Gila Almagor

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Gila Almagor (Hebrew: גילה אלמגור) (born July 22, 1939) is commonly regarded as the first lady of Israeli stage and film.

She was raised in an orphanage, and it was there that acting talent was first noticed.

Since her stage debut at the age of 17 in Habima Theater's production of The Skin of Our Teeth, she has acted in numerous productions both on stage and screen, often in starring roles. She is also a successful author of young adult fiction. Her autobiographical books Summer of Aviya and Under the Domim Tree were both made into films, in which Almagor starred as her own mother, a schizophrenic Holocaust survivor. She also starred as the mother of Avner, the main character in the 2005 film Munich. The Holocaust is a major theme in her work. Her latest role, in a film entitled The Debt is of a former "Mossad" agent who comes back to kill an escaped Nazi doctor.

Almagor founded the Gila Almagor Wish Fund, a charity for sick children. In 2004, she was awarded the Israel Prize for lifetime contribution to the culture of Israel. She is married to Yaakov Agmon, current director of Habima. She currently serves as chair of cultural activities in the City Council of Tel Aviv.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] External links

• Gila Almagor at the Internet Movie Database
• Biography at the Institute for Translation of Hebrew Literature
• Gila Almagor's Short Bio in Hebrew