Name in Hebrew: יפתח קצור
Sometimes credited as:
Iftach Katzour, Iftach Katzur, Jesse Katzur, Jeremy Katzur, Yftach Katzur.


Yiftach Katzur
was born in Israel on July 17th, 1958. While serving in the army, he performed as part of the Israel Defense Forces Theatre and Radio. The theatre educated young soldiers and service men in performing arts and was a starting ground for many israeli actors.

In 1975 he landed the lead role of Alan Strang in the theatre production of Equus by Peter Shaffer, and at aged 18 he was cast in Boaz Davidson's Lemon Popsicle as Benji (Bentzi).

Production began on Lemon Popsicle in 1977. The character Benji was based on the director himself, the sensitive shy guy of the Popsicle movies. "This is Benji, always sensitive, always complicated, always in love" (Bobby, Young Love), a quote that sums up Benji's character perfectly.

The role won Katzur an acting award for his portrayal of Benji that was selected by Israeli newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, and was a role that he would become synonymous with throughout his film career.

With the success of Lemon Popsicle, sequels soon went into production and gave little time for other film roles. However, he still continued to write and perform in theatre productions while studying at Beit Zvi, the School of performing arts.

In 1984, Yitach graduated from Beit Zvi and appeared in his only American film production, The Ambassador starring Robert Mitchum who played a controversial U.S. ambassador sent to Israel. Katzur had a small role in the film, and also starred alongside other Popsicle actors Zachi Noy, Joseph Shiloah, and Rachel Stiener.

After starring in eight Popsicle movies, Yiftach said goodbye to his Benji character and acting and in 1990 was studying screen writing at the University of Tel Aviv. In the same year he was chosen from a large number of candidates to participate in a screenwriters workshop run by the director/screen-writer Frank Daniel, held in Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.

Briefly returning to acting in 1997 for Gentila, a drama about four malcontent and oddly matched characters on a three-day journey. The film won the 1998 Haifa Film Festival Award For Best Film.

Leaving his acting career behind, he is now a entrepreneur and businessman and established the media and publishing company Aktmdih Israel Corporation Ltd. After leaving the company, he has gone on to devolop and produce many projects for TV and continues to live in Israel with his wife and two children.



 

 
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FILM:
Gentila (1997)
Summertime Blues (1988)
Young Love (1987)
Up Your Anchor (1985)
The Ambassador (1984)
Baby Love (1984)
Atalia (1984)
Soldier of The Night (1984)
First Love (1982)
Private Popsicle (1982)
Hot Bubblegum (1981)
Going Steady (1979)
Lemon Popsicle (1978)

THEATRE:

Hmbsr, Acre Festival (1991)
The Palestinians, the Haifa Theater (1987)
The Taming of the Shrew (1976)
Equus (1975)