Gavri Banai

Gavri Banai
גברי בנאי
Banai in 1985
Born
Gabriel Banai

(1939-07-09) 9 July 1939
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • singer
Years active1958–present
Known for
Children2
RelativesYossi Banai (brother)
Yuval Banai (nephew)
Meir Banai (nephew)
Ehud Banai (nephew)
Orna Banai (niece)
Eviatar Banai (nephew)
HaTarnegolim, 1963. Gavri Banai is the second from the right

Gabriel "Gavri" Banai (Hebrew: גבריאל "גברי" בנאי; born July 9, 1939[1]) is an Israeli actor, singer, and comedian best known for being the part of the trio HaGashash HaHiver.[2][3]

Banai was born in Jerusalem to the large Banai family (as the youngest one of eight children[1]) of Iranian Jews. He began his entertainment career during military service with Lehakat HaNahal.[3]

Awards

  • 2000: the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement and contribution to society and the State of Israel along his with his HaGashash HaHiver colleagues, Shaike Levi and Yisrael Poliakov.[4][5]
  • 2020: Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality award, together with Shaike Levi. The award reason states that the popular entertainment trio "influenced Israeli culture, the Hebrew language and society in all its aspects".[6]
  • 2021: Israeli Artists' Association Lifetime Achievement Award[7][8]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ a b "סערת תשדירי הבחירות ופירוק הגשש: גברי בנאי בראיון חגיגי לגיל 80". www.maariv.co.il (in Hebrew). 2019. Retrieved 2025-12-13.
  2. ^ גברי בנאי, Israeli Film Archive
  3. ^ a b סערת תשדירי הבחירות ופירוק הגשש: גברי בנאי בראיון חגיגי לגיל 80 (an interview)
  4. ^ "Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Recipients' C.V."
  5. ^ "Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Judges' Rationale for Grant to Recipients".
  6. ^ יקירי העיר תל אביב ל-2020: "הגשש החיוור", אנשי תרבות ופעילים חברתיים, Maariv, January 26, 2020
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ סנדרסון, גידי גוב, שלמה ארצי ואחרים: הוכרזו זוכי פרס איגוד אמ"י למפעל חיים