Free Jews on Broadway: An Historical Survey of Performers, Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Producers by Stewart F. Lane
Authors: Stewart F. Lane
Tags: Drama, United States, General, History, 20th Century, Theater, New York, New York (State), Performing Arts, Jewish, Jews in Popular Culture - United States, Theater - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Jewish Entertainers, Jews in Popular Culture, Jewish Entertainers - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Musicals - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century, Musicals, Broadway (New York; N.Y.), Jews in the Performing Arts, Jews in the Performing Arts - New York (State) - New York - History - 20th Century
Gracie Allen met in 1922
and within five years not only became husband and wife, but the toast of the vaudeville circuit, with Burns as the good-natured straight man and Gracie as the befuddled blonde. Benny and Burns were not only very good friends, but both depicted the Jewish persona in a new light, 43
Jews on Broadway
without the shouting or using the thick Yiddish accent that had become so familiar to the earlier vaudevillians.
While neither Benny nor George Burns made significant strides onto the Broadway stages, both were among the Jewish stars to evolve from vaudeville and go on to legendary status. And there were others, such as George Jessel and Milton Berle who would emerge from this era and make their mark on stage for years to come.
One of the younger of the Jewish performers to make his way into vaudeville was George Jessel. Born in 1898, in the Bronx, Jessel was earning money for his family, following the death of his father, by the time he was ten. He would soon team up on comedy sketches with Al Jolson, among others, while also building up his solo act. While comedy was his forte, Jessel did a little of everything, which included writing songs, such as the 1920 hit (which he co-wrote) called “Oh! How I Laugh When I Think How I Cried About You.” Jessel also got to step out of the vaudeville circuit and take on significant roles in Broadway musicals, the most successful of which was the lead role in The Jazz Singer , which opened at the Fulton theater in 1925 and ran for 303 performances, before a brief revival in 1927 and a major hit film, remade three times. Jessel was offered the role in the initial film, but declined because Warner Bros.’
would not meet his salary demands. His career would move primarily to film and television, continuing through the 1960s. It also opened the door for Jolson to star in the film.
Milton Berle, born Mendel Berlinger in Harlem in 1908, started his career at the age of five by winning a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest. Berle would make his way to silent films and establish himself as a very successful child actor. By 1921, he was ready to make his move into vaudeville and debuted at the prestigious Palace Theatre. For years, Berle was a headliner on the vaudeville circuit. Then, in 1932 he would take part in Earl Carroll Vanities , an ongoing revue that ran in new renditions for most of the 20s and into the early 30s. The risqué revue, featuring sexy showgirls, was also known for crude humor and some major stars such as W.C. Fields and Sophie Tucker. Berle would also be seen on Broadway in Saluta! in 1934 and as part of New Faces of 1937, at which time he was far from actually being one of the “new faces” in show business. From his child acting days to his years in vaudeville, to film, radio and television, Berle’s career spanned over 80 years!
44
2. Part of the Melting Pot
ABIE’S IRISH ROSE
While little fuss was ever made publicly about George Burns and Gracie Allen being a real-life interfaith couple, at a time when such pair-ings were far less common than they are today, there was quite an uproar over an Anne Nichols play called Abie’s Irish Rose . The play featured the unlikely romance between an Irish Catholic woman and a Jewish man.
They would fall in love and get married, but hide the marriage from their fathers who were depicted as the traditional (and somewhat stereotypical) Jewish and Irish patriarchs who would not bless such a union.
Unable to hide their ethnicities for long, the truth comes out about the interfaith couple, and their insistence on remaining together leads to two more weddings, one by a rabbi and one by a priest, both of whom had learned a great deal about tolerance from serving together in World War I and witnessing the hardships that can unite even the most dissimilar indi viduals. By the end of the play, thanks to the birth of twins, one named for each father, harmony is achieved in this diverse family.
The
and within five years not only became husband and wife, but the toast of the vaudeville circuit, with Burns as the good-natured straight man and Gracie as the befuddled blonde. Benny and Burns were not only very good friends, but both depicted the Jewish persona in a new light, 43
Jews on Broadway
without the shouting or using the thick Yiddish accent that had become so familiar to the earlier vaudevillians.
While neither Benny nor George Burns made significant strides onto the Broadway stages, both were among the Jewish stars to evolve from vaudeville and go on to legendary status. And there were others, such as George Jessel and Milton Berle who would emerge from this era and make their mark on stage for years to come.
One of the younger of the Jewish performers to make his way into vaudeville was George Jessel. Born in 1898, in the Bronx, Jessel was earning money for his family, following the death of his father, by the time he was ten. He would soon team up on comedy sketches with Al Jolson, among others, while also building up his solo act. While comedy was his forte, Jessel did a little of everything, which included writing songs, such as the 1920 hit (which he co-wrote) called “Oh! How I Laugh When I Think How I Cried About You.” Jessel also got to step out of the vaudeville circuit and take on significant roles in Broadway musicals, the most successful of which was the lead role in The Jazz Singer , which opened at the Fulton theater in 1925 and ran for 303 performances, before a brief revival in 1927 and a major hit film, remade three times. Jessel was offered the role in the initial film, but declined because Warner Bros.’
would not meet his salary demands. His career would move primarily to film and television, continuing through the 1960s. It also opened the door for Jolson to star in the film.
Milton Berle, born Mendel Berlinger in Harlem in 1908, started his career at the age of five by winning a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest. Berle would make his way to silent films and establish himself as a very successful child actor. By 1921, he was ready to make his move into vaudeville and debuted at the prestigious Palace Theatre. For years, Berle was a headliner on the vaudeville circuit. Then, in 1932 he would take part in Earl Carroll Vanities , an ongoing revue that ran in new renditions for most of the 20s and into the early 30s. The risqué revue, featuring sexy showgirls, was also known for crude humor and some major stars such as W.C. Fields and Sophie Tucker. Berle would also be seen on Broadway in Saluta! in 1934 and as part of New Faces of 1937, at which time he was far from actually being one of the “new faces” in show business. From his child acting days to his years in vaudeville, to film, radio and television, Berle’s career spanned over 80 years!
44
2. Part of the Melting Pot
ABIE’S IRISH ROSE
While little fuss was ever made publicly about George Burns and Gracie Allen being a real-life interfaith couple, at a time when such pair-ings were far less common than they are today, there was quite an uproar over an Anne Nichols play called Abie’s Irish Rose . The play featured the unlikely romance between an Irish Catholic woman and a Jewish man.
They would fall in love and get married, but hide the marriage from their fathers who were depicted as the traditional (and somewhat stereotypical) Jewish and Irish patriarchs who would not bless such a union.
Unable to hide their ethnicities for long, the truth comes out about the interfaith couple, and their insistence on remaining together leads to two more weddings, one by a rabbi and one by a priest, both of whom had learned a great deal about tolerance from serving together in World War I and witnessing the hardships that can unite even the most dissimilar indi viduals. By the end of the play, thanks to the birth of twins, one named for each father, harmony is achieved in this diverse family.
The
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