Yank Azman

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

(1947-10-19) October 19, 1947
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

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

Although his first stage appearance was at age six,[3] his professional acting career began with the CBC Television series Toby 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

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

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

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

Yank Azman film and television credits
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1968 Toby Un­known
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

  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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