Khalil Vossoughi (; born 11 March 1937) known professionally as Behrouz Vossoughi (), is an Iranian
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
. He has also worked in
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
,
radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
and
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...
. 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 an annual film festival currently held in Goa, on the western coast of India. The festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excel ...
in 1974 and
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...
in 2006.
Personal life
Behrouz was born in
Khoy
Khoy (, ) is a city in the Central District (Khoy County), Central District of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan province, West Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Occupied since Medes, Median times, ...
,
Imperial State of Iran
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, Emperor, emperor/empress, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
...
. He moved to
Tehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
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. He currently lives in
Marin County,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
with his wife, Katayoun "Katty" Amjadi (also known as Catherine Vossoughi).
Career
He started acting in films with
Samuel Khachikian 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. 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'' (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. In 1975 Vossoughi appeared in
The Beehive in the role of Ebi. In 1978, Vossoughi partnered with
Ali Hatami in another film,
Sooteh-Delan.
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 as Anthony Quinn, was an American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental virility" in over 100 ...
,
Jennifer O'Neill and
Michael Sarrazin.
He also appeared in ''
The Invincible Six'' (1970) with
Curd Jürgens, and ''
Sphinx
A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.
In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...
'' (1981) with
Frank Langella
Frank A. Langella Jr. (; born January 1, 1938) is an American actor. He eschewed the career of a traditional film star by making the stage the focal point of his career, appearing frequently on Broadway. He has received four Tony Awards (out of ...
and
Lesley-Anne Down.
In 2000, at the
San Francisco Film Festival award ceremony,
Abbas Kiarostami
Abbas Kiarostami ( ; 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 over forty films, including s ...
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. He is currently a judge on ''
Persian Talent Show''.
Notable films
His most famous film works are ''
Qeysar'' (1969), ''
The Invincible Six'' (1970), ''Reza Motori'' (1970), ''
Dash Akol'' (1971), ''Toughi'' (1971), ''Deshne'' (1972), ''Baluch'' (1972), ''
Tangsir'' (1973), ''
The Deer'' (1974), ''Zabih'' (1975), ''Mamal Amricayi'' (1975)'',
Kandoo'' (1975), ''
Hamsafar'' (1975), ''
Sooteh-Delan'' (1978), ''
Caravans'' (1978) and ''
Sphinx
A sphinx ( ; , ; or sphinges ) is a mythical creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle.
In Culture of Greece, Greek tradition, the sphinx is a treacherous and merciless being with the head of a woman, th ...
'' (1981).
Filmography
Film
Television
*''Falcon Crest'' (1981) – directed by
Reza Badiyi
*''Nightingales'' (1989) – directed by
Reza Badiyi
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 an annual film festival currently held in Goa, on the western coast of India. The festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excel ...
– 1974
* Winner Winged Goat Award for Best Actor
Tehran International Film Festival – 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 who List of works by Akira Kurosawa, directed 30 feature films in a career spanning six decades. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers in the History of film, history of cinema ...
Award
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...
– 2000
* Lifetime Achievement Award
San Francisco International Film Festival
The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...
– 2006
* Lifetime Achievement Award
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
The Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) is a film festival held every November in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is organized by the Thessaloniki Film Festival under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Culture. It features internationa ...
– 2012
* Special Achievement Award
Tokyo Filmex – 2012
* Winner of people's heart, presented by a heart, from a disabled Iranian-American U.S. Army ex-serviceman from
Berkeley, California – January 14, 2017
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vossoughi, Behrouz
Iranian male stage actors
Iranian male film actors
Iranian male television actors
People from Khoy
1938 births
Living people
Actors from San Rafael, California
American people of Iranian-Azerbaijani descent
Iranian emigrants to the United States
Exiles of the Iranian Revolution in the United States
Iranian expatriates in the United States
Iranian Azerbaijanis