Ismail Yusif oghlu Daghistanli is a People's Artist of the USSR, recipient of accolades of the State Prizes of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, one of the most outstanding masters of the Azerbaijani stage.

Ismail Yusif oghlu Daghistanli was born on January 6, 1907, in the Zarna village of Qakh region. From an early age he was interested in theatrical art. In 1925, he started his stage career in the drama society at the Central Workers' and Peasants' Club in Sheki. He studied at the Baku Theater College from 1926 to 1930. Since 1927, as an actor-trainee, he played in mass episodes on the stage of the Drama Theater. Since 1930, he worked intermittenly at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theater, in 1936-1937 - at the Irevan Azerbaijan State Drama Theater, and in 1932-1933 was a director and actor at the Azerbaijani theater he organized in Derbent.

Since 1938, on the stage of the Azerbaijan National Drama Theater, he has created a cycle of a memorable images in an original manner and style in performances based on the works of domestic and foreign playwrights.

Over the long years of fruitful work on stage, he made a significant contribution to the development of Azerbaijani theater art, performing many roles. As an actor of the realistic school with a bright and original talent, Ismail Daghistanli created memorable images in productions of works by famous classics and playwrights. His stage work has always been distinguished by a high civic spirit.

He skilfully performed the roles of S. M. Kirov (in the plays of A. Mamedkhanly "Morning of the East" and J. Majnunbekov "Ilyicha Bay"), and also N. Narimanov (in the play of M. Ibraghimov "Burning Fires"). The leading roles played by I. Dagestanhly in such theatre production as "Othello" by W. Shakespeare, "The Storm" by A. N. Ostrovsky, "Uncle Vanya" by A. P. Chekhov, "In 1905" and "The Fiery Bride" by J. Dzhabarly, "Vagif" and "Khanlar" by S. Vurgun, "The Song Remained in the Mountains" by I. Efendiyev, as well as  many other performance, confirmed his wide acting range and skill. In addition to the theater, Ismail Daghestanli successfully starred in films of the "Azerbaijanfilm" studio named after J. Jabarli.

He has greatly contributed  to the training of actors, at the Department of Stage Speech of the Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts named after M. A. Aliyev.

Ismail Daghestanli's merits in the development of theatrical art were highly appreciated. He has been twice awarded the Order of Lenin, as well as the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and Friendship of Peoples and medals of the USSR. He was awarded the honorary titles of People's Artist of the USSR and won the State Prizes of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR.

Ismail Daghestanli passed away on April 1, 1980 in Baku.

Recommended literature:

1. Əliyeva, Elmira. İsmayıl Dağıstanlı /E. Əliyeva ; tərc. ed. V. Rüstəmzadə ; red. H. Sadıqova. - Bakı: İşıq, 1978. - 53 s.
2. Nemətzadə, Əflatun Nemət oğlu. İsmayıl Dağıstanlı /Ə. Nemətzadə ; Azərb. Teatr Cəmiyyəti ; xüsusi red. K. Cəfərzadə. - Bakı: İşıq, 1981. - 86 s.
3. İsmayıl, Lamiyə. Mən aktyoram-İsmayıl Dağıstanlı /L. İsmayıl. - Bakı: Hüquq ədəbiyyatı, 2006. – 83 s.