Tehran honors late actor Davoud Rashidi

Tehran’s City Theater Complex has opened an exhibition of Davoud Rashidi’s personal properties on the actor’s birthday.

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Reza Salehi-Amiri, Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani, and a large number of artists and cineastes attended the opening ceremony.

His widow Ehteram Boroumand addressed the ceremony, saying “Rashidi believed in the deep influence of theater on people and the society.”

The next one on stage was Rashidi’s old friend Ali Nasiriyan who said Rashidi’s special privilege was his broad knowledge of dramatic arts and literature.

He also added “His prudent choices of roles indicated his knowledge and intelligence. He was a fine actor on stage, in films and TV series. Of course, he used to teach theater to all and had good cultural deportment.”

The culture minister also lauded the late actor as a great man in the artistic society and an influential figure in Iran’s theater, and said “We can say that many theatrical figures are indebted to Rashidi and the actors of his generation.”

The notable thespian Rashidi studied theater directing and acting in Geneva, Switzerland, and has a Bachelor's degree in Political Rights from the University of Geneva.

His debut movie was 'Escaping the Trap'. Besides acting, he worked in the field of film production. He achieved a First Grade Order of Art and Culture.

He played roles in several movies and TV shows, and also worked with great Iranian directors, including Ali Hatami, Davoud Mir Baqeri, Mehdi Fakhim Zadeh, Marzieh Boroumand and Behrouz Afkhami.

Rashidi has starred as Noman bin al-Bashir in the TV series 'The Rise of Mokhtar' and played the role of Priest Monsieur Alphonse in 'The Pahlavi Hat'.

'Hezar Dastan', 'Primrose Flower', 'A Place of Love', 'The Weary-Hearted' and 'The Chat' are some of the TV series in which he has played roles.

He has also taken part in several movies, such as ' Kamal-ol-Molk', 'Lean on the Wind', 'Extreme Cold' and 'Ekbatan'.

He also acted in and directed a number of plays in recent years. His last appearance in Iranian cinema was in 2012 when he acted in Mehrshad Karkhani’s ‘Ekbatan’, while he also had a role in the ‘Kolah Pahlavi’ TV series, which was produced by Ziaeddin Dorri.

Born on July 16, 1933, the celebrated actor, who had long been housebound suffering from ailment, died at the age of 83 after suffering a heart attack on August 26.

Opened on Rashidi’s birth anniversary, the exhibition will end on his death anniversary on August 26.

MG/MMF