Kevork Malikyan

Kevork Malikyan is a British actor of Armenian descent, best known internationally for his role as Kazim in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Born on June 2, 1943, in Diyarbakır, Turkey, to Armenian parents, he moved to Istanbul in his early years and later relocated to London, where he built a remarkable career across film, television, and theatre spanning more than five decades.

Early life and education

Malikyan studied at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London from 1963 onwards, developing the rigorous theatrical technique that would define his career. He established himself in British television and film productions through the 1970s, earning recognition for his natural ease with character roles. His breakout film appearance came in Midnight Express (1978), where he played a Turkish prisoner in Alan Parker’s harrowing drama. He then played Max in the beloved British sitcom Mind Your Language (1977–1979) before landing the globally visible role of Kazim in Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), a performance that introduced him to a worldwide audience. Over the decades he appeared in Doctor Who, Poirot, and Game of Thrones among many other productions, demonstrating a remarkable range across genres and periods. He married Maida Kupelian in Kensington, London in 1965; they have a daughter, Sonia, and a son, Sevan. In later years he joined the cast of the Turkish historical production Salahuddin Ayyubi.

Awards and recognition

Malikyan’s career spans over fifty years of distinguished character work. While no major individual awards have been formally confirmed, his role as Kazim in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade remains one of the most-recognised supporting performances in modern adventure cinema.