Julian Chagrin

Julian Chagrin was born in 1940 in London

Chagrin was born on 22 February 1940 in London. His father, Francis Chagrin, was a Jewish composer and conductor born in Bucharest, and his mother was Irish. He attended St Marylebone Grammar School and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

In 1957 he began performing as a straight man to comedian Vic Oliver, touring England, Ireland and South Africa. In 1959 he moved to Paris and studied mime with Jacques Lecoq. Back in London he performed in the mime comedy Chaganog.

He played a mime in the 1966 film Blowup and appeared in films such as Danger Route and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He was the lemonade drinker in a 1970s R. White's advert. His short films The Concert and The Morning Spider were nominated for the Academy Award.

He moved to Israel in 1977. In 1985 he wrote, produced, directed and starred in the comedy series The Orchestra, which won the Golden Rose of Montreux. From 1989 he appeared on the children's show Mesibat Gan, and for years he performed with his wife Rolanda in the show A Thousand Faces.

He stopped performing in 2010 due to health problems. In 2022 he acted in the film A Gaza Weekend. He lives with Rolanda in Ein Hod.