Washington: Nehemiah Persoff, one of the busiest character actors in television and films for over five decades, has died at the age of 102. As per Deadline, Persoff died on Tuesday night at an acute care facility in San Luis Obispo, California.
Persoff had retired from acting in recent decades after suffering a stroke and other health issues.
Speaking of his acting career, he had received praises for his crime-based roles including Johnny Torrio, mentor to Rod Steiger`s gangster boss in Capone (1959), and Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik, causing trouble on the 1959-63 ABC drama The Untouchables.
He has also voiced Papa Mousekewitz in 1986`s An American Tail, and in perhaps his most indelible film role played Reb Mendel, the father of Barbra Streisand`s title character of Yentl (and the subject of the film`s best-known song `Papa, Can You Hear Me`).
Prior to moving to New York and establishing a career in acting, Persoff served in the U.S. Army and worked as an electrician for the New York subway system.
