Shaike Levi is an actor, singer, comedian, and one third of the legendary Pale Tracker (‘HaGashash HaHiver’) comedy trio. Born in Cairo, Egypt, Levi’s family moved to Israel when he was five years old. His time in the military, he spent serving in the IDF’s military troupe, The Gadna Band (‘lehakat Pikud Gadna’), before later transferring to another troupe – The Central Command Band (‘lehakat pikud hamerkaz’). Levi, along with his bandmates which included the likes of Oded Teomi, Illi Gorlitzky, and others, sang on multiple hit songs including Heatwaves at the Post (‘hamsinim bamishlat’), The Goatee (‘hazkankan’), and Be Mine (‘heyi sheli’). On completing his military service, Levi joined the ranks of the Cameri Theatre actors company and shortly thereafter, also joined the musical group, The Roosters (‘hatarnegolim’), whose members were comprised of a variety of military troupe alumni, including Gavri Banai and Yisrael (Polly) Poliakov. Levi stayed with the band until they eventually broke up and was part of two TV specials which yielded numerous hit songs that have since become staples of Israeli culture, including The Neighbourhood Song (‘shir hashchuna’), Has Anyone Ever Told you (‘haim amru lach pa’am’), Everything’s Golden (‘hakol zahav’), and many more.
Following the breakup of The Roosters, producer and agent Avraham Deshe (aka Pashanel) got three of the former bandmates – Levi, Poliakov, and Banai – together, who then went on to form a brand new comedy trio – HaGashash HaHiver (‘the pale tracker’, a Hebrew pun on ‘the blind tracker’).
Within a short time, the trio became the most successful entertainment ensemble in Israeli history, whose name would become synonymous with Israeli humour and all things Israeli. Between 1964 – 1991, the trio appeared in ten original entertainment programmes which featured several memorable sketches that have since entered the Israeli hall of entertainment fame: highlights of those sketches include The Garage, The Drafted Automobile, Cracker vs. Cracker, and Canteen in Tiberias, and also the hit songs: No One’s Getting up (‘af echad lo kam’), What’s He Doing to Her (‘ma hu ose la’), Yael my Love (‘ahuvati yael’), The Telephone Song (‘shir hatelefon’), Hotties Hotties (‘yafot yafot’), Water for King David (‘maim ledavid hamelech’), and many more.
Highlights of the ensemble’s film credits as a trio include Moishe Air-Condition (Uri Zohar, 1966), Fortuna (Menahem Golan, 1966), Ervinka (Ephraim Kishon, 1967), Every Bastard a King (Uri Zohar, 1968), Take off (Uri Zohar, 1970), Halfon Hill Doesn’t Answer (Assi Dayan, 1976), The Hit (Assi Dayan, 1979), and House Committee Rivalry (Avi Cohen, 1986).
The trio’s many gifts to Israeli pop culture include a catalogue of timeless puns and colloquialisms that have since become deeply engrained in the local vernacular, including ‘Israblof’ (a portmanteau of Israel and the Hebrew word for ‘con’), ‘’hachupchik shel ha’kumkum’ (‘the kettle’s top bit thingy’), ‘ma sheva? Ma kama?’ (What do you mean, seven? What do you mean, how much?), ‘hevanta et ze, Baruch?’ (‘you got that, Baruch?’), and ‘cham be’tveriya’ (‘it’s hot in Tiberias.’) In the year 2000, Hagashash HaHiver trio were named the recipients of that year’s Israel’s Prize for their extraordinary contributions to society. That same year, the trio finally went their separate ways after 36 years of working together.
Following the trio’s breakup, Levi went on to record a string of solo albums including the self-titled 1999 release, Shaike Levi, and the 2010 album, Just as I’d Hoped (‘kmo shekiviti’). He also published a cookbook, Saucy Tales (‘sipurim im rotev’), and has made multiple appearances on stage and in film and television. In 2002, he landed the role of Alfred Doolittle in the Israeli production of My Fair Lady; then, in 2004, he created the one-man show, Isaiah Chapter Two (‘yeshayahu chapter two’). Highlights of his television credits include Ugly Esti (the Israeli adaptation of Ugly Betty), and Elvis, Rosenthal, and the Mystery Woman (‘Elvis, Rosental, vehaisha hamistorit’). In his younger days, Levi appeared in the film Sinaia (Ilan Eldad, 1962), and Sallah (Ephraim Kishon, 1964). Half a century later, he would play himself in Shemi Zarhin’s 2012 feature, The World is Funny.
Between 1993 – 1999, Levi was chair of IUPA (the Israeli Union of Performing Artists.)
