doku.

Television In 1978 Revach played a lead role in the TV film "Hafif", alongside Jacques Cohen. In 1994 he played a lead role in the comedy TV series "Papa".

Between 1999 and 2000 Revach hosted the Israeli talk show "In the Tavern" which was broadcast on Channel 1.

Between 2002 and 2004 he portrayed Avraham Algrabli in the Israeli drama series "The Truck", which aired on Channel 2.

In 2002, Revach directed and starred in the television film "Rubber Merchants", based on an Israeli play of the same name. The screenplay for the film was co-written by Assi Dayan and Ze'ev Revach. Revach played a leading role alongside Yosef Shiloach and Adi Lev.

In 2003, coinciding with the launch of the Israeli Cinema Channel on the Israeli direct broadcast satellite TV provider Yes, Revach hosted several TV shows dedicated to the history and development of Israeli cinema during different periods.

In 2010 Revach reprised his role as Elimelech Zorkin in the Comedy-Drama TV series "Hasamba 3G" which was broadcast on the Israeli channels HOT3 and Arutz HaYeladim. It was the same character he originally portrayed in the 1971 film "Hasamba and the Deserted Youths". That same year, he also played a lead role in the crime drama "Marciano's Honor", created by Haim Bozaglo.

In 2011, Revach made a guest appearance alongside Yehuda Barkan in the third season of the comedy series "Naor's Friends", which aired on Channel 10.

In 2013, he starred in the comedy series "Malabi Express", which aired on Channel 10. In 2016 played in the Israeli children's comedy series "Sofshely", which aired on the Israeli Children's Channel.

In 2017 Revach portrayed Mordechai Balili, the owner of an event hall, in the Israeli sitcom "Smachot", which aired on Channel 2.

In 2018 he played Manny Graziano in the drama series which aired on the HOT cable network.

Political activity Revach, a vocal supporter of the Likud party, appeared in its 1992 election ads and later ran for a seat on the Ramat Gan City Council in 2003.

Personal life Revach was initially married to the actress , with whom he had two daughters. After their divorce he married Mali Angelou, with whom he had three children. He used to live with his family in Ramat Gan.

In June 2019, Revah, who was a heavy smoker, suffered a stroke, from which he never fully recovered. In his later years, he battled dementia. On January 18, 2025, at the age of 84, Revah died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Ramat Gan. He was laid to rest at the Kiryat Shaul cemetery.

Accolades In 2002, Revach won the Israeli Film Academy's Best Actor Award for his performance as Shabtai Kassodas in the film "Beitar Provence". In 2010, Revach was awarded the Israeli Film Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his significant contribution to Israeli cinema. In 2014, Revach won the Israeli Film Academy's Best Actor Award for his performance as Yehezkel in the film "The Farewell Party". In April 2018, Revach was chosen to light a torch at the official torch-lighting ceremony for the 70th anniversary celebrations of the State of Israel, alongside renowned Israeli stage actress Lea Koenig.

On Television Year International title Hebrew title Role Notes 1978 No Worries Hafif, חפיף Rafi TV movie directed by Ian McNaughton 1994 Papa Papa, פאפא Leon "Papa" Ben Naim TV series directed by Ze'ev Revach 2002 Rubber Merchants Sochrei Gumi, סוחרי גומי TV movie directed by Ze'ev Revach 2002 The Truck HaMasa'it, המשאית Avraham Algrabli TV series 2003 Guesthouses Tzimrim, צימרים Karol Bresnow TV series. Guest role 2005 Life Isn't Everything Ha-Chaim Ze Lo Hacol, החיים זה לא הכל Himself TV series. Guest role 2006 Mortgage Mashkenta, משכנתא TV movie directed by Sharon Maimon and Tal Granit 2009 Always the Same Dream Tamid Oto Halom, תמיד אותו חלום Jacques Abramson Mini-series. Guest role 2011 Naor's Friends HaKhaverim Shel Naor, החברים של נאור Himself TV series. Guest role 2011 Marciano's Honor HaKavod Shel Marciano, הכבוד של מרציאנו Leon Marciano TV series based on the 2009 Israeli film "Honor" 2013 Hasamba 3G Hasamba Dor 3, חסמבה דור 3 Elimelech Zorkin TV series 2013 Malabi Express Malabi Express, מלבי אקספרס Rabbi Shriki TV series. Guest role 2016 Sofshely Sofshely, סופשלי Sofshely TV series 2017 Smachot Smachot, שמחות Mordechai Balli TV series 2018 The Reign of Shadows Shilton HaTzalalim, שלטון הצללים Manny Graziano TV series 2018 Our Treasure Ha'Otzar Shelanu, האוצר שלנו Ze'evik Bar-Yosef TV series

Directing and/or screenwriting credits Year International title Hebrew title Director Screenwriter Notes 1976 Just Today Rak Hayom, רק היום 1977 Stealing From a Thief is Excused HaGonev Miganav Patoor, הגונב מגנב פטור 1978 Little Man Shraga Katan, שרגא קטן Based on a play by Hillel Mittelpunkt 1979 Wrong Number Ta'ut Bamispar, טעות במספר 1979 Sweet and Sour Lo La'alot Yoter, לא לעלות יותר 1980 Growing Pains Pitzei Bagrut 80, פצעי בגרות 80 The only film that Revach directed and did not act in1981The Man Who Flew in to Grab Ha'ish Sheba Lakachat, האיש שבא לקחתCo-writer 1982 Mr. Leon Adon Leon, אדון ליאון 1984 The Ladies' Hairdresser Sapar Nashim, ספר נשים 1987 Batito the Unemployed Ha-Muvtal Batito, המובטל בטיטו Based on a play by Tommy Lapid 1987 On the Fringe Bouba, בובה Based on a play by Hillel Mittelpunkt 1987 If You Get to Rio...You Die French film filmed in Brazil. 1989 Lend Me Your Wife Talveh Li Et Ishteha, תלווה לי את אשתך 1992 A Bit of Luck Tipat Mazal, טיפת מזל 1998 Buskila Twins Pa'amaim Buskila, פעמיים בוסקילה 2002 Rubber Merchants Sochrei Gumi, סוחרי גומי TV movie 2008 Community of Saints Kehillat Kedoshim, קהילת קדושים A documentary film released on videotape and DVD which depicts life in Morocco