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1-50 of 103
- Actor
- Composer
- Additional Crew
Al Jolson was known in the industry as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," for well over 40 years. After his death his influence continued unabated with such performers as Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Jackie Wilson and Jerry Lee Lewis all mentioning him as an inspiration.
Al Jolson was born Asa Yoelson in Seredzius, Lithuania, to a Jewish family, the son of Naiomi Etta (Cantor) and Moise Rubin Yoelson, who emigrated alone to Washington, D.C., to establish himself. After four years he sent for his family. Nine months later his wife died (apparently during childbirth), which devastated the eight-year-old Asa. Young Al would soon find his outlet in the theater. Soon he was singing with his older brother, Harry, for senators and soldiers. He entertained the troops that were headed for the Spanish-American War.
Jolson's career in vaudeville started with his brother in New York, but never really got off the ground. Different partners allowed Jolson to experiment, but it was as a solo act in San Francisco that he finally hit it big. He was signed eventually by Lew Dockstaders' Minstrels. It is important to note that, although performing in blackface, Dockstader's was not a minstrel show in the traditional sense of the "Tambo and Bones" variety of the previous century. It was a sophisticated, topical, Broadway-style revue. The myth lingers to this day that Jolson was a minstrel. He most certainly was not.
Jolson's stay in vaudeville was relatively short, as his talent was quickly recognized by the Shubert Brothers, who signed him to appear in the opening show of their new Winter Garden Theater on Broadway in April of 1912. Thus began what many consider to be the greatest career in the history of Broadway. Not a headliner initially, Jolson soon became "King of the Winter Garden," with shows specifically written for him. "Winter Garden" and "Jolson" became synonymous for close to 20 years. During that time Jolson received reviews that have yet to be matched. Audiences shouted, pleaded and often would not allow the show to proceed, such was the power of his presence. At one performance in Boston, the usually staid and conservative Boston audience stopped the show for 45 minutes! He was said to have had an "electric' personality, along with the ability to make each member of the audience believe that he was singing only to them.
In 1927 Jolson starred in the New York-shot The Jazz Singer (1927) and the rest is film history. But just before it was theatrically released, producer, Warner' His appearance in that film, nowadays considered a somewhat creaky, stodgy and primitive museum piece, electrified audiences and caused a sensation. Jolson was bigger than ever and Hollywood came a-calling. However, Jolson on film was a pale version of Jolson on stage. His screen appearances, with some exceptions, are stiff and wooden. Though he continued into the 1930s to star on radio, he was no longer quite the star he had been.
During World War II, Jolson entertained troops in Africa and Sicily but was cut short by a bout of malaria and pneumonia. Always a favorite with audiences, he continued to entertain in the United States when he met his fourth wife, Erle Chenault Galbraith, an x-ray technician.
By the mid-'40s, though. his stardom had faded quite a bit. Columbia Pictures, inspired by the success of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), decided that a Jolson biography might work as well. In 1946 it released The Jolson Story (1946), with song-and-dance man Larry Parks miming to Jolson's vocals. It was the surprise smash hit of the season and the highest grossing film of the year. Parks received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Jolson was now as big, or bigger, than ever. So successful was the film that Columbia made a sequel, Jolson Sings Again (1949), which remains one of a few biography sequels in film history (Funny Girl/Funny Lady - the story of fellow Winter Garden performer Fannie Brice is another rare example). It was also quite successful at the box office. So big had Jolson's star risen that in 1948, when Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Perry Como were at their peaks, Jolson was voted "The Most Popular Male Vocalist" by a Variety poll.
In 1950, against his doctor's orders, Jolson went to Korea to entertain his favorite audience, American troops. While there his health declined and shortly after his return to the U.S. he suffered a massive heart attack and died.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Maurice Cass was born on October 12, 1884, in Vilnius, Lithuania (then Vilno, Russian Empire). He emigrated to the USA, and in his pursuit of an acting career, he began as announcer and comedian in New York. Cass had a pleasant face, a small body and a big voice.
With his nearsightedness and his inevitable pince-nez adding weight to his intelligent face, Cass was destined to play professors, doctors, writers, and managers with his special brand of genial, slightly absent-minded officiousness. He started playing bit parts, often uncredited, and made a career as a character actor in more than 120 film and television productions. His best known work was Professor Newton, a supporting role in a series of space adventure movies made for TV and shown over the period from 1954 to 1956. Cass's snow-white haired Professor Newton could always be counted on to provide the scientific explanation for all the fantastic events that unfolded before the viewer. Professor Newton had his own observatory (which was filmed at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles) and although elderly, he would often accompany the astronauts on their adventurous space flights.
Maurice Cass's character, Professor Newton, was replaced by Professor Mayberry upon Cass's death of a heart attack, at the age of 69, on June 8, 1954, in Hollywood, California.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Romain Gary was born on 8 May 1914 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a writer and actor, known for The Longest Day (1962), Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! (1971) and Birds in Peru (1968). He was married to Jean Seberg and Lesley Blanch. He died on 2 December 1980 in Paris, France.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Soundtrack
Shimen Ruskin was born on 25 February 1907 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), The Producers (1967) and Love and Death (1975). He was married to Kate Urkowitz and Rae Spiegel. He died on 23 April 1976 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Writer
Lithuanian-born Ivan Lebedeff was educated at the University of St. Petersburg. He was slated for a diplomatic career in the Imperial Lyceum at Tsarskoye Selo - a natural progression, since his aristocratic father was a highly-placed advisor to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. However, the outbreak of World War I changed all that. Ivan enlisted as a volunteer in the Third Regiment of the Imperial Dragoons and was soon decorated and promoted after capturing a German general near Pskov, at the small town of Nevel. He was wounded in action on more than one occasion, as well as suffering from the effects of mustard gas. Transferred to the Romanian front, he found himself deserted by nearly everyone under his command as the Russian Revolution took hold.
Ivan and other Tsarist supporters made their way to Odessa on the Black Sea, which had been occupied by French and allied forces. Ivan was made impromptu food administrator for the beleaguered city, but was soon captured and imprisoned after the Bolsheviks forced an allied withdrawal. Being a resourceful chap, he was able to escape, and, briefly, led another White Russian contingent in what was - by now - clearly a futile campaign. Ivan eventually slipped across the Turkish border and found sanctuary in Constantinople. From there, he went on to Vienna and then Germany, where he found his first acting opportunities. He later proceeded to Paris, where a chance meeting with legendary director D.W. Griffith led to his being cast as Amiel in The Sorrows of Satan (1926).
Ivan arrived in the U.S. in 1925 and became a naturalised citizen within the year. After another good supporting role opposite Gloria Swanson in The Love of Sunya (1927), he had a good spell in dashing secondary leads at RKO between 1929 and 1931. After that, the stature of his roles began to diminish. He was increasingly typecast as suave continental rogues, gigolos and con-men (if not Russian/Spanish/French counts, princes and army officers - many of them phony), invariably sporting a thin moustache and slicked back hair. By the mid-1940's, Ivan had slipped into relative obscurity with just a few more bit parts and cameos, before his early death from a heart attack in March 1953.- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Although his name nowadays means very little except to animation buffs (and even they have to be pretty well informed), Wladyslaw Starewicz ranks alongside Walt Disney, as one of the great animation pioneers, and his career started nearly a decade before Disney's. He became an animator by accident - fascinated by insects, he bought a camera and attempted to film them, but they kept dying under the hot lights. Stop-motion animation provided an instant (if slow) solution, and Starewicz discovered that he had a natural talent for it. He subsequently made dozens of short films, mostly featuring his trademark stop-motion puppets, but also live action films (some blending live action and animation), moving to France after the Russian Revolution to continue his career. His longest and most ambitious film was the feature-length 'Tale of the Fox', which took ten years to plan and eighteen months to shoot. Starewicz' films were virtually one-man shows (writer/director/cameraman/designer/animator), though other important contributions (in front of and behind the camera) were made by his daughters.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Joseph Buloff was born on 20 January 1899 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Silk Stockings (1957), Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) and The Loves of Carmen (1948). He was married to Luba Kadison. He died on 27 February 1985 in New York City, New York, USA.- Actor
Sol Horwitz was born on 4 November 1872 in Kovno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. He was an actor. He was married to Jennie Horwitz. He died on 19 December 1943 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Nina Star was born in 1913 in Kovno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for The Scarecrow (1921), Nina Star (1927) and L'horloge magique ou La petite fille qui voulait être princesse (1928). She died in 1984 in France.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jascha Heifetz came to the USA in 1917, became a citizen in 1925, and joined ASCAP in 1937. He was educated at the Royal School of Music in Vilna (which he entered at five and from which he graduated at nine), the St. Petersburg Conservatory (with Leopold Auer, earning an Honorary Music Degree), the New York College of Music, and Northwestern University. His first professional appearance was at age five, during which he gave his first concert, then at St. Petersburg, in 1911, in Berlin in 1912, and at Carnegie Hall in 1917. Eventually he concertized throughout the world, and made many recordings, becoming also a Commander in the French Legion of Honor. He also composed several popular songs, among them "When You Make Love to Me" and "So Much in Love".- Dagmar Godowsky was born on 24 November 1897 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for The Story Without a Name (1924), In Borrowed Plumes (1926) and Virtuous Liars (1924). She was married to Frank Mayo. She died on 13 February 1975 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Jesse De Vorska was born on 13 July 1898 in Kovno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for The Spider (1931), Around the Corner (1930) and The Last Parade (1931). He died on 27 December 1999 in Westwood, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Abram Room was born on 28 June 1894 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a director and writer, known for Nashestvie (1945), Sud chesti (1949) and Belated Flowers (1970). He died on 26 July 1976 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Saul Martell was born on 22 September 1901 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for The Man Called X (1956), Celebrity Playhouse (1955) and The Ford Television Theatre (1952). He died on 1 July 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Clara Rockmore studied violin in Leningrad with Leopold Auer, and both emigrated in the mid 20s to the USA. Her violin career was stopped due to muscular problems, but due to the fact that she knew Leon Theremin, who had recently developed his Theremin, she soon became a virtuoso on this new electronic instrument, performing with the first orchestras of the USA.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Mitchell Parish was born Michael Hyman Peretz in Lithuania. He came to USA at age seven months and lived in Louisiana until about age four when he moved to New York City. His whole family changed its name to Parish soon after arriving in America; Parish changed his first name to Mitchell when he became a songwriter in 1919. Parish penned many outstanding song hits, including "Sweet Lorraine" (1927), "Star Dust" (1929), "Mood Indigo" (1931, uncredited), "Sophisticated Lady" (1933), "Don't Be That Way" (1936), "Deep Purple, " "Moonlight Serenade" (both 1939), "Sleigh Ride" (1950), and "Volare" (1958). Only one hit came from a film: 1953's "Ruby." Parish returned to college at mid-life and graduated from New York University summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in 1950. He married Molly Lillienfeld (d. 1979) in 1922. They had two daughters and a son. Mitchell Parish died in New York City on 31 March 1993. He is buried at Beth David Cem. in Elmont, L.I., N.Y.- Countess Nina Von Stauffenberg was born on 27 August 1913 in Kowno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. She was previously married to Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg.
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Born in Russia in 1869, Ivan Abramson emigrated to the US while in his 20s. He went to work for Jewish newspapers. He became interested in the film business and in 1914 founded Ivan Film Productions. He produced several successful films, and even went into business with William Randolph Hearst to form the Graphic Film Corp.
Abramson's films were more on the "risque" side--for the times--with titles like A Child for Sale (1920), The Sex Lure (1916) and Enlighten Thy Daughter (1917). He made his last film, Meddling Women (1924), in 1924. He died in New York City in 1934.- Gotlib Roninson was born on 12 February 1916 in Vilnius, Russian Empire [now Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Watch Out for the Automobile (1966), Twelve Chairs (1971) and It Can't Be! (1975). He died on 25 December 1991 in Moscow, Russia.
- Director
- Writer
- Animation Department
Irene Starewicz was born on 24 September 1907 in Kovno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. She was a director and writer, known for The Story of the Fox (1937), Fleur de fougère (1949) and Fétiche en voyage de noces (1936). She died on 15 December 1992 in Fontenay-sous-Bois, Val-de-Marne, France.- Emma Goldman was born on 27 June 1869 in Kovno, Russian Empire [now Kaunas, Lithuania]. She was a writer, known for Good Enough for the People (2011). She died on 14 May 1940 in Toronto, Canada.
- Alexander Schneider was born on 21 October 1908 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was married to Geraldine Page and Gerda Benfey. He died on 2 February 1993 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
- Producer
- Writer
Zvi Kolitz was born on 11 December 1912 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a producer and writer, known for Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955) and The First Circle (1973). He was married to Mathilde. He died on 29 September 2002 in New York City, New York, USA.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Magidson was born on 10 July 1901 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a cinematographer, known for Povest o nastoyashchem cheloveke (1948), Zagovor obrechyonnykh (1950) and Salamander (1928). He died on 14 June 1954 in Moscow Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Production Designer
- Art Director
- Director
Moisei Levin was born on 28 February 1895 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a production designer and art director, known for Amangeldy (1939), Puteshestvie v Arzrum (1937) and Rajchan (1940). He died on 19 August 1946 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].- Alexander Asro was born on 10 February 1888 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Room Service (1938) and Bashful Ballerina (1937). He was married to Sonia Asro. He died in January 1963 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Avrom Morewski was born on 18 March 1886 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for The Dybbuk (1937), Al khet (1936) and Der Turm des Schweigens (1925). He died on 3 October 1964 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.- Irving Cohen was born on 2 January 1904 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts (1948). He died on 25 June 1991 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
- Waclaw Zastrzezynski was born on 22 March 1900 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Ashes and Diamonds (1958) and Poscig (1954). He died on 22 November 1959 in Katowice, Slaskie, Poland.
- Horace Goldin was born on 17 December 1873 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was married to Helen Levy (dancer). He died on 22 August 1939 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Leopold Godowsky was born on 13 February 1870 in Zasliai, Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire [now Lithuania]. He is known for Kate & Leopold (2001), American Playhouse (1980) and Asana Travelogue (2012). He was married to Frieda Saxe. He died on 21 November 1938 in New York City, New York, USA.- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Antoni Bohdziewicz was born on 10 September 1906 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a director and writer, known for Kalosze szczescia (1958), Zemsta (1957) and Za wami pójda inni... (1949). He died on 20 October 1970 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Joseph Rumshinsky was born on 9 April 1881 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a composer, known for Two Sisters (1938), Shir Hashirim (1935) and Dummy (2002). He died on 6 February 1956.- Czeslaw Wollejko was born on 17 March 1916 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Young Chopin (1952), Lalka (1978) and Gniazdo (1974). He died on 7 February 1987 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Sergei Yermolinsky was born on 14 December 1900 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a writer, known for Doroga (1955), Neulovimye mstiteli (1967) and Robinzon Kruzo (1947). He died on 18 February 1984 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Nadia Reisenberg was born on 14 July 1904 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for The Visit (2015), Loki (2021) and Carnegie Hall (1947). She was married to Isaac Sherman. She died on 10 June 1983 in New York City, New York, USA.- Director
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mikhail Doller was born in 1889 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a director and actor, known for Minin i Pozharskiy (1939), General Suvorov (1941) and Salamander (1928). He died on 15 March 1952 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Seweryn Butrym was born on 23 December 1910 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Sekret Enigmy (1979), Knights of the Teutonic Order (1960) and Uczta Baltazara (1954). He died on 21 December 1981 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Alter Kacyzne was born on 31 May 1885 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. Alter was a writer, known for On a heym (1939). Alter died on 7 July 1941 in Tarnopol, Tarnopolskie, Poland [now Ternopil, Ukraine].
- Editor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Marc Sorkin was born on 14 March 1902 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an editor and assistant director, known for Moral um Mitternacht (1930), The White Hell of Pitz Palu (1929) and Pandora's Box (1929). He died in February 1986 in New York City, New York, USA.- Joseph Achron was born on 1 May 1886 in Lozdzieje, Poland, Russian Empire [now Lazdijai, Lithuania]. He was a composer, known for Spring Night (1935), Hebrew Melody (1935) and Al Mizbah Ha'zichronot (2006). He died on 29 April 1943 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Juozas Siparis was born on 26 February 1894 in Kusiai, Raseiniai Uyezd, Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire [now Silale District Municipality, Taurage County, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Ausra prie Nemuno (1953) and Maryte (1947). He died on 5 April 1970 in Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR, USSR [now Lithuania].
- Morris Gest was born on 17 January 1881 in Vilnius, Russian Empire [now Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Camille (1926) and John Miljan: Vitaphone Trailer Announcement - 'the Jazz Singer' (1927). He was married to Reina Belasco. He died on 16 May 1942 in New York, New York, USA.
- Czeslaw Milosz was born on 30 June 1911 in Szetejnie, Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire [now Seteniai, Lithuania]. He was a writer, known for Robinson warszawski (1950), Teatr Polskiego Radia (2004) and Dolina Issy (1982). He was married to Carol Marie Thigpen and Janina Dluska. He died on 14 August 2004 in Kraków, Malopolskie, Poland.
- Wanda Stanislawska-Lothe was born on 22 June 1910 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for Granica (1978), Polowanie na muchy (1969) and Dzieciol (1971). She died on 6 November 1985 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Stanislaw Urbanowicz was born on 29 November 1907 in Vilnius, Lithuania, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was a writer and director, known for Poscig (1954), Stalowe serca (1948) and Girls of Nowolipki (1937). He died on 8 April 1959 in Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland.- Bronislawa Frejtazanka was born on 3 May 1915 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for Raj na ziemi (1970), Television Theater (1953) and Ballada Zolnierska (1970). She died on 8 September 1983 in Poznan, Wielkopolskie, Poland.
- Vasili Kachalov was born on 11 February 1875 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for The White Eagle (1928), Mastera stseny (1947) and Road to Life (1931). He died on 30 September 1948 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Lucija Baumane was born on 28 October 1905 in Laukzeme, Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire [now Kretinga District Municipality, Lithuania]. She was an actress, known for Naves ena (1971), Dundurins (1974) and A Birdless Night (1979). She died on 22 June 1988 in Riga, Latvian SSR, USSR [now Latvia].
- Leonidas Ossetynski was born on 22 October 1910 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor, known for Mission: Impossible (1966), Night Gallery (1969) and The Man in the Glass Booth (1975). He died on 28 April 1989 in Los Angeles, California, USA.