Yank Azman

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Yank Azman
Yank Azman
Born
Jankiel (Jank) Zajfman (aka Jack Zaifman)

(1947-10-19) October 19, 1947 (age 77)
Bad Wörishofen, Germany
Occupation(s)Actor, voice actor, antique dealer
Years active1969–present
Spouse
Pulver Zajfman
​
(m. 1969)​
Websitehttp://www.yankazman.com

Yank Azman (born October 19, 1947) is a Canadian television and film actor.

Early life

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Azman was born in a displaced persons camp in Bad Wörishofen, Germany to Cesia (née Waishand), a sales clerk, and Kuba Zajfman, a tailor and furrier, Holocaust survivors from Chmielnik, Poland.[1] They emigrated to Canada in 1948 and settled in Toronto where he attended Harbord Collegiate Institute, William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute and later the Ontario College of Art[2] (now known as OCAD University) and the University of Toronto.

Career

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Although his first stage appearance was at age six,[3] his professional acting career began with the CBC Television series Toby[citation needed] in 1968. By the 1970s after training at Young People's Theatre and The Second City, he was working in improvisational and children's theatre with Gilda Radner[4] and in 1974 was cast as one of an ensemble (which included Valri Bromfield and Jayne Eastwood) to star on the CTV comedy series Funny Farm.[5] During the 1970s he appeared on stage at: Factory Theatre's Hurray for Johnny Canuck[6] with Maury Chaykin and Jim Henshaw; Theatre Passe Muraille in Bethune; and Theatre New Brunswick as Brighella in Goldoni's Servant of Two Masters[7] among others. Since then he has worked steadily in film and television[8] with such roles as Tom Shaughnessy on My Life as A Dog and frequent guest appearances on such shows as Murdoch Mysteries.

Second career

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He began a lifelong interest in art and antiques after being inspired by Painters Eleven artist Harold Town while working together on the Canadian Centennial project at William Lyon Mackenzie C.I.[9] In 1979, he started supplying antiques as props[10] for the movies and to retail stores such as Polo Ralph Lauren[11] and then opened a shop at the Harbourfront Antique Market. Toronto Life Magazine called him the "friendliest dealer in town."[12] He has made numerous guest appearances as an antiques expert[13] on such television shows as Room Service with Sarah Richardson on HGTV,[14] Breakfast Television on Citytv and in 2002 he hosted a television pilot called Flea Market Millionaire[15] for the Discovery Channel. Azman has also lectured on antiques at the CITT (Canadian Institute of Theatre Technology) at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University)[16] and on Material Culture at the Faculty of Liberal Studies at Ontario College of Art & Design.

Voice acting

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Azman has long worked as a voice actor and has voiced several characters in animated series such as Starcom: The U.S. Space Force and The Adventures of Tintin.

Personal life

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Azman is married to Canadian artist[17][18] & antique dealer Pulver Zajfman[19] and lives in Toronto and Miami Beach. He is a member of Mensa[20] and has a mild form of dyscalculia.

Filmography

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Yank Azman film and television credits
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1968 Toby Un­known [citation needed]
1974 Funny Farm (regular) 6 episodes. As Jank Zalfman [5]
1989 Sing Mr. Frye Theatrical film [21]
1989 Millennium Evacuation Worker Theatrical film [21]
1990 My Secret Identity Un­known 1 episode [22]
1991 Mark Twain & Me Reporter #3 Television film [21]
1992 Counterstrike Inspector Campbell Episode: "Cyborg" (as Jank Azman)
1994 Seeds of Deception Medical Board Member Television film. AKA The Babymaker: The Dr. Cecil Jacobson Story [21]
1994 My Breast Dr Norton Television film [21]
1995 Butterbox Babies Mr. Stone Theatrical film [21]
1995 Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story Arnold Scopes Television film [22]
1995 The Wharf Rat Funeral Director Television film [21]
1996 Gotti Judge Nickerson Television film [21]
1996 Steve Martini's Undue Influence Jack's Lawyer Television film [21]
1996 We the Jury Henry Otis Television film [21]
1996 My Life as A Dog Tom Shaughnessy 3 episodes
1998 More Tears Larry Golden [21]
1998 Bone Daddy MacDougall Theatrical film [21]
1998 Giving Up the Ghost Cousin Albert Television film [21]
1998 The Scandalous Me: Jacqueline Susann Story Producer No 2 Television film [21]
1999 Cruel Justice Judge Conrad Simms Television film [21]
1999 Dash and Lilly Doctor Television film [21]
1999 The Lady in Question Medical Examiner Television film [21]
2000 Deliberate Intent Trial Judge Television film [21]
2001 Haven Papa Stern Television film [21]
2001 Judgment Colin McMahon Theatrical film
2004 Evel Knievel Accountant Television film [21]
2018 Murdoch Mysteries Peddler 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ "Cesia and Kuba Zaifman Today". Saraschildren.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  2. ^ Fox, Hyla Wults. "Collectibles". The Globe and Mail April, 20. 1995.
  3. ^ "Concert-ed Enthusiasm For Concert" Toronto Telegram. P. 24. April 4, 1954.
  4. ^ Kareda, Urjo "Candy-rock show needs audience participation" Toronto Star. Dec 21, 1971
  5. ^ a b "The Funny Farm". TVArchive.ca. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  6. ^ "Factory Theatre | Hurray for Johnny Canuck". Home.interlog.com. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  7. ^ "TNB Performance Calendar". Lib.unb.ca. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  8. ^ "New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  9. ^ Hale, Barrie "Students Build a Town Wall" Toronto Telegram. p.40. March 31, 1967
  10. ^ Taylor, Bill. "The older, the better".Toronto Star. May 2, 2002
  11. ^ Skoggard, Ross, "The Collector" Toronto Star. May 10, 1992
  12. ^ "Best and Worst of the City" Toronto Life p.December 25, 2001
  13. ^ http://www.canadianbusiness.com/after_hours/article.jsp?content=20031106_133646_3028 MoneySense Sept/Oct 2003
  14. ^ "room service". Roomservice.ca. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  15. ^ "Discovery_Adds_Two_More_Series".
  16. ^ [1] Archived October 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Index of Canadian Artists "http://www.lareau-law.ca/peintres_1Z.html"
  18. ^ National Gallery of Canada database "http://www.pro.rcip-chin.gc.ca/bd-dl/aac-aic-eng.jsp?emu=en.aich:/Proxapp/ws/aich/user/wwwe/Record&upp=0&m=1&w=NATIVE%28%27ARTIST+ph+words+%27%27pulver+zajfman%27%27%27%29&order=native%28%27every+AR%27%29"
  19. ^ Vine, Ira. "Valentines Taken to Heart"The Globe and Mail. p. 18, Feb.7, 1981
  20. ^ "Regular Contributors". MC2 Journal of Mensa Canada (237). Mensa Canada: 27. July 1990.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Yank Azman: Filmography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  22. ^ a b "Yank Azman". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media / NBCUniversal. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
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