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
 

Jennie Valier

 

V. was born in Alsace Lorraine, into a Christian family. She acted on the German stage in Germany and Austria, then in New York in the German Irving Place Theatre with Rudolph Christian. After the German theatre had closed, Schwartz took her onto the Yiddish stage.

The then publicity manager from the Art Theatre, N. Greenblatt, and the actor Samuilov learned she could speak Yiddish, and on 20 October 1919 she performed in the Yiddish Art Theatre in the title role of Lengies "Di tentserin (The Dancer)", then in "Di royte lilie (The Red Lilly)" and in Gordin's "Sappho".

In 1920 V. acted again in the Yiddish Art Theatre and toured with Katsenelson's "Fatima", in Gordin's "Mirele efros" and "Kreutzer sonata" and in Benevento's "Oygn fun libe". In the first months of 1921 she acted in Chicago with Glickman, then in the Lipzin Theatre (in Paula R.'s "Eyne fun yene", Belasco's "Di veyse blum", Gorki's "Na dnye", et al.) Here also on 31 January 1922 V.'s benefit was staged with her as "Lulu" Frank Vedekind's "Erd-geyst" also known as "Di froy vos bahersht di velt". Later V. acted for several seasons in the Second Avenue Theatre in melodramatic repertoire, with a special success in L. Freiman's "Shtarker fun libe (Stronger than Love)".

In 1926-7 V. had for a short time guest-starred with the Vilna Troupe in her own repertoire, then she left the Yiddish stage and returned to Europe.

 

M. E. from Maurice Schwartz, Nathan Greenblatt and Mark Schweid.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- A neyer shtern oyf der idisher bine, "Forward", 1 November 1919.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- Madam Valier in "Kreutzer sonata", "Forward", 9 January 1920.

  • Uriel Mazik -- Jennie Valier as etiniu in yakov gordin's "Kreutzer sonata", "Der tog", N. Y., 15 January 1920.

  • Av. Kahan -- A kristlekhe shoyshpilerin oyf der idishere bine, "Forward", 16 April 1920.

  • A. K. [Av. Kahan] -- Di talentfule jennie valier shpilt als 'Mirele efros'", "Forward", 15 October 1920.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- Bey madam valier's ehren-ovend, "Forward", 29 April 1921.

  • A brief un an entfer vegen jennie valier, "Forward", 20 May 1921.

  • Hillel Rogoff -- Mad. valier a krbn fun a mius'n skandal, "Forward", 13 May 1921.

  • A. Glantz -- Jennie valier in "Di froy vos bahersht", "Tog", 3 February 1922.


 

 

 

 


 

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Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the  "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 1, page 647.
 

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