Born in a small town in Belarus to parents of Lithuanian origin, Dr. Haim Gamzou was to become one of the key figures in the Israeli cultural scene of the 1950s 1960s and 1970s. Educated in Vienna and Paris, Gamzou started working as a journalist in left-wing newspapers during WWII. Having graduated in art and philosophy, he soon assumed the post of artistic-editor of a magazine in Paris, to which he contributed articles on various topics. During his studies, Gamzou got married and fathered his first child. Having barely escaped the German persecution in France, he embarked on a year-long journey to South America, which he later on depicted in his first book, "Shirat HaKeitzal". In 1947, Gamzou moved to Israel, where he married his second wife, Hava Schwarz, with whom he had two children.

Throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Gamzou contributed hundreds of articles to one of the major newspapers in Israel, "Haaretz"; A legendary art and theatre critique, he was known for his harsh criticism, which nonetheless raised the expected quality standard of that very young nation. Moreover, a verb in Hebrew designating "fatal" criticism was coined after his name by Ephraim Kishon.

In 1961, Gamzou established Israel's first theatre school, Beit Zvi, in memory of Zvi Klir.
In 1962, Gamzou assumed the post of director of the Tel Aviv Museum, then in the Helena Rubinstein Pavillion. In 1971 he established the new Tel Aviv Museum of the Arts, transforming the existing pavillion into an exhibition space for Israeli art.
Throughout the years, Gamzou served as artistic advisor to many international exhibitions, amongst which the Biennial International Art Exhibition in Venice and Sao Paulo.
Dr. Haim Gamzou died in 1982 due to a severe illness.