Ziva Rodann (Hebrew: זיוה רודן, born Ziva Blechmanזיוה בלכמן;[1] 2 March 1933),[2] known first as Ziva Shapir (זיוה שפיר), is an Israeli-American actress. She was a Hollywood film star and a frequent guest star on television series from the late 1950s to the late 1960s.
The Canadian Jewish Chronicle described her as "the first Israeli actress to be signed to a long-term deal with a major motion picture studio."[3]
Early life
Rodann was born in Haifa to Yeshaiahu "Shaya" Blechman,[1] a professor of mathematics,[4] and his wife, Rosa.[2] She first arrived in the United States in 1947, when she was sent to live with her aunt and uncle in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., where she attended and graduated from Kirkwood High School.[3]
When she returned to Israel, she took night classes at Tel Aviv University and majored in art, history, and languages.[4] She was accepted at the Habima Theatre, where she studied acting, and then joined the Israeli army in 1952.[5] In 1954, she worked at the Chamber Theatre, where she played leading roles in American plays in Hebrew and musical comedies.[4]
In 1954, she was named queen of Israel's wine festival and toured America to promote Israeli wine.[6]
Rodann's first stage name was Ziva Shapir. She began her film career with an appearance in Israel's first film, Hill 24 Doesn't Answer, in 1955.[3] Shapir then traveled to New York City, where she was discovered by Universal-International talent scout Maurice Bergman.[3] After a successful screen test, she signed a long-term contract with Universal. Her first television role was featured in "Dancing Mouse", a 1956 episode of The Adventures of Hiram Holliday. Shapir made her debut in American cinema when Universal loaned her out to Bel-Air Productions for a starring role in the horror feature Pharaoh's Curse (1957), released by United Artists.[3] She was billed second after actor Mark Dana and played the part of Simira, a mysterious Egyptian woman. Her final credit as Ziva Shapir was a minor role in The Tattered Dress (1957), starring Jeff Chandler and Jeanne Crain.
In 1961, she was a guest star on the western television series Bonanza, playing Maria Reagan in "The Fugitive"; Tales of Wells Fargo, playing Leah Harper in "Rifles for Red Hand"; and The Rifleman, playing Maria in "The Vaqueros". She also portrayed an Indian maharani in an episode of The Tab Hunter Show in 1961 and appeared in an episode ("The Case of the Glamorous Ghost") of Perry Mason in 1962, as well as an episode ("Made in Italy") of The Real McCoys. She played Nefertiti in two Batman episodes, "The Curse of Tut" (1966) and "The Pharaoh's in a Rut" (1966). She has appeared in more than 40 films and television productions.
Her most notable role was Dr. Myrna Von in the film 3 Nuts in Search of a Bolt, a film starring Mamie Van Doren and Tommy Noonan. In one short scene from the film, Rodann appears nude, wrapped only in boa cloth.
Personal life
Rodann's first husband was Mr. Zapick[who?], deputy director of Israel's Defense Ministry Purchase Mission to Paris.[8]
