Khalil Vossoughi (Persian: خلیل وثوقی; born 11 March 1938) known professionally as Behrouz Vossoughi (بهروز وثوقی), is an Iranian actor. He has also worked in television, radio and theatre. His work has earned him recognition at several international film festivals, including for Best Actor at the International Film Festival of India in 1974 and San Francisco International Film Festival in 2006.[2][3][4][5]

Behrouz Vossoughi
Vossoughi in 1971
Born
Khalil Vossoughi

March 11, 1938 (age 86)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • model
Years active1958–present
Political partyRastakhiz Party (1975–1978)[1]
Spouses
(m. 1975; div. 1976)
Katayoun Amjadi
(m. 1980)
PartnerPouri Banayi (1971–1972)
Children2
WebsiteOfficial Website

Personal life

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Behrouz was born in Khoy, Imperial State of Iran. He moved to Tehran when he was in his teenage years. He has two brothers: Changiz Vossoughi and Shahrad Vossoughi.

Vossoughi was briefly married in the 1970s to the Iranian singer Googoosh.[6] He currently lives in Marin County, California with his wife, Katayoun "Katty" Amjadi (also known as Catherine Vossoughi).[7]

Career

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He started acting in films with Samuel Khachikian in Toofan dar Shahre Ma and Abbas Shabaviz's Gole gomshodeh (1962), and became a major star as the brooding hero of the revenge drama Qeysar (1969), directed by Masoud Kimiai. Vossoughi received the Best Actor Award at the Sepas Film Festival for this role.

He went on to collaborate with Kimiai on five more films, including Dash Akol (1971). His next collaboration with Kimiai was The Deer (1974), in which he played the role of Seyed Rasoul. Vossoughi's most acclaimed performance was as Zar Mohamad, a peasant seeking justice in Tangsir (1973) directed by Amir Naderi. In 1975 Vossoughi appeared in The Beehive in the role of Ebi. In 1978, Vossoughi partnered with Ali Hatami in another film, Sooteh-Delan. He was one of the first Iranians to appear in American and European co-productions, such as Caravans (1978), co-starring with Anthony Quinn, Jennifer O'Neill and Michael Sarrazin.[8] He also appeared in The Invincible Six (1970) with Curd Jürgens, and Sphinx (1981) with Frank Langella and Lesley-Anne Down.

In 2000, at the San Francisco Film Festival award ceremony, Abbas Kiarostami was awarded the Akira Kurosawa Prize for lifetime achievement in directing, but then gave it to Vossoughi for his contribution to Iranian cinema.[9][10] In addition to his acting career, in 2012, Vossoughi was an official festival judge for the Noor Iranian Film Festival. He is currently a judge on Persian Talent Show.

Notable films

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His most famous film works are Qeysar (1969), The Invincible Six (1970), Reza Motori (1970), Dash Akol (1971), Toughi (1971), Deshne (1972), Baluch (1972), Tangsir (1973), The Deer (1974), Zabih (1975), Mamal Amricayi (1975), Kandoo (1975), Hamsafar (1975), Sooteh-Delan (1978), Caravans (1978) and Sphinx (1981).

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes Ref(s)
1958 Storm in Our Town Samuel Khachikian
1961 The Hundred Kilo Bridegroom Abbas Shabaviz
1962 The Lost Flower Abbas Shabaviz
1963 An Angel in My House The Son Aramais Aghamalian
1964 The Vagabond Girl Aramais Aghamalian
The Pleasure of Sin Jabbar Siamak Yasemi
1965 The Bride of the Sea Changiz Armais Vartani Hovsepian
1966 Farewell to Tehran Behrouz Samuel Khachikian
The Bank Robber Esmail Koushan
Twenty Years of Waiting Majid Mehdi Reisfirooz
Hashem Khan Ali Tony Zarindast
Today and Tomorrow Abbas Shabaviz
1967 Faith Mehdi Reisfirooz
Evil Temptation Tony Zarindast
Dalahoo Borzou Siamak Yasemi
A Woman Called Sharab Mohsen Amin Shervan
1968 The Whirlpool of Sin Behrouz Mehdi Reisfirooz
The Red Plain Bahram Howard Avedis
The Black Suit Thief Hossein Simorgh Amir Shervan
Hengameh Behzad Samuel Khachikian
Come Stranger Amir Hossein Masoud Kimiai
The Dragon Gorge Siamak Yasemi
It's Written in the Stars Siamak Yasemi
I Cried Too Samuel Khachikian
1969 Gheisar Gheisar Masoud Kimiai
Blue World Saber Rahbar
1970 The Window Sohrab Jalal Moghaddam
Wood Pigeon Morteza Ali Hatami
Reza Motorcyclist Reza Masoud Kimiai
Around the World with Empty Pockets Khosrow Parvizi
Layla and Majnun Gheis Siamak Yasemi
The Invincible Six Jahan Jean Negulesco
1971 Fleeing the Trap Morteza Jalal Moghaddam
Dash Akol Dash Akol Masoud Kimiai
A Man and a City Officer Sharafi Amir Shervan
1972 The Dagger Abbas Chakhan Fereydoun Gole
Stranger Ghasem Shapour Gharib
Baluch Baluch Masoud Kimiai
Rashid Parviz Nouri
1973 The Soil Saleh Masoud Kimiai
The Curse The Painter Nasser Taghvai
Tight Spot Zaer Mamad Amir Naderi
The Hateful Wolf Blacksmith Maziar Partow
1974 The Deer Seyyed Rasoul Masoud Kimiai
The Compromise Javad Mohammad Motevaselani
1975 Zabih Zabih Mohammad Motevaselani
American Mamal Mamal Shapour Gharib
Fellow Traveler Ali Masoud Asadollahi
The Beehive Ebi Fereydoun Gole
1976 The Idol Sadegh Iraj Ghaderi
Honeymoon Reza Fereydoun Gole
Divine One Khosrow Haritash
Iconoclast Ali Ta'arofi Shapour Gharib
1978 Broken Majid Dokaleh Ali Hatami
Cat in the Cage Bruce Khan Tony Zarindast
Breathless Nabi Sirus Alvand
Caravans Nazrullah James Fargo
1981 Sphinx Menrephtah Franklin J. Schaffner
1982 Time Walker Abdellah Tom Kennedy
1989 Terror in Beverly Hills Abdul John Myhers
Veiled Threat Amir Cyrus Nowrasteh
1999 Broken Bridges Michael Rafigh Pooya
The Crossing Nora Hoppe
2005 Zarin Client Shirin Neshat Short film
2012 Rhino Season Sahel Bahman Ghobadi
2015 Farewell My Bird Old Man Ameneh Moghaddam Short film
2018 Hidden Crimson Bahram Payam Jafari Short film
2019 Lovely Trash Mohsen Amiryoussefi Scenes deleted

Television

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Awards and nominations

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References

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  1. ^ Vossoughi joined Rastakhiz Party, newspapers
  2. ^ "Behrouz Vossoughi in Bahman Ghobadi's New Film". RadioJavan. March 31, 2011.
  3. ^ Entekhab News: Interviews with Entekhab[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Rhino film 'rebirth for exiled Iran director'". BBC News. 2012-09-13. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  5. ^ His surname is also spelled as Behrooz Vosooghi, Behrooz Vossoughi, Behrooz Vosoughi and Behrouz Vossough
  6. ^ "Behrouz Vossoughi Biography - زندگینامه بهروز وثوقی". Honar Aks. 2014-10-04. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  7. ^ "Business of the Week: Eden Day Spa". San Anselmo-Fairfax, CA Patch. 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  8. ^ a b c Stone, Judy (April 20, 2001). "Censored Iranian Actor Still in the Spotlight". Newspapers.com. The San Francisco Examiner. p. 26. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  9. ^ Judy Stone. "Not Quite a Memoire". Firouzan Films. Archived from the original on 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  10. ^ Jeff Lambert (2000). "43rd Annual San Francisco International Film Festival". Sense of Cinema. Archived from the original on 2010-12-25.
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