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)

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