Daliah Lavi

Daliah Lavi (born Daliah Lewinbuk or Levenbuch, Hebrew: דליה לביא‎; 12 October 1942 – 3 May 2017) was an Israeli actress, singer, and model.

Daliah Lavi
Lavi in 1966
Born
Daliah Lewinbuk (or Levenbuch)

(1942-10-12)12 October 1942
Shavei Zion, British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel)
Died3 May 2017(2017-05-03) (aged 74)
Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
OccupationActress, singer, model
Years active1955–1994 and 2008–2009
Spouse(s)4, the last to
Charles Gans
​
(m. 1977⁠–⁠2017)​
Children4
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Lavi was born as Daliah Lewinbuk (or Levenbuch) in Shavei Tzion, British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel), the daughter of Ruth and Reuben Lewinbuk (or Levenbuch), who were of German-Jewish and Russian-Jewish descent.[1][2]

At age 10 she met Kirk Douglas, who was in Israel to film The Juggler, and told him she would like to be a dancer. Douglas helped persuade her parents[3] to send her to Stockholm, Sweden to study ballet.[1]

Career

In 1955 Lavi appeared in her first film, Hemsöborna,[1] a Swedish adaptation of August Strindberg's 1887 novel The People of Hemsö.[3] Returning to Israel, her career took off in 1960, when she started appearing in a large number of European and American productions. Fluent in several languages, she acted in films in German, French, Italian, Spanish and English.[1]

Lavi was reunited with Douglas in her first American film, Vincente Minnelli's Two Weeks in Another Town (1962).[3] Her portrayal of The Girl, Peter O'Toole's love interest, in 1965's Lord Jim was to have been her breakout American role. But audiences' tepid reaction to the film prompted Lavi to accept a new career path, frequently playing a scantily clad femme fatale.[3]

She appeared in Brunello Rondi's witch hunt-themed movie Il demonio (1963), Mario Bava's Gothic classic La Frusta e il corpo, or The Whip and the Body (1963), and the first Matt Helm film, The Silencers (1966), opposite Dean Martin.[1]

In addition, She played Ilona Bergen in Ten Little Indians (1965) where she joined other strangers at a chateau in the Alps. Later, they all learn that each was guilty of a crime, but had not been caught. She also acted as 'The Detainer/007' in Casino Royale (1967).[1][4]

Lavi was subsequently discovered by record producer Jimmy Bowien and began a successful schlager singing career in Germany, with hits such as "Oh, wann kommst du?", "Willst du mit mir gehn?" and "C'est ça, la vie (So ist das Leben)".[1] In August 1971, her single "Jerusalem" peaked at number 98 in Australia.[5]

Personal life and death

Lavi died on 3 May 2017, aged 74, from undisclosed causes.[6] She was survived by her fourth husband, businessman Charles Gans, their daughter Kathy and their three sons Rouben, Alexander, and Stephen.[4] The couple resided in Asheville, North Carolina,[6] where she died.[1] Her funeral and burial were in Israel.[4]

Filmography

References
  1. McNary, Dave (3 May 2017). "'Casino Royale' Actress Daliah Lavi Dies at 74". Variety. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  2. Bergan, Ronald (9 May 2017). "Daliah Lavi obituary" – via The Guardian.
  3. Slotnik, Daniel E. (5 May 2017). "Daliah Lavi, Actress in Both Dramas and Spoofs, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. Barnes, Mike (4 May 2017). "Daliah Lavi, 'Casino Royale' and 'The Silencers' Star, Dies at 74". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 173. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. Evans, Greg (4 May 2017). "Daliah Lavi Dies: 'Casino Royale', 'The Silencers' Actress Was 74". Deadline. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
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