TEHRAN -- Veteran actor Davud Rashidi, star of memorable movies like Kiumars Purahamd’s “Bibi Chelcheleh”, Ali Hatami’s “Kamalolmolk”, and the acclaimed TV series “Hezardastan” and “Mokhtarnameh”, died of heart failures at his home in Tehran on Friday. He was at 83.

“Unfortunately, the news is true,” his daughter, Leili, told the Persian service of MNA, “Father died Friday morning.”

Rashidi had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease over the past few years.

His death came as a big shock to his colleagues and friends.

Speaking to the Persian service of ISNA, Parviz Parastui who costarred with Rashidi in director Bahmand Zarrinpur’s 1994 TV series “The Song of Cuckoo” said, “I feel deeply sad.”

“I learned many things when we spent six months in Kerman working on ‘The Song of the Cuckoo’,” he added.   

Parastui previously called Rashidi one of five living legends of Iranian cinema in acting. Ezzatollah Entezami, Mohammad-Ali Keshvarz, Jamshid Mashayekhi and Ali Nasirian are other pillars of the group.   

In a condolence message sent to his family, Entezami, 92, also wrote, “He was knowledgeable and knew how to speak French fluently. He was at peace with everybody.”

Mashayekhi wrote, “I know that his wife, Mrs. Borumand, really loved him; I hope that she can bear the great loss.”

Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, Majlis speakers Ali Larijani, Cinema Organization of Iran Director Hojatollah Ayyubi and several cultural officials sent messages of condolences to his family.  

Due to his father’s diplomatic mission, Rashidi finished high school in Paris. He studied at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, a music school in Geneva, Switzerland. He also studied music, theater and political science at the University of Geneva.

In 1964, he returned home and was employed at the Theater Office of the Ministry of Culture. Shortly thereafter, he gathered actors Parviz Fannizadeh, Dariush Farhand, Mehdi Hashemi, Fahimeh Rastkar, Siavash Tahmures, Marzieh Borumand and Susan Taslaimi to establish the Emruz Theater Troupe, which performed many plays that were acclaimed by critics.

Rashidi left the Theater Office in 1973 to work as the director of the Theater and Entertainment Department of Iran National Television. 

He costarred with Behruz Vosuqi in his acting debut movie “Escape the Trap” by Jalal Moqaddam in 1971.

“Many people warned me about Behruz, saying that he will degrade my role in that film… but we became friends. What they told me about him was not true,” he said one in an interview.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, he chose to remain in Iran despite the fact that many of his colleagues left the country.

Playing the role of Javad Aqa in Purahamd’s drama “Bibi Chelcheleh” developed his reputation.

However, he was previously hired by Ali Hatami to play the role of an inspector, one of the leading roles in the acclaimed TV series “Hezardastan”, which was produced between 1981 and 1986.

“I really liked ‘Hezardastan’ and also my part as Reza Shah in ‘Kamalolmolk’,” he once said.

For the last time, he made a cameo appearance in “Ekbatan” directed by Mehrshad Karkhani in 2011.  

Rashid is survived by his widow, Ehteram Borumand, his daughter, Leili, and his son, Farhad.

His funeral has been set for Sunday and he will be buried in Tehran’s Behesht Zahra Cemetery. 

Photo: Actor Davud Rashidi in an undated photo
       
MMS/YAW