Theodore Bikel

Theodore Meir Bikel (born May 2, 1924) is a character actor , folk singer and musician. He made his film debut in The African Queen (1951) and was nominated for an Academy award for his supporting role as Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones (1958).

Theodore Meir Bikel (born 2 May 1924) is an Austrian-American actor, folk singer , musician, and composer. He made his film debut in The African Queen (1951) and was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role as Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones (1958). Bikel is President of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America and was president of Actors' Equity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Partners for Progressive Israel , where he also lectures. His autobiography, Theo , first published in 1995, has been reprinted and updated three times.

Austrian-American actor Theodore Meir Bikel ( / b ɪ ˈ k ɛ l / bih- KEL ; 2 May 1924 – 21 July 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, folk singer, musician, composer, unionist and political activist. He appeared in films including The African Queen (1951); Moulin Rouge (1952); The Enemy Below (1957); I Want to Live! The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966) and 200 Motels (1971). He made his stage debut in Tevye the Milkman in Tel Aviv, Israel , when he was in his teens. He later studied acting at Britain's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his London stage debut in 1948 and in New York in 1955. He was also a widely recognized and recorded folk singer and guitarist. In 1959, he co-founded the Newport Folk Festival and created the role of Captain von Trapp opposite Mary Martin as Maria in the original Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein 's The Sound of Music . In 1969, Bikel began acting and singing on stage as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof , a role he performed more often than any other actor to date. The production won nine Tony Awards and was one of the longest-running musicals in Broadway history . Bikel was president of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America until 2014, and was president of Actors' Equity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Partners for Progressive Israel , where he also lectured. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences .

Austrian-American actor and folk musician (1924–2015) Theodore Meir Bikel ( / b ɪ ˈ k ɛ l / bih- KEL ; May 2, 1924 – July 21, 2015) was an American actor, folk singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist. The African Queen (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952), The Kidnappers (1953), The Enemy Below (1957), I Want to Live! The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966), and 200 Motels (1971). He made his stage debut in Tevye the Milkman in Tel Aviv, Israel , when he was in his teens. He later studied acting at Britain's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , and made his London stage debut in 1948 and in New York in 1955. He was also a widely recognized and recorded folk singer and guitarist. In 1959, he co-founded the Newport Folk Festival , and created the role of Captain von Trapp opposite Mary Martin as Maria in the original Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein 's The Sound of Music . In 1969, Bikel began acting and singing on stage as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof , a role he performed more often than any other actor to date. The production won nine Tony Awards, and was one of the longest-running musicals in Broadway history . Bikel was president of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America until 2014, and was president of Actors' Equity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He served as the chairman of the board of directors of Partners for Progressive Israel , where he also lectured. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences .

Austrian-American actor and folk musician (1924–2015) Theodore Meir Bikel ( / b ɪ ˈ k ɛ l / bih- KEL ; May 2, 1924 – July 21, 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist. He made his stage debut in Tevye the Milkman in Mandatory Palestine , where he lived as a teenager. He later studied acting at Britain's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , and made his London stage debut in 1948 and in New York in 1955. He was also a widely recognized and recorded folk singer and guitarist. In 1959, he co-founded the Newport Folk Festival , and created the role of Captain von Trapp opposite Mary Martin as Maria in the original Broadway production of Rodgers & Hammerstein 's The Sound of Music . In 1969, Bikel began acting and singing on stage as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof , a role he performed more often than any other actor to date. The production won nine Tony Awards, and was one of the longest-running musicals in Broadway history . He also appeared in films, including The African Queen (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952), The Kidnappers (1953), The Enemy Below (1957), I Want to Live! The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966), and 200 Motels (1971). Bikel was president of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America until 2014, and was president of Actors' Equity in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He served as the chairman of the board of directors of Partners for Zionist Israel, where he also lectured. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences .