Alexander Zale obit

Alexander Zale, Actor on New York Stages, Dies at 89

Alexander Zale, an Iraqi-born actor who starred on New York stages, died Aug. 28 of complications from Parkinson's disease at his home in Los Angeles, his nephew David Shamoon announced. He was 89. 

He was not on the list.

Alexander Zale, an Iraqi-born actor who starred on New York stages, died Aug. 28 of complications from Parkinson’s disease at his home in Los Angeles, his nephew David Shamoon said. He was 89.

Zale, then known by his birth name, Jamil Zakkai, starred in 1977 in the title role in Agamemnon at Lincoln Center and the Delacorte Theater, then had another title role in a La Mama production of Faust the following year.

Wrote The New York Times in its review: “Jamil Zakkai, last summer’s Agamemnon in Central Park, retains his grandeur as Faust. In his haunted eyes, we can sense the man’s dilemma — the amazement and curiosity with which he greets Mephistopheles’ machinations, the guilt that he feels when he is forced to kill his love’s brother.”

After changing his name to Alexander Zale, he moved to Los Angeles and appeared as a judge on eight episodes of Matlock and as an ambassador from Afghanistan on 24. He also showed up on other series like Cagney & Lacey, The Incredible Hulk, Tracey Takes On and NYPD Blue.

His film résumé included roles in Frances (1982), starring Jessica Lange; Invasion U.S.A. (1985), starring Chuck Norris; Mike Nichols’ Postcards From the Edge (1990); Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls (1995); and Robin Swicord’s Wakefield (2016), starring Bryan Cranston.

In 2006, Zale worked with Annette Bening, Alfred Molina and Sarah Paulson in a production of The Cherry Orchard at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Born into a Jewish family in Baghdad on March 18, 1931, Zale and his family fled to Bombay (now Mumbai) shortly after a pogrom in 1941, during which hundreds of Jews were slaughtered. He emigrated to the U.S. at age 18, graduated from Hofstra University and served in the U.S. Navy.

In 1959, he appeared off-Broadway in a Living Theatre production of Jack Gelber’s The Connection, about drug-addled jazz musicians, then joined the company for a European tour. He remained in Italy to work with Vittorio Gassman and traveled with his company to the Aldwych Theatre in London.

His other stage work in New York included roles in Andrei Serban’s Medea at La Mama and Public Theater productions of The Dybbuk, The Golem and Henry V, the last one in 1984 starring Kevin Kline.

Zale also worked in regional theater in Baltimore, Seattle and at the South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa.

Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Jennifer; his brother, Victor; and several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Donations in his name may be made to the Actors Fund and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Actor

Jennifer Garner and Bryan Cranston in Wakefield (2016)

Wakefield

6.3

Dr. Sondervan

2016

 

The Foreigner (2015)

The Foreigner

7.6

Short

Angry Old Man

2015

 

Dog Lover's Symphony (2006)

Dog Lover's Symphony

3.0

School Master

2006

 

Kiefer Sutherland, Reiko Aylesworth, Carlos Bernard, Jude Ciccolella, Glenn Morshower, and Mary Lynn Rajskub in 24 (2001)

24

8.4

TV Series

Ambassador Shareef

2002

1 episode

 

The Christmas Wish (1998)

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6.8

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Mr. Taylor

1998

 

NYPD Blue (1993)

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7.8

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1993–1998

2 episodes

 

Julie Delpy and Daniel Baldwin in The Treat (1998)

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4.2

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1998

 

Dana Ashbrook, Nia Peeples, Clifton Collins Jr., Kellie Martin, Tina Lifford, and Matt Roth in Crisis Center (1997)

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5.8

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Judge

1997

1 episode

 

Tracey Takes On... (1996)

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7.3

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1997

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For Goodness Sake II (1996)

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6.4

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1996

 

Days of Our Lives (1965)

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5.2

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Dr. Mason

1995–1996

4 episodes

 

The Ultimate Lie (1996)

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5.5

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The Old Professor

1996

 

Innocent Victims (1996)

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6.7

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1996

 

Jeff Fahey in The Marshal (1995)

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7.2

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Hotel Manager

1995

1 episode

 

Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls (1995)

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5.1

Doctor

1995

 

Thunder Alley (1994)

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6.3

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Cashier

1994

1 episode

 

Homefront (1991)

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8.9

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1993

1 episode

 

Intruders (1992)

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6.4

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1992

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7.1

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Judge Michael Alden

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Judge Martin Alden

1990–1992

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An Inconvenient Woman (1991)

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6.8

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1991

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Hooperman (1987)

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1987

1 episode

 

Billionaire Boys Club (1987)

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1987

 

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5.4

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1985

 

Louis Gossett Jr. in Sadat (1983)

Sadat

6.5

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Shafi

1983

2 episodes

 

Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson in Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

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Arcady

1983

1 episode

 

Jessica Lange in Frances (1982)

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7.2

Man in Screening Room

1982

 

Moonlight

6.9

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Anatoli

1982

 

Clint Eastwood in Firefox (1982)

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5.9

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1982

 

Sean Connery in Wrong Is Right (1982)

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5.6

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1982

 

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1982

1 episode

 

Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby in The Incredible Hulk (1977)

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7.0

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1981

1 episode

 

Pleasure Palace (1980)

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1980

 

Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen in Tenspeed and Brown Shoe (1980)

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7.5

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Sheik

1980

1 episode