Dudu Topaz
Encyclopedia
Dudu Topaz was an Israel
i TV personality, comedian
, actor, screenwriter
, playwright, author and radio
and television
host. In August 2009 he committed suicide during his arrest, after being criminally charged with conspiring violence against prominent media figures in Israel.
In 2005, he was voted the 55th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
to Lilly and Eliyahu Goldenberg. His father was a radio announcer, actor and director
. After his army service, Topaz studied acting in London. Upon his return, he performed with the Haifa Theatre
and appeared in entertainment shows around the country. Topaz was married three times and had three sons.
. In the early eighties Topaz began to direct television game shows in Channel 1
. The most successful of those was the game show "Play It" (שחק אותה). His first television appearance was to teach English for an educational program. Topaz was a television host in the Israeli public TV Channel 1
in the eighties, as well as running some successful sketch comedy
shows on stage.
In the nineties he was the host of popular show "Rashut Habidur" (The Entertainment Authority), that aired until 2004 on Channel 2
commercial channel, and is one of the highest rated shows ever aired on commercial TV in Israel. After the show ended, Topaz hosted several other shows on other channels, but in May 2007 he announced that he would no longer host TV shows, but would pursue other careers such as acting and documentary film making.
(then called Malchei Yisrael Square) when he said, "It's a pleasure to see the crowd here, and it's a pleasure to see that there are no chahchahim (a derogatory word alluding to Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern background
) who ruin election gatherings. The Likud
's chachchahim are at Metzudat Ze'ev." (Likud party headquarters)
He attempted to commit suicide
in his prison cell, at the Abu Kabir
Detention Center in Tel Aviv. He was briefly hospitalized after taking an overdose of insulin, used to control his diabetes.
A second suicide attempt on August 20, 2009 was successful, and at approximately 7 AM Topaz was found dead by a warden, hanged in a shower (the only place without video surveillance) in Nitzan Detention Center in Ramla
. He had apparently hanged himself using the cord from an electric kettle.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i TV personality, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, playwright, author and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
host. In August 2009 he committed suicide during his arrest, after being criminally charged with conspiring violence against prominent media figures in Israel.
In 2005, he was voted the 55th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Biography
David Goldenberg, later Dudu Topaz, was born in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
to Lilly and Eliyahu Goldenberg. His father was a radio announcer, actor and director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. After his army service, Topaz studied acting in London. Upon his return, he performed with the Haifa Theatre
Haifa Theatre
The Haifa Theatre is the municipal theater company of Haifa, Israel.Haifa Theater, Israel's first municipal theater, was established by Haifa mayor Abba Hushi.Founded in 1961, the Haifa Theater employs Jewish and Arab actors, and has an international reputation for performing provocative works...
and appeared in entertainment shows around the country. Topaz was married three times and had three sons.
Entertainment career
In the 1970s, he took part in an Israeli radio show called "לצון נופל על לצון". His first job in television was as an English teacher in the Israeli Educational TelevisionIsraeli Educational Television
The Israeli Educational Television is a state-owned public television network which used to concentrate on producing and broadcasting programs for schoolchildren. The first Israeli children's show, featuring Kishkashta, aired on Channel 1 in the 1970s and '80s...
. In the early eighties Topaz began to direct television game shows in Channel 1
Channel 1 (Israel)
Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
. The most successful of those was the game show "Play It" (שחק אותה). His first television appearance was to teach English for an educational program. Topaz was a television host in the Israeli public TV Channel 1
Channel 1 (Israel)
Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
in the eighties, as well as running some successful sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
shows on stage.
In the nineties he was the host of popular show "Rashut Habidur" (The Entertainment Authority), that aired until 2004 on Channel 2
Channel 2 (Israel)
Channel 2 is an Israeli commercial television channel.- History :In 1990, after 13 years of deliberations, the Knesset passed a law that paved the way for the establishment of commercial television in Israel. The goal was to enhance pluralism and create competition. Channel 2 began broadcasting on...
commercial channel, and is one of the highest rated shows ever aired on commercial TV in Israel. After the show ended, Topaz hosted several other shows on other channels, but in May 2007 he announced that he would no longer host TV shows, but would pursue other careers such as acting and documentary film making.
Controversy
In 1981, Topaz gained notoriety from comments he made during an Israeli Labor Party conference in Tel Aviv's Rabin SquareRabin Square
Rabin Square , formerly Kings of Israel Square , is the largest open public city square in central Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the years it has been the site of numerous political rallies, parades, and other public events...
(then called Malchei Yisrael Square) when he said, "It's a pleasure to see the crowd here, and it's a pleasure to see that there are no chahchahim (a derogatory word alluding to Israeli Jews of Middle Eastern background
Mizrahi Jews
Mizrahi Jews or Mizrahiyim, , also referred to as Adot HaMizrach are Jews descended from the Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus...
) who ruin election gatherings. The Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
's chachchahim are at Metzudat Ze'ev." (Likud party headquarters)
Criminal charges and suicide
In May 2009, Topaz was arrested by the Israeli police. He was suspected of paying for a series of attacks on high-ranking TV executives Avi Nir and Shira Margalit and showbiz agent Boaz Ben-Zion. The three were beaten by unknown attackers and sustained serious wounds. Topaz allegedly went on this revenge spree when his show was taken off the air, and after multiple rejections from rival channels and newspapers for which he offered to write guest columns.He attempted to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in his prison cell, at the Abu Kabir
Abu Kabir
Abu Kabir was a satellite village of Jaffa founded by Egyptians following Ibrahim Pasha's 1832 defeat of Turkish forces in Ottoman era Palestine. After Israel's establishment in 1948, the area became part of Tel Aviv...
Detention Center in Tel Aviv. He was briefly hospitalized after taking an overdose of insulin, used to control his diabetes.
A second suicide attempt on August 20, 2009 was successful, and at approximately 7 AM Topaz was found dead by a warden, hanged in a shower (the only place without video surveillance) in Nitzan Detention Center in Ramla
Ramla
Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region...
. He had apparently hanged himself using the cord from an electric kettle.