Davood Rashidi, a Great of Iranian Cinema and Theater, Passed Away

According to reports from Iranian media, Davood Rashidi, a famous actor in cinema, theater, and television, passed away on Friday morning, September 5, at the age of 83 due to cardiac arrest. Mr. Rashidi had been suffering from Alzheimer's for years. Leili Rashidi, the child of this cinema actor, confirmed these reports in an interview with the Iranian Students' News Agency, ISNA. Notable roles of Davood Rashidi include his performance alongside Behrouz Vossoughi in the film 'Kandoo' directed by Fereydoun Gole and his role as the six-fingered inspector in the series 'Hezardastan' created by Ali Hatami. He, along with Mohammad Ali Keshavarz, Jamshid Mashayekhi, Ali Nasirian, and Ezzatollah Entezami, formed the group of the greatest and most beloved male actors in Iranian cinema and theater, who worked with the most famous directors before and after the 1979 revolution. Most of the works of these five famous Iranian actors have a lasting place in the collective memory of Iranians, including the television series 'Hezardastan' by Ali Hatami, which brought all five actors together. Davood Rashidi was born in 1933 and had acted in dozens of films and series. In 2012, he was awarded the first-grade cultural and artistic medal by the Iranian presidency. This famous cinema actor had been ill for some time, and according to reports, he had been suffering from Alzheimer's in recent years. During his illness, several officials from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, as well as several political figures including Mohammad Reza Aref, the head of the Hope faction in parliament, visited him. Mohammad Khatami, the former president of Iran, also attended Mr. Rashidi's 80th birthday celebration at his home. His last film appearance was in 'Ekbatan,' while his last television appearances were in the series 'Kolahi Pehlavi' and the telefilm 'Roya.' Mr. Rashidi studied acting and directing in Geneva, Switzerland. He returned to Tehran in 1964 and, after being employed at the Theater Administration, which was affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Art, he also established the 'Today Theater' group. Mr. Rashidi worked as the manager of the television and radio shows group in Iran in 1973. He entered the cinema acting scene in 1971 with his role in the film 'Farar az Taleh' and was also a producer of several films in addition to acting and directing. Two years ago, he mentioned in an interview with ISNA that he was expelled from Iranian television in 1979, one year after the revolution. At that time, while reviewing his cinematic works, he considered 'Kandoo' one of his most successful films and said that even now, teenagers call him 'Agha Hosseini.' 'Farar az Taleh,' 'Khorus,' 'Kandoo,' 'Edaami,' 'Marz,' 'Rahayi,' 'Jayezeh,' 'Hayoolaye Daroon,' 'Kamalolmolk,' 'Shilat,' 'Khaneh Ankabout,' 'Golhaye Davoodi,' 'Tatoure,' 'Bibi Chalcheleh,' and the series 'Hezardastan,' 'Koochake Jangali,' 'Gorgha,' 'Atre Gol Yas,' 'Gol Pamchal,' 'Avaye Fakhteh,' 'Tanhatarin Sardar,' 'Velayat Eshq,' 'Khatirat Yek Khabarnegaar,' 'Masoomiyat Az Dast Rafteh,' 'Mokhtaranameh,' and 'Kolahi Pehlavi' are among the films in which Mr. Rashidi acted. He also has a history of producing several films, including 'Aloo Aloo, Man Jojo Am,' 'Ghat'e Natamam,' 'Emtehan,' and 'Sobhi Digar.'