Hill 24 Doesn't Answer, released in 1955 as Israel's first feature-length film, served as the cinematic debut for Haya Harareet.
Early Life and Initial Career
Born Haya Neuberg in Haifa on 20 September 1931, she was the second of three children born to Polish immigrants Reuben and Yocheved Neuberg. During her schooling, she adopted the surname Hararit, later modified to Harareet, which translates to mountainous. She left home at seventeen to entertain Israeli soldiers during the War of Independence as part of military ensembles. She also won an early Israeli beauty pageant before finding work with the Cameri Theater.
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After her 1955 debut, Harareet moved to Italy in 1956. There, she learned Italian and connected with directors Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni. She appeared in the 1957 film The Doll that Took the Town. She subsequently relocated to London and Paris, acquiring proficiency in French while performing on stage. Her career reached a peak in 1959 when she was cast as Esther in the Hollywood production Ben-Hur, selected over thirty other candidates including Ava Gardner. This role marked her as the first Israeli actress to sign a multi-year contract with MGM.
Contractual Challenges and Screenwriting
Following the success of Ben-Hur, Harareet appeared in L'Atlantide in 1961, The Secret Partner, and the 1962 production The Interns. Finding the offered roles restricted to exotic archetypes, she sought to end her MGM contract. She successfully negotiated her exit by claiming associations with socialist acquaintances to deter the studio, despite never being a party member. She later pivoted to writing, serving as co-writer for the 1967 screenplay Our Mother's House.
Personal Life and Final Years
Harareet was first married to Nachman Zerwanitzer, an irrigation engineer based in Tel Aviv, with whom she divorced before 1961. She met British director Jack Clayton at the 1960 Academy Awards, beginning a partnership that lasted 35 years until his death in 1995; the two married in 1984 in High Wycombe. In the 1970s, she earned a degree in political science from the London School of Economics. She died at her home in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, on 3 February 2021, at the age of 89.
Fast facts
- Born: 20 September 1931, Haifa
- Died: 3 February 2021, Marlow
- Nationality: Israel
- Debut film: Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955)
- Significant role: Esther in Ben-Hur (1959)
- Spouses: Nachman Zerwanitzer, Jack Clayton
- Education: London School of Economics
- Languages: English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Italian, French
Questions readers ask
Was Haya Harareet the last surviving cast member of Ben-Hur?
Yes, she was the last surviving credited cast member of the 1959 film at the time of her death in 2021.
Did she belong to a political party to break her MGM contract?
No. She used her friendships with socialist individuals as a ruse to convince MGM to release her from her contract, but she was never a member of a Communist party.
