Khalil Vossoughi ( fa, خلیل وثوقی; born 11 March 1938) known professionally as Behrouz Vossoighi (بهروز وثوقی), is an Iranian actor. He has also worked in
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
,
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
and
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...
. His work has earned him recognition at several international film festivals, including for Best Actor at the
International Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...
in 1974 and
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
in 2006.
Personal life
Behrouz was born in
Khoy
Khoy (Persian and az, خوی; ; ; also Romanized as Khoi), is a city and capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2012 census, its population was 200,985.
Khoy is located north of the province's capital and largest city ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. He moved to
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
when he was in his teenage years. He has two brothers: Changiz Vossoughi and Shahrad Vossoughi.
Vossoughi was briefly married in the 1970s, to the Iranian singer
Googoosh
Faegheh Atashin ( fa, فائقه آتشین; born 5 May 1950), known professionally as Googoosh ( fa, گوگوش, ), is an Iranian singer and
former actress. One of the most popular and prolific entertainers in Iran, her career has spanned over ...
. He currently lives in
Marin County
Marin County is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is acros ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
with his wife, Katayoun "Katty" Amjadi (also known as Catherine Vossoughi).
Career
He started acting in films with
Samuel Khachikian
Samuel Khachikian ( hy, Սամուէլ Խաչիկեան ; fa, ساموئل خاچیکیان; October 21, 1923 – October 22, 2001) was an Demographics of Iran, Iranian film director, screenwriter, author, and film editor of Armenians, Armenian ...
in ''Toofan dar Shahre Ma'' and Abbas Shabaviz's ''Gole gomshodeh'' (1962), and became a major star as the brooding hero of the revenge drama '' Qeysar'' (1969), directed by
Masoud Kimiai
Masoud Kimiai (or Masoud Kimiaei, fa, مسعود کیمیایی, born 29 July 1941) is an Iranian director, screenwriter and producer.
Biography
Kimiai started his career as an assistant director and made his debut, ''Come Stranger'', in 19 ...
. Vossoughi received the Best Actor Award at the Sepas Film Festival for this role.
He went on to collaborate with Kimiai on five more films including '' Dash Akol'' (1971). His next collaboration with Kimiai was ''
The Deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindee ...
'' (1974) in which he played the role of Seyed Rasoul. Vossoughi's most acclaimed performance was as Zar Mohamad, a peasant seeking justice in '' Tangsir'' (1973) directed by
Amir Naderi
Amir Naderi ( fa, امیر نادری (), born 15 August 1946, in Abadan) is an Iranian film director, screenwriter, and photographer. He is best known for '' The Runner'' and ''Vegas: Based on a True Story''.
Career
Amir Naderi grew up in Ab ...
. In 1975 Vossoughi appeared in
The Beehive
The Beehive ( mi, Te Whare Mīere) is the common name for the Executive Wing of New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington. It is so-called because its shape is reminiscent of that ...
in the role of Ebi. In 1978, Vossoughi partnered with
Ali Hatami
Ali Hatami ( fa, علی حاتمی , August 14, 1944 – December 7, 1996) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, art director, and costume designer. The ''Tehran Times'' dubbed him "the Hafez of Iranian cinema due to the poetic ambiance of ...
in another film,
Sooteh-Delan
Sooteh-Delan (meaning broken-hearted people) ( fa, سوته دلان) is a 1977 Iranian film directed and written by Ali Hatami, produced by Ali Abbasi and starring Behrouz Vosoughi. The film is the story of an old family in Tehran, in which Jams ...
.
He was one of the first Iranians to appear in American and European co-productions, such as '' Caravans'' (1978), co-starring with
Anthony Quinn
Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...
,
Jennifer O'Neill
Jennifer O'Neill (born February 20, 1948) is a Brazilian-born American actress, model, author, and activist. She is known for her modeling and spokesperson work for CoverGirl cosmetics starting in 1963, and her starring role in the Oscar-winnin ...
and
Michael Sarrazin
Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)
The Invincible Six
''The Invincible Six'' is a 1970 US, American-Iranian adventure film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Stuart Whitman, Elke Sommer, Curd Jürgens, and Ian Ogilvy. Six international criminals attempt to steal the Iranian Crown Jewels, crown ...
'' (1970) with
Curd Jürgens
Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens (13 December 191518 June 1982) was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens. He was well known for playing Ernst Udet in ''Des Teufels Gener ...
, and ''
Sphinx
A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon.
In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...
'' (1981) with
Frank Langella
Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American stage and film actor. He has won four Tony Awards: two for Best Leading Actor in a Play for his performance as Richard Nixon in Peter Morgan's '' Frost/Nixon'' and as André in Flori ...
and
Lesley-Anne Down
Lesley-Anne Down (born 17 March 1954) is a British actress, singer and former model.
She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' (1973–75). She received further recognition for her performances in t ...
.
In 2000, at the
San Francisco Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
award ceremony,
Abbas Kiarostami
Abbas Kiarostami ( fa, عباس کیارستمی ; 22 June 1940 – 4 July 2016) was an Iranian film director, screenwriter, poet, photographer, and film producer. An active filmmaker from 1970, Kiarostami had been involved in the production of ...
was awarded the Akira Kurosawa Prize for lifetime achievement in directing, but then gave it to Vossoughi for his contribution to Iranian cinema. In addition to his acting career, in 2012 Vossoughi was an official festival judge for the
Noor Iranian Film Festival The Noor Iranian Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Los Angeles, California, founded by cultural producer Siamak Ghahremani and co-founder Anthony Azizi in 2007. The festival's namesake comes from the word Nur, also spelled Noor, mea ...
. He is currently a judge on ''
Persian Talent Show
''Persian Talent Show'' is a reality television show competition that searches for the most talented acts across the Iranian diaspora. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages. The ...
''.
Notable films
His most famous film works are '' Qeysar'' (1969), ''
The Invincible Six
''The Invincible Six'' is a 1970 US, American-Iranian adventure film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Stuart Whitman, Elke Sommer, Curd Jürgens, and Ian Ogilvy. Six international criminals attempt to steal the Iranian Crown Jewels, crown ...
The Deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindee ...
Hamsafar
''Humsafar'' ( ur, , lit=Companion or Life Partner) is a 2011 Pakistani drama telenovela based on the novel of the same name by Farhat Ishtiaq (who also wrote the screenplay), and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat. It stars Fawad Khan, Mahira ...
'' (1975), ''
Sooteh-Delan
Sooteh-Delan (meaning broken-hearted people) ( fa, سوته دلان) is a 1977 Iranian film directed and written by Ali Hatami, produced by Ali Abbasi and starring Behrouz Vosoughi. The film is the story of an old family in Tehran, in which Jams ...
Sphinx
A sphinx ( , grc, σφίγξ , Boeotian: , plural sphinxes or sphinges) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a falcon.
In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of ...
'' (1981).
Filmography
Film
Television
*''Falcon Crest'' (1981) – directed by
Reza Badiyi
Reza Sayed Badiyi (also known as Reza Badiei; Persian: رضا بدیعی; April 17, 1930 – August 20, 2011) was an Iranian-born American film and television director. His credits also include developing the opening montages for '' Mission ...
*''Nightingales'' (1989) – directed by
Reza Badiyi
Reza Sayed Badiyi (also known as Reza Badiei; Persian: رضا بدیعی; April 17, 1930 – August 20, 2011) was an Iranian-born American film and television director. His credits also include developing the opening montages for '' Mission ...
Awards and nominations
* Winner Statue Sepas for Best Actor Sepas Film Festival – 1969
* Winner Statue Sepas for Best Actor Sepas Film Festival – 1970
* Nominated Statue Sepas for Best Actor Sepas Film Festival – 1971
* Honorary Diploma for Best Actor Tashkent International Film Forum – 1972
* Best Actor Award
International Film Festival of India
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. Held annually, currently in the state of Goa, on the western coast of the country, the festival aims at providing a common pla ...
– 1974
* Winner Winged Goat Award for Best Actor
Tehran International Film Festival
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most populo ...
– 1974
* Nominated Winged Goat Award for Best Actor Tehran International Film Festival – 1975
* Nominated Winged Goat Award for Best Actor Tehran International Film Festival – 1977
*
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...
Award
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
– 2000
* Lifetime Achievement Award
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...
– 2006
* Lifetime Achievement Award
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
The Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF), organized by the cultural institution of the same name under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture, is held every November in Thessaloniki.TIFF features international competition secti ...
– 2012
* Special Achievement Award
Tokyo Filmex
TOKYO FILMeX (東京フィルメックス) is an international film festival established in 2000. The film festival was launched by Office Kitano, the agency and production company co-founded by leading actor-filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. TOKYO FILM ...
– 2012
* Winner of people's heart, presented by a heart, from a disabled Iranian-American U.S. Army ex-serviceman from
Berkeley
Berkeley most often refers to:
*Berkeley, California, a city in the United States
**University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California
* George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher
Berkeley may also refer ...