Lives in the Yiddish Theatre
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE Yiddish THEATRE
aS DESCRIBED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"

1931-1969
 

Pinchus Lawanda

 

L. was born in 1898 in Lodz, Poland, to well-to-do parents. he received a Yiddish and secular education.

As a seven-year-old cheder youth, he sang with a cantor as an "alto." As a twelve-year-old he was seen in Lodz in Zandberg's theatre in "Bar Kochba." He bought the play and at Purim he put it on, acting alone in the role of "Bar Kochba."

In 1916 he went away to Germany and Berlin, and in a local Yiddish troupe he began to act in youthful lover roles.

In 1926 he returned to Poland, where he performed in "Der yeshiva bukher," "Di rumenishe khasene" et al.

In 1927 he acted in Argentina and here L. had the opportunity to act in the role of "Iago" with the guest-starring Julius Adler in Shakespeare's "Othello."

In October 1928 he came to America, and on 16 October 1928 he debuted in New York's National Theatre in I. Rosenberg's "Der griner khasene." L. soon became popular as a singer and in a contest about popular singers on the Yiddish stage, the "Tog" newspaper awarded him a medal, he had, ten days after his coming to America, there came the greatest number of votes (19,533).

 

During the 1928-29 season he acted in the National Theatre, then he sang during radio concerts. On 17 March 1931 he became a member of the Actors' Union. L. acted during the 1931-32 season in the Second Avenue Theatre, and then again he sang for radio concerts.
 

M. E.

  • B. I. Goldstein -- A aeyer shtern, "Fraye arbayter shtime," N. Y., 26 October 1928.

  • A. Frumkin -- A nayer zinger in neshonal-teater, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 26 October 1928.

  • Jacob Kirschenbaum -- Naye pnim'ere oyf unzer bihne, "Morning Journal," N. Y., 14 December 1928.


 

 

 

 


 

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Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the  "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 2, page 961.
 

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