TEHRAN – The prolific stage and screen actor Hossein Moheb Ahari who starred in numerous memorable TV series, movies and plays such as “T for Tickle” and “Off Limits” and “Health Alley”, passed away at a Tehran hospital on Wednesday after a lengthy battle with lymphoma, Persian media announced. He was at 67.

The illness was diagnosed eight years ago. However, he never stopped his professional activities over these years. Earlier last December, he played his last film role in director Afshin Hashemi’s drama “Bye, Shirazi Girl”.

In an article published at that time, Hashemi wrote, “He brings fervor and happiness when he arrives on the shooting location. He continuously rehearses in order to do his best acting, but the cursed illness has made him a bit tired and he doesn’t smile as much anymore.”

“The illness should feel ashamed,” he added.

In an interview published in July 2018, Moheb Ahari said, “I still hope that I will defeat the illness… I try not to be concerned about it.”  

Moheb Ahari’s was playing a role in director Kianush Ayyari’s TV series “87 Meters”, which remains unfinished due to his death.

“I’m really happy that I was given the opportunity to play a role in this series,” he said in a video recorded on January 1.

“Collaborating with Mr. Ayyari was one my wishes and I feel like flying,” he exulted. 

Born in Tehran, Moheb Ahari studied Persian literature at the Faculty of Persian Language and Foreign Languages. In 1974, he also attended acting courses held by director Arbi Avanesian and acted in many plays and movies.

He was catapulted to fame in 1982 with “Boro Bia Alley”, a children’s TV series directed by Dariush Moaddebian.

He made his acting debut in cinema four years later in “The Relationship” by Puran Derakhshandeh. He also collaborated in about 30 movies, including “Off Limits” by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and “When We Are All Asleep” by Bahram Beizai.

His credits in TV productions include dozens of series such “Mokhtarnameh” by Davud Mirbaqeri, “Paytakht 2” by Sirus Moqaddam and “Sarbedaran” by Mohammad-Ali Najafi.

In addition, his portrayal of an exacting teacher who continuously clashes with the class monitor in the children’s TV series “T for Tickle” that he directed in 1987 was warmly received by people. As a result, he made a sequel to it in 1990.

In 2003, Beizai chose him to play a role in his play “The Tragedy of Professor Makan and His Wife, Rokhshid Farzin: A Passion Play”, which was performed at the main hall of Tehran’s City Theater Complex.

In a statement published on Wednesday, Iran’s Stage Actors Guild wrote, “Farewell, oh grand patient! Farewell, oh smiling forest!”

Photo: Actor Hossein Moheb Ahari in an undated photo.

MMS/YAW