Chaim Topol (Hebrew: חיים טופול), (9 September 1935 - 8 March 2023), sometimes credited as "Haim Topol" or simply "Topol", was an Israeli stage and film performer, singer, actor, comedian, voice artist, writer and producer born in Tel Aviv.
He started his show business career by performing in a theatre troupe while on active service in the Israeli army. He worked on stage after that, then made his film debut in 1961. Topol's big break came with 1964 film Sallah Shabati, which played in film festivals around the world and was nominated for an Oscar for foreign language film (and won a Golden Globe).
Probably best known internationally for his role as Tevye the dairyman in Fiddler on the Roof in both the musical (the London production in his case, Zero Mostel played it in Broadway) and the film, and for his roles as Milos Columbo in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only and Dr. Hans Zarkov in Flash Gordon.
He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Tony Award, and won two Golden Globe Awards.
