--- name: "David Opatoshu" canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-opatoshu" roles: [] born: "30 January 1918" died: "30 April 1996" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-19T21:39:21.237637+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # David Opatoshu Actor. Born 30 January 1918 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 30 April 1996. ## Details - **Born:** 30 January 1918, New York City, New York, USA - **Died:** 30 April 1996 - **Also known as:** David Opatovsky - **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won) - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Opatoshu, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q632263, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0649055/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15744 ## Biography David Opatoshu (born David Opatovsky) was an American actor. He began his career in the Yiddish theatre and made his Broadway debut in 1940. He appeared as Sol Levy in the 1960 film *Cimarron*. He is best known for playing Akiva Ben Canaan in *Exodus* (1960). His other film roles include *Torn Curtain* (1966) and *Enter Laughing* (1967). Television credits include episodes of *Star Trek* (1967), *The Twilight Zone* (1959) and *Little House on the Prairie* (1978). Opatoshu wrote the screenplay for *Romance of a Horsethief* (1971), based on a novel by his father, the Yiddish writer Joseph Opatoshu. He won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1991 for a guest appearance in *Gabriel's Fire*. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Cimarron* (1960), Fi1m 57, as Sol Levy — [page](https://film.one/film/cimarron.md) ## Complete filmography (98) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Deaf Heaven* (1993), as Jake - *Alien Nation* (1989), series, as Paul Revere - *Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8* (1987), as Judge Julius Hoffman - *Under Siege* (1986), as Ambassador Sajid Moktasanni - *Hardcastle and McCormick* (1983), series, Actor - *Hotel* (1982), series, as Ben-Goz - *Forced Vengeance* (1982), as Sam Paschal - *Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All* (1982), as Prince Vultan (voice) - *Forty Days of Musa Dagh* (1982), Actor - *Falcon Crest* (1981), series, as Alexander Nicolau - *Masada* (1981), series, as Shimon - *Beyond Evil* (1980), as Dr. Solomon - *Hagen* (1980), series, Actor - *Trapper John, M.D.* (1979), series, Actor - *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century* (1979), series, as Llamajuna - *Americathon* (1979), as Abdul Muhammad, Abdul Mohammad - *In Search of Historic Jesus* (1979), as Herod - *Cliffhangers* (1979), series, as Hator - *The Secret Empire* (1979), series, as Hator - *Who'll Stop the Rain* (1978), as Bender - *Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women* (1978), as Flo's Father - *Fantasy Island* (1978), series, as Abdul Kameel - *We've Got Each Other* (1977), series, Actor - *The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries* (1977), series, Actor - *Raid on Entebbe* (1976), as Menachem Begin - *Quincy, M.E.* (1976), series, Actor - *Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident* (1976), as Grinev - *The Bionic Woman* (1976), series, Actor - *Conspiracy of Terror* (1975), Actor - *S.W.A.T.* (1975), series, Actor - *Police Woman* (1974), series, Actor - *Little House on the Prairie* (1974), series, as Taylor Nash - *The Six Million Dollar Man* (1974), series, as Dr. Monica - *Kojak* (1973), series, as Dr. Anton Valentine — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md) - *Portrait: A Man Whose Name Was John* (1973), as Rabbi Isaac Herzog - *The Streets of San Francisco* (1972), series, Actor - *Romance of a Horsethief* (1971), as Schloime Kradnik · Screenplay - *Incident in San Francisco* (1971), as Herschel Roman - *The D.A.: Murder One* (1969), as Dr. Rudolph Grainger - *Medical Center* (1969), series, Actor - *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Shen Yu-Lan, Li Wing - *Death of a Gunfighter* (1969), as Edward Rosenbloom - *The Smugglers* (1968), as Alfredo Faggio - *The Mod Squad* (1968), series, Actor - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Arthur Serokin, Anartha - *The Dybbuk* (1968), as Zadik - *Mannix* (1967), series, Actor - *Ironside* (1967), series, Actor - *Enter Laughing* (1967), as Morris Kolowitz - *Mr. Terrific* (1967), series, as The Psychiatrist - *The Defector* (1966), as Orlovsky - *Mission: Impossible* (1966), series, as Deputy Premiere Anton Kudnov, Premier Roshkoff, Ahmed Vassier — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md) - *Felony Squad* (1966), series, Actor - *The Time Tunnel* (1966), series, as Shopkeeper - *Star Trek* (1966), series, as Anan 7 — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-1966.md) - *One Spy Too Many* (1966), as Mr. Kavon - *Torn Curtain* (1966), as Mr. Jacobi - *Tarzan and the Valley of Gold* (1966), as Augustus Vinero - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Wilhelm von Fossburg, Martin Bergstrom, Nolan Crist, Edgar Robson - *The Loner* (1965), series, Actor - *Honey West* (1965), series, as Kelso King - *Profiles in Courage* (1964), series, as Max Goldman - *Daniel Boone* (1964), series, as Philip Cobb, Tamenund - *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Mr. Kavon - *Sands of Beersheba* (1964), as Daoud - *The Outer Limits* (1963), series, as Ralph Cashman - *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as Mr. Dulong - *Guns of Darkness* (1962), as President Pedro Rivera - *The Best of Enemies* (1961), as Bernasconi - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Fred Kirsh - *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Leo Rolf - *Black City* (1961), as Il commissario Natalucci - *Exodus* (1960), as Akiva Ben Canaan - *Cimarron* (1960), as Sol Levy — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/cimarron.md) - *Adventures in Paradise* (1959), series, as Paul Broussard - *The Twilight Zone* (1959), series, as Dorn — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-twilight-zone.md) - *What Makes Sammy Run?* (1959), as Sidney Fineman - *One Step Beyond* (1959), series, as Gerald Perkins - *Party Girl* (1958), as Lou Forbes - *Behind Closed Doors* (1958), series, Actor - *The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen* (1958), series, as John Kowalsyzk - *The Brothers Karamazov* (1958), as Capt. Snegiryov - *A Sound of Different Drummers* (1957), as Howard Ellis - *The Walter Winchell File* (1957), series, Actor - *Perry Mason* (1957), series, as Prof. Gustave Heller - *The Fabulous Irishman* (1957), as Mr. Briscoe, Sr. - *Mayerling* (1957), as Police Officer - *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Dave Purcell - *Crowded Paradise* (1956), Actor - *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Mr. Cooney, Pedro Sequiras - *Inner Sanctum* (1954), series, Actor - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Moe - *The Goldbergs* (1950), as Mr. Dutton - *Thieves' Highway* (1949), as Frenchy (uncredited) - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Big Uncle, Sam Garson - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as George, Joe Manx, Boss, Colie, Ibrahim - *The Naked City* (1948), as Sgt. Dave Miller (uncredited) - *The Light Ahead* (1939), as Fishke (the lame) ## Gallery - ![David Opatoshu](https://film.one/media/person/1224941/gallery-bb83dec9caa5.jpg) David Opatoshu — Image via TMDB - ![David Opatoshu](https://film.one/media/person/1224941/gallery-02142a33ae39.jpg) David Opatoshu — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won - 1991: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (won), for *Gabriel's Fire* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-opatoshu