Eli Yatzpan
Eli Yatzpan
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Eliyahu Yatzpan (Hebrew: אלי יצפאן; born June 6, 1965) is an Israeli television host and comedian, best known as the host of the Channel 3 late-night talk show/variety show Yatzpan between 2001 and 2006.

Key Information

Biography

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Early life

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Yatzpan was born on June 6, 1965, in Tel Aviv, Israel. He is the fifth of eight children in an Iraqi-Jewish family. His father, Huji, was a tailor and his mother, Ungel, was a nanny.

While he attended the vocational school, Kadoorie Agricultural High School in the Lower Galilee in the early 1980s,[1] he became known for his impressions and high jinks especially for coming into school dressed as Antiochus on random occasions. His schoolmates nicknamed him, "juha". After graduating, he was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces first into a course for quartermasters because they didn't believe him when he said that he could sing. Luckily for him he was moved to the "mafhash" (Hebrew: מפח״ש) entertainment troop (along with later to be Israeli celebrities such as Hanan Goldblatt and Orna Datz, then known as Orna Cohen).

Television career

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His first television appearance was in the Israeli children's science fiction mini-series Hatsatskanim (1989) which was broadcast on the Israeli educational channel. he played the role of the alien Shemesh, the technician of the rocketship.

In 1990 he appeared in the entertainment show Motzash (Saturday night) in Channel 1 helped earn Yatzpan a little bit of name recognition but when in 1992 he joined Yigal Shilon's hidden camera show, Fisfusim (Hebrew: פיספוסים) on Reshet Channel 2 (Israel) he exploded on screen playing many different characters, tricked many people in Israel and abroad and gained celebrity status in Israel.

Between the years 1996 and 1997 Yatzpan hosted his own entertainment night show on Friday nights on Channel 2 in which he interviewed celebrity guests. Between the years 1998 and 1999 Yatzpan's night show moved to Saturday nights and was remade to include more skits (which most of them he performed without any help from other actors). Between the years 2001 until 2006 he hosted his own night show on Channel 3 for which he received many awards.

In 2007 he started hosting his own night show on Channel 2 called Shalom and Good Evening.

Movie career

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In 1988, Yatzpan landed a role in the movie Fictional Marriage (Hebrew: נישואים פיקטיביים), where he played Bashir, an Arab waiter. After that Yatzpan played in several films such as Ehad MiShelanu (One of Us) (1989), Max VeMorris (Max and Morris) (1994) and Chain of Command [fi; fr] (1994)

Theater career

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After discharge, he joined a Jewish performance tour of the United States. When he arrived back, he joined an acting group and auditioned for various acting roles at Tel-Aviv's famous Habima theatre.

In 1990, he appeared with Sefi Rivlin in the theatre show My wife, a choice of fine (אשתי, ברירת קנס). By the mid-1990s he raised an entertainment with Meir Suisa called "Suisa VeYatspan first" (סוויסה ויצפאן תחילה). In 1999 they performed in a new show called Suisa VeYatspan, second pulsation (סוויסה ויצפאן, פעימה שנייה). A year later he appeared in the children's musical The Siam king (based on the book Anna and the King of Siam), and in 2004 he played in the children's musical Aladdin. In 2007, Yatzpan played in the children's musical based on Jules Verne's book Around the World in Eighty Days.

Personal life

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Yatzpan met his wife Galit when she was in the kindergarten of Ruth Suissa, the wife of the actor Meir Suissa. At their wedding Shimon Peres was their guest of honor. Yatzpan has three children, Ido, Noa and Neta. Yatzpan lives in Ramat HaSharon.

References

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Eli Yatzpan

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Eli Yatzpan is an Israeli television host, comedian, and actor known for hosting the long-running late-night talk show and variety program Yatzpan, which aired on Channel 3 from 2001 to 2006.[1] His career has spanned hosting, stand-up comedy, and acting roles in Israeli films such as The Matchmaker, Chain of Command, and One of Us, establishing him as a recognizable figure in Israeli entertainment for his satirical style and engaging on-screen presence. [2] [3] Born in Tel Aviv, Yatzpan has maintained a public profile through television work and occasional comedy projects, including satirical skits that comment on current events.

Early life

Family background

Eli Yatzpan, born Eliyahu "Eli" Yatzpan (Hebrew: אלי יצפאן), was born on June 6, 1965, in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was the fifth of eight children in an Iraqi-Jewish family that settled in Tel Aviv. His father, Huji, worked as a tailor, and his mother, Ungel, was a nanny, supporting the large household. Growing up in Tel Aviv, Yatzpan experienced the cultural influences of Iraqi-Jewish traditions within his family environment.

Education and early talents

Yatzpan attended Kadoorie Agricultural High School in the Lower Galilee during the early 1980s. He became known among his peers for his talent in doing impressions and pulling pranks, which often involved creative performances and mimicry that drew attention to his comedic abilities. One notable instance was when he dressed up as Antiochus IV Epiphanes for a school event, a portrayal that highlighted his flair for dramatic and humorous impersonations. His classmates nicknamed him “Juha,” a reference to the clever and mischievous folk character, reflecting how his playful and entertaining personality was already evident during his high school years. These school experiences provided early evidence of his natural aptitude for performance and comedy, setting the foundation for his later career.

Military service

IDF service and entertainment troupe

After graduating from high school, Eli Yatzpan was drafted into the Israel Defense Forces. He was initially assigned to a quartermasters course because the army did not believe his claim that he could sing. He was later transferred to the "mafhash" (מפח"ש) entertainment troupe, where he performed alongside Hanan Goldblatt and Orna Datz (then known as Orna Cohen). During his mandatory military service, Yatzpan participated in entertainment performances for soldiers. The troupe's activities included producing shows, with notable contributions during his tenure.

Early career

Theater performances

After his military service in an IDF entertainment troupe, which laid the foundation for his performance skills, Eli Yatzpan began his professional theater career. He performed at Habima National Theatre among other venues. In 1990, Yatzpan appeared alongside comedian Sefi Rivlin in the stage production "My Wife, a Choice of Fine" (אשתי, ברירת קנס). [4] By the mid-1990s, he teamed up with Meir Suisa for the entertainment act "Suisa VeYatzpan First" (סוויסה ויצפאן תחילה), which gained popularity through live performances. [4] The duo continued their collaboration in 1999 with "Suisa VeYatzpan, Second Pulsation" (סוויסה ויצפאן, פעימה שנייה). [4] Yatzpan also took part in several children's musicals, starring in "The Siam King" (2000), "Aladdin" (2004)—where he portrayed the Genie in a Hanukkah-themed production—and "Around the World in Eighty Days" (2007). [5][4] These roles showcased his versatility in family-oriented stage entertainment alongside his other work.

Film acting roles

Eli Yatzpan appeared in several films during the late 1980s and 1990s, primarily in supporting roles in Israeli cinema with one international production. [2] His debut came in 1988 as Bashir, an Arab waiter, in the Israeli film Fictitious Marriage (נישואים פיקטיביים). [2] The following year, he played a driver in the film One of Us (אחד משלנו, 1989). [2] In 1994, Yatzpan took on two roles: as The Italian in the Israeli comedy Max and Morris (מקס ומוריס) and as Achmed, a cab driver, in the action thriller Chain of Command. [2] These appearances marked his main contributions to feature films during his early career, after which his on-screen work shifted primarily to television formats. [2]

Television career

Debut and breakthrough

Eli Yatzpan made his television debut in 1989 as the alien spaceship technician Alishemesh in the children's educational mini-series "Hatsatskanim" (הצצקנים), which aired on Israel's educational Channel 1 and followed a group of aliens exploring Earth while teaching values like friendship and environmental conservation. [6] [7] In 1990, he appeared on the Saturday night variety show "Motzash" on Channel 1, contributing to comedic sketches including parodies of political figures. [8] Yatzpan achieved his breakthrough in 1992 when he joined the hidden-camera prank series "Fisfusim" on Reshet Channel 2, where he portrayed multiple characters in pranks targeting celebrities and ordinary people, earning widespread public recognition for his quick wit and impressions. [9] His candid-camera and impression performances on Channel 2 continued into the 1996–1997 period, further establishing him as a prominent figure in Israeli television comedy. [10]

Early hosting shows

Eli Yatzpan transitioned from sketch comedy and acting roles to hosting his own television programs in the mid-1990s, building on his recognition from the hidden-camera series Fisfusim.[4] In 1996–1997, he hosted the Friday night entertainment program HaErev Im Eli Yatzpan ("The Evening with Eli Yatzpan") on Channel 2 under the Telad franchise. The show featured celebrity interviews combined with comedic sketches, often performed by Yatzpan alongside collaborators including Shmulik Levy, Hanan Goldblatt, and Rami Vered.[4] The program established Yatzpan as a versatile entertainer capable of leading a weekly variety format that mixed conversation and humor.[4] In 1998–1999, the show shifted to Saturday nights on Channel 2 under the competing Reshet franchise, with an adjusted format that placed greater emphasis on sketches—most of which Yatzpan performed alone without additional actors.[4] This period solidified his reputation as a stand-up comedian and television entertainer known for self-reliant comedic performance and engaging audience interaction.[4]

Yatzpan (2001–2006)

Yatzpan was a late-night talk show and variety program hosted by Eli Yatzpan on Channel 2 from 2001 to 2006. [1] The series adopted a format reminiscent of American late-night shows such as The Tonight Show, beginning with a stand-up comedy monologue by the host, followed by interviews with typically two celebrity or public figure guests, musical performances, and interspersed comedy sketches. [1] A signature feature of the program was Yatzpan's highly accurate impersonations of Israeli politicians and other public figures, most notably his recurring imitations of Shimon Peres, which formed a central part of the humor. [1] The show's content frequently drew on current events in Israeli politics and society, blending topical satire with entertainment. [1] Yatzpan achieved significant popularity during its run, becoming one of Israel's leading late-night programs and earning praise for the quality of its political impersonations and comedic commentary. [1] The series received two awards and established itself as a cultural mainstay in Israeli television during the period. [1]

Later work

In 2007, following the conclusion of his long-running satirical program, Eli Yatzpan began hosting the late-night talk show "Shalom and Good Evening" on Israel's Channel 2. [11] The program featured comedic sketches and interviews in his established style. [12] Yatzpan continued to appear in comedic and satirical television productions in subsequent years, notably starring in the long-running series Buba Shel Layla (2011–2024), in which he performed numerous satirical impersonations of public figures across 46 episodes. [2] He also appeared in the satirical TV series Buba Shel Medina (2012–2013), portraying various political and public figures in 21 episodes. [2] In 2021, he took a recurring role as Pini Avrahami in the satirical sketch series "Shkufim," appearing in multiple episodes of the show that focused on overlooked figures in Israeli society. [13] [14]

Personal life

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