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Abraham Sofaer

Abraham Sofaer

Actor · Died January 21, 1988, aged 91 · Rangoon, Burma. [now Yangôn, Myanmar]

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Abraham Sofaer (October 1, 1896 – January 21, 1988) was a stage actor of Burmese-Jewish descent who became a familiar supporting player on film and television in his later years. He was born in Rangoon, Burma (now Yangon, Myanmar). Sofaer's strong features and resonant voice complemented the many exotic character parts he played. He began his acting career on the London stage in 1921, but soon was alternating between London and Broadway. By the 1930s, he was appearing in both British and American films. Among his more prominent performances were the dual role of the Judge and Surgeon in Powell and Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and St. Paul in Quo Vadis (1951). He also appeared on television from its earliest days in the late 1930s and on radio. Although his film appearances diminished after the 1950s, he continued to have guest roles on dozens of major U.S. television series throughout the 1960s, including Star Trek ("Charlie X"), The Twilight Zone ("The Mighty Casey"), Lost in Space ("The Flaming Planet") and The Outer Limits ("Demon with a Glass Hand"), until retiring in the mid 1970s. He may be best-remembered for his recurring role as Hadji, the master of all genies, on I Dream of Jeannie. Sofaer married Psyche Angela Christian, with whom he had two sons and four daughters. He died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, as the result of congestive heart failure in 1988. The noted jurist of the same name is the son of one of the actor's cousins. Description above from the Wikipedia article Abraham Sofaer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 30, 1896
Died
January 21, 1988 (aged 91)
From
Rangoon, Burma. [now Yangôn, Myanmar]
Works as
Actor
Titles
45 on Motif · 107 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28

What are Abraham Sofaer's films like?

Across their 13 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Adventure3 titlesTypical Motif score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Motif score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Motif score: 37th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Motif score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
26%
Self
20%
Power
16%
Society
15%
Morality
11%
Survival
7%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 4 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 7 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 8 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 4 of 7 analyzed roles.

Mentor
4 of 7
Threshold guardian
2 of 7
Herald
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Thrilling
7
Melancholic
6
Romantic
4
Warm
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Abraham Sofaer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 45 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Abraham Sofaer's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

107 credits, 45 with a Motif page.

  • Kolchak: The Night Stalker(1974)

    Show Actor

    Motif score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Magician (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Hassid

  • Search (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Tarzan and the Perils of Charity Jones (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Governor

  • Chisum(1970)

    as Chief White Buffalo

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Justine(1969)

    as Proprietor

    Motif score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Che!(1969)

    as Pablo Rojas

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Head(1968)

    as Swami

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The High Chaparral (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Comancho

  • Time Warp(1967)

    as Dr. (Doc) Gordon

    Motif score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Ironside (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Tomas de Cuarto

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Omar

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Family Affair(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Felony Squad (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Rat Patrol (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Marabout

  • The Time Tunnel(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Epeios · as Father

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Melkotian (voice) · as Thasian (voice)

    Motif score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Tarzan (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Historias para no dormir(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Arch (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Motif score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • I Dream of Jeannie(1965)

    Show 3 episodes · as Haji

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Laredo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lost in Space(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Sobram

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Run for Your Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Singh

  • The Greatest Story Ever Told(1965)

    as Joseph of Arimathaea

    Motif score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Daniel Boone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Grey Cloud · as Tamend

  • 4 for Texas(1963)

    as Pulaski

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 2 episodes · as Juano

  • The Outer Limits(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Arch

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Twice-Told Tales(1963)

    as Prof. Pietro Baglioni

    Motif score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Captain Sindbad(1963)

    as Galgo

    Motif score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Taras Bulba(1962)

    as The Abbot

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Abraham Sofaer · as MacFarlane

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Hitler(1962)

    as Morris Kaplan

    Motif score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Investigators (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Gregory Walden

  • Ben Casey (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Dr. Kildare (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Shahzi Saund

  • The Asphalt Jungle (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Thriller (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Gus Kostopulos · as Nicolai

  • On Trial (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Lord Reading - Lord Chief Justice

  • Hawaiian Eye (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Adventures in Paradise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Geoffrey Donne · as Timaui

  • The Third Man (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Prince Puma Diau

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Stillman

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Wichita Town (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Riverboat (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mark Evans

  • Rawhide (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Hawk

  • 77 Sunset Strip (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Behind Closed Doors (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Fadhil

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Ling Twong

    Motif score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Peter Gunn(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Sea Hunt(1958)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Sad Sack(1957)

    as Hassim

    Motif score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Real McCoys(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Maverick(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Papa Rambeau

    Motif score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Daniel Maitland · as Elihu Laban · as Sylvester Robey

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Thin Man (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Omar Khayyam(1957)

    as Tutush

    Motif score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Richard Diamond, Private Detective (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Constantine

  • Not One Shall Die (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    as David Lessing

  • Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as (Commanche Chief) Alou

  • The Adventures of Jim Bowie(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • The First Texan(1956)

    as Don Carlos - magistrate

    Motif score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Bhowani Junction(1956)

    as Surabhai

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Ulrich Klemm

    Motif score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Gunsmoke (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Harvey Easter · as Jeremiah Leech

  • Out of the Clouds(1955)

    as The Indian

    Motif score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Millionaire (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Krishna

  • Elephant Walk(1954)

    as Appuhamy

    Motif score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Naked Jungle(1954)

    as Incacha

    Motif score: 70th percentile of all films

  • His Majesty O'Keefe(1954)

    as Fatumak, Medicine Man

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • General Electric Theater (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · as Father Balaton · as Rabbi

  • Four Star Playhouse(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Indian Chief

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Judgment Deferred (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Chancellor

  • Quo Vadis(1951)

    as Paul of Tarsus

    Motif score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Pandora and the Flying Dutchman(1951)

    as Judge

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Cairo Road (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as Commandant

  • Christopher Columbus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1949)

    as Luis de Santangel

  • Calling Paul Temple (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    as Dr. Charles Kohima

  • The Ghosts of Berkeley Square (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)

    as Benjamin Disraeli

  • Trilby (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)

    as Svengali

  • Dual Alibi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)

    as French Judge

  • The Great Promise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1947)

    Actor

  • A Matter of Life and Death(1946)

    as The Judge

    Motif score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Prime Minister (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Turkish ambassador (uncredited)

  • Freedom Radio (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1941)

    as Heini

  • Crook's Tour(1940)

    as Ali

    Motif score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Rembrandt (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Dr. Menasseh

  • The House of the Spaniard (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1936)

    as Vidal

  • Things to Come(1936)

    as The Jew (uncredited)

    Motif score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Nell Gwyn (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    as (uncredited)

  • The Admiral's Secret (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1934)

    as Don Pablo y Gonzales

  • The Wandering Jew (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    as Zapportas (Phase IV)

  • High Finance (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    as Myers

  • Karma (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    as Holy Man

  • Ask Beccles (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    as Baki

  • Little Miss Nobody (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1933)

    as Mr. Beal

  • The Flag Lieutenant (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    as Meheti Salos

  • Insult (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    as Ali Ben Achmed

  • The Flying Squad (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    as Li Yoseph

  • The House Opposite (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1932)

    as Fahmy

  • Stamboul (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as Mahmed Pasha

  • Dreyfus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1931)

    as Dubois

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 107 titles from 1931 to 1974; peak year 1962.

Biggest box office

Quo Vadis (1951)

$101K worldwide

Highest rated

Quo Vadis (1951)

Motif 85th

Film career

19311974

Peak 1962 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting107 of 107: 107 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Motif score65th

By decade

1930s16 · acting1940s10 · acting1950s41 · acting1960s35 · acting1970s5 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
3656

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Abraham Sofaer's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 24; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Motif score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

24 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser24
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Che! (1969)

83rd percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Motif 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Abraham Sofaer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Abraham Sofaer's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Byron Haskin shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers