Morteza Ahmadi, Iranian Cinema and Music Artist, Passes Away

Morteza Ahmadi, an Iranian actor and singer, passed away on Sunday, December 30, at the age of 90 in Tehran. Among his most memorable works is his voice acting as the 'Cunning Fox' in the series 'Pinocchio.' According to the state news agency IRNA, Mr. Ahmadi had been undergoing treatment for lung problems for several years. He was hospitalized in the intensive care unit of Iranmehr Hospital on December 10 and was transferred to the general ward on December 14. This veteran actor had appeared in over 50 films, with his last being 'Stars' directed by Fereydoun Jirani. His first cinematic experience was in the film 'The Story of Life' directed by Nasrollah Mohajer. Born in 1924, he first performed the song 'Golpari Jon' in 1943, which reportedly led to his invitation to work at Radio Tehran. Morteza Ahmadi acted in films such as 'Babashamil,' 'Qalandar,' 'The Man Who Knew Too Much,' 'Bus,' 'Grand Cinema,' 'Naser al-Din Shah Actor of Cinema,' and 'Once and for All.' His television works include 'Beautiful Salon,' 'Suit for Proposal,' and 'Dani and Me.' According to information published in Mr. Ahmadi's biography, he was arrested several times before the Islamic Revolution due to his artistic activities, including for performing the prologue 'My Worker,' which was well-received by railway workers and led to their strike. In 1947, Mr. Ahmadi became a voice actor for foreign films and was one of the founding members of the Association of Voice Actors and Supervisors of Film Dialogue. He also authored several books. In his book 'Culture of the Children of Tehran,' he collected old and authentic terms and proverbs of Tehran's residents. He stated that he wrote this book based on 'his memory' and conversations with 'the original children of Tehran' and his contemporaries. Morteza Ahmadi also compiled a collection of old Iranian songs from various cities in his book 'Always New Oldies.' In September 2011, he criticized the performance of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and the cancellation of his book permits, stating that these two books had not been allowed to be reprinted after several publications. According to Tasnim News Agency, Morteza Ahmadi's body will be buried on Wednesday at 9 AM from in front of Vahdat Hall in Tehran.