Abraham Sofaer
Encyclopedia
Abraham Sofaer was a stage actor of Burmese-Jewish descent who became a familiar supporting player on film and television in his later years. He was born in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon
, Myanmar
). Sofaer's strong features and resonant voice complemented the many exotic character parts he played.
He began his acting career on the London stage in 1921, but soon was alternating between London and Broadway
. By the 1930s, he was appearing in both British and American films. Among his more prominent performances were the dual role of the Judge and Surgeon in Powell and Pressburger
's A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and St. Paul
in Quo Vadis
(1951).
He also appeared on television from its earliest days in the late 1930s and on radio. Although his film appearances diminished after the 1950s, he continued to have guest roles on dozens of major U.S. television series throughout the 1960s, including Star Trek
("Charlie X") & ("Spectre of the Gun") , The Twilight Zone
("The Mighty Casey
"), Daniel Boone
("Not in Our Stars"), Lost in Space
("The Flaming Planet") and The Outer Limits
("Demon with a Glass Hand
"), until retiring in the mid 1970s. He may be best-remembered for his recurring role as Hadji, the master of all genie
s, on I Dream of Jeannie
.
Sofaer married Psyche Angela Christian, with whom he had two sons and four daughters. He died in Woodland Hills
, Los Angeles
, California
, as the result of congestive heart failure
in 1988.
The noted jurist
of the same name
is the son of one of the actor's cousins.
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
). Sofaer's strong features and resonant voice complemented the many exotic character parts he played.
He began his acting career on the London stage in 1921, but soon was alternating between London and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. By the 1930s, he was appearing in both British and American films. Among his more prominent performances were the dual role of the Judge and Surgeon in Powell and Pressburger
Powell and Pressburger
The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, also known as The Archers, made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1981 they were recognized for their contributions to British cinema with the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, the most prestigious...
's A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and St. Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
in Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis (1951 film)
Quo Vadis is a 1951 epic film made by MGM. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sam Zimbalist, from a screenplay by John Lee Mahin, S. N. Behrman and Sonya Levien, adapted from Henryk Sienkiewicz's classic 1896 novel Quo Vadis. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa and the cinematography...
(1951).
He also appeared on television from its earliest days in the late 1930s and on radio. Although his film appearances diminished after the 1950s, he continued to have guest roles on dozens of major U.S. television series throughout the 1960s, including Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
("Charlie X") & ("Spectre of the Gun") , The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
("The Mighty Casey
The Mighty Casey
"The Mighty Casey" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.The episode title is a reference to the baseball poem "Casey at the Bat".-Synopsis:...
"), Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (TV series)
Daniel Boone is an American action/adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel Boone that aired from September 24, 1964 to September 10, 1970 on NBC for 165 episodes, and was made by 20th Century Fox Television. Ed Ames co-starred as Mingo, Boone's Native American friend, for the...
("Not in Our Stars"), Lost in Space
Lost in Space
Lost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
("The Flaming Planet") and The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
("Demon with a Glass Hand
Demon with a Glass Hand
"Demon with a Glass Hand" is an episode of The Outer Limits television series, the second to be based on a script by Harlan Ellison, which Ellison wrote specifically with actor Robert Culp in mind for the lead role...
"), until retiring in the mid 1970s. He may be best-remembered for his recurring role as Hadji, the master of all genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
s, on I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
.
Sofaer married Psyche Angela Christian, with whom he had two sons and four daughters. He died in Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
Woodland Hills is a district in the city of Los Angeles, California.Woodland Hills is located in the southwestern area of the San Fernando Valley, east of Calabasas and west of Tarzana, with Warner Center in its northern section...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, as the result of congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
in 1988.
The noted jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
of the same name
Abraham David Sofaer
Abraham David Sofaer was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and then a legal adviser to the United States State Department. He is currently a George P...
is the son of one of the actor's cousins.
Partial filmography
- DreyfusDreyfus (1931 film)Dreyfus is a 1931 British film on the Dreyfus affair, translated from the play by Wilhelm Herzog and Hans Rehfisch and the 1930 German film Dreyfus.-Cast:*Cedric Hardwicke - Capt. Alfred Dreyfus*Charles Carson - Col. Picquart...
(1931) - The Flying Squad (1932)
- The Flag LieutenantThe Flag Lieutenant (1932 film)The Flag Lieutenant is a 1932 British war film based on the play by William Price Drury and directed by and starring Henry Edwards. It also featured Anna Neagle, Joyce Bland and Peter Gawthorne...
(1932) - Ask BecclesAsk BecclesAsk Beccles is a 1933 British comedy crime film directed by Redd Davis and starring Garry Marsh, Lilian Oldland, Abraham Sofaer and John Turnbull. A man steals a priceless diamond, but returns it when an innocent man is arrested for the theft...
(1933) - TroubleTrouble (film)Trouble is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Sydney Howard, George Curzon and Dorothy Robinson. A pair of stewards on a cruise ship manage to foil the plans of jewel thieves.-Cast:* Sydney Howard - Miss Carruthers...
(1933) - High FinanceHigh Finance (film)High Finance is a 1933 British drama film, directed by George King and starring Gibb McLaughlin and Ida Lupino, which was marketed as "the drama of a man overwhelmed by his own success". It is now classed as a lost film.-Plot:...
(1933) - Things to ComeThings to ComeThings to Come is a British science fiction film produced by Alexander Korda and directed by William Cameron Menzies. The screenplay was written by H. G. Wells and is a loose adaptation of his own 1933 novel The Shape of Things to Come and his 1931 non-fiction work, The Work, Wealth and Happiness...
(1936) (uncredited) - Rembrandt (1936)
- The House of the SpaniardThe House of the SpaniardThe House of the Spaniard is a 1936 British crime film directed by Reginald Denham and starring Allan Jeayes, Peter Haddon and Brigitte Horney. It is set in Lancashire and Spain, during the ongoing Spanish Civil War. It was shot at Ealing Studios in west London, England, and on location in Spain...
(1936) - Crook's TourCrook's TourCrook's Tour is a 1941 British film directed by John Baxter featuring Charters and Caldicott. It is adapted from a BBC radio serials of the same name.-Plot:Charters and Caldicott are touring the Middle East...
(1941) - A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
- The Ghosts of Berkeley SquareThe Ghosts of Berkeley SquareThe Ghosts of Berkeley Square is a 1947 British comedy film, directed by Vernon Sewell and starring Robert Morley and Felix Aylmer. The film is an adaptation of the novel No Nightingales by Caryl Brahms and S. J. Simon, inspired by the enduring reputation of the property at 50 Berkeley Square as...
(1947) - Calling Paul TempleCalling Paul TempleCalling Paul Temple is a 1948 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Dinah Sheridan and Margaretta Scott. Paul Temple is called in to help Scotland Yard track down a serial killer who has murder several wealthy woman...
(1948) - Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus (film)Christopher Columbus is a 1949 British biographical film starring Fredric March as Christopher Columbus and Florence Eldridge as Queen Isabella. It was based on the novel Christopher Columbus by Rafael Sabatini.-Cast:...
(1949) - Cairo RoadCairo Road (film)Cairo Road is a 1950 British crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Laurence Harvey, Eric Portman, Maria Mauban, Harold Lang and John Gregson. A team of Egyptian anti-narcotic agents try to prevent shipments of drugs crossing the southern Egyptian border...
(1950) - Pandora and the Flying DutchmanPandora and the Flying DutchmanPandora and the Flying Dutchman is a 1951 British drama film made by Romulus Films and released by MGM in the United States. It was directed by Albert Lewin and produced by Joe Kaufmann and Albert Lewin from his own screenplay, based on the legend of The Flying Dutchman.It starred Ava Gardner and...
(1951) - Quo VadisQuo Vadis (1951 film)Quo Vadis is a 1951 epic film made by MGM. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sam Zimbalist, from a screenplay by John Lee Mahin, S. N. Behrman and Sonya Levien, adapted from Henryk Sienkiewicz's classic 1896 novel Quo Vadis. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa and the cinematography...
(1951) - His Majesty O'KeefeHis Majesty O'KeefeHis Majesty O'Keefe is a 1954 adventure film starring Burt Lancaster. The film was directed by Byron Haskin and Otto Heller and included choreography by Daniel Nagrin...
(1954) - The Naked JungleThe Naked JungleThe Naked Jungle is a 1954 film directed by Byron Haskin, and starring Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker. Telling the story of an attack of army ants on a Peruvian cocoa plantation, it was based on the short story "Leiningen Versus the Ants" by Carl Stephenson.-Plot:As the film opens, Joanna , a...
(1954) - Elephant WalkElephant WalkElephant Walk is a 1954 Paramount Pictures film, directed by William Dieterle, and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch and Abraham Sofaer....
(1954) - Out of the CloudsOut of the CloudsOut of the Clouds is a 1955 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Anthony Steel, Sid James and James Robertson Justice. An Ealing Studios film, it follows the lives of the passengers and crew on a day at an airport that was filmed in Heathrow Airport.-Description:The film was...
(1955) - Bhowani JunctionBhowani Junction (film)Bhowani Junction is a 1956 film adaptation of the 1952 novel Bhowani Junction by John Masters made by MGM. The film was directed by George Cukor and produced by Pandro S...
(1956) - The Story of Mankind (1957)
- The Sad SackThe Sad SackThe Sad Sack is a 1957 Paramount Pictures comedy film starring Jerry Lewis and Peter Lorre.-Plot:Lewis plays Private Meredith Bixby, who cannot fall in line with army procedure, even though he has had 17 months of training. A psychologist , is assigned to make him into a good soldier, and she...
(1957) - Taras Bulba (1962)
- Twice-Told TalesTwice-Told Tales (film)Twice-Told Tales is a 1963 American horror film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Vincent Price. It is based on three of Nathaniel Hawthorne's stories found in the book Twice-Told Tales: "Dr...
(1963) - Journey to the Center of TimeJourney to the Center of TimeJourney to the Center of Time is a 1967 science fiction film, directed by David L. Hewitt, and starring Scott Brady and Anthony Eisley. It is a remake of The Time Travelers , and was also known as Time Warp.-Plot:...
(1967) - HeadHead (film)Head is a 1968 psychedelic comedy-adventure major motion picture, starring TV group The Monkees , and distributed by Columbia Pictures...
(1968)