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Lives in the Yiddish Theatre

SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE YIDDISH THEATRE
AS DESCRIBED IN ZALMEN ZYLBERCWEIG'S "LEXICON OF THE YIDDISH THEATRE"

1931-1969



 

Herman Berman
 

Born circa 1859 in Warsaw, Poland. Father -- a tailor. In his early years he began to act with "amateurs," and then was one of those who had laid the foundation for Yiddish theatre in Poland. Participated in the Eldorado Theatre in Warsaw, where Goldfaden had staged his plays. B. brought onto the stage Miriam Trilling with whom he later married.

B. acted in Poland, Russia, and in the epoch of decrees and persecution of Yiddish theatre, he had survived with itinerant troupes during difficult times. At times he toured with a quartet (Berman, Titelman, Rothstein and Feinstein).

In the years 1900-3, B. toured with the Yiddish actors Schwartzbard, Adolf Berman and various singers and dancers as a "Russian singer and dance couple" across Europe (Germany, France, England, Spain), then B. acted in Yiddish theatre in London, returning to Poland to Kaminski's and became a 

 

provincial director, then B. acted with the directors Rappel, Epelberg, Kaminski, Kompaneyets, Zandberg, Julius Adler and H. Serotsky.

B. was closely connected with the old repertoire, in which he had, as a character-comic, singer and dancer, performed in dominant roles, was very popular and had great success, but also when he used to come out to participate in new repertoire, he used to with his elegant approach and appearance drew attention.

In the years 1921-2, B. already wasn't acting, but lived as an emeritus of the Yiddish Artists Union. After suddenly receiving a brain inflammation, B. passed away on 14 January 1923 in Warsaw, where the children of his first wife built him a gravestone.

B.'s children from the actress Trilling were: Adolf, a producer of dance on Broadway in New York, and Ilia, a Yiddish actor, composer and dance teacher.

B.'s brother is the actor Adolf Berman.


M. E. from H. Feinstein.

  • M. Myodovnik -- Teater-zikhroynes, "Der shtern," Minsk, 2, 1, 1926.

  • M. Kipnis -- Hirsh berman [nekrolog], "Ta"k," Lodz, 3, 1923.

  • M. Kipnis -- A loyh fun a yidishn artist, "Ta"k," Lodz, 4, 1923.

  • Pinchas Katz -- Ot azoy hot in poyln gelebt un iz geshtorbn a yidisher aktyor, "Forward," 13 February 1923.


 

 

 




 

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