The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Topol originally intended to become a commercial artist before joining the Nahal entertainment troupe during his mandatory stint in the Israeli army. His natural talent quickly led to his riding to troupe commander, and he married a fellow troupe member, Galia Finkelstein, in 1956. Upon his formal discharge, he found work as a garage mechanic, supporting a family that grew to include three children while also organizing a kibbutz theatre company with his friends from Nahal.