Theodore Bikel

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Theodore Bikel (2009)

Theodore Meir Bikel (born May 2, 1924 in Vienna , Austria - † July 21, 2015 in Los Angeles , California ) was an American folk singer and actor of Austrian origin. Biker's career began in 1951 with a supporting role in the classic film African Queen . He performed in 1960 at the " Newport Folk Festival ". In 1977 he was inducted into the National Council for the Arts . Born in Austria, he lived in Israel , England and the United States and spoke six languages. Bikel was vice president of the American Jewish Congress .

Life

Theodore Bikel (November 2014)

Theodore Bikel had because of his Jewish origin and his father Joseph and his mother Miriam (nee Riegler) 1938 after the annexation of Austria to Germany to Palestine to escape, where they were British citizens. Bikel wanted to study languages ​​and become a teacher and earned funding for this by working in a kibbutz. However, he was always drawn to the theater and left the kibbutz in 1943 to play at the Habimah Theater in Tel Aviv . Later, Bikel and four other actors formed the Tel Aviv Chamber Theater . In 1946 he left Palestine to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London . In England he developed a serious interest in folk music and guitar playing . In 1947 Sir Laurence Olivier became aware of Biking's acting qualities, which earned him a role in the London production of Endstation Sehnsucht (A Streetcar Named Desire) .

In the early 1950s, Bikel began starring Russian officers and German sailors in English and American films . His career began with a supporting role as a German naval officer in John Huston's classic film African Queen (1951). In 1955 he moved to New York , the beginning of his career in folk music. In the mid-1950s he was signed to Elektra Records and recorded Yiddish , Hebrew and Russian folk songs in 1955 . He co-founded the Newport Folk Festival with Pete Seeger and performed there himself in 1960. Biker's repertoire included songs from Russia, Eastern Europe and Israel. He has made hundreds of appearances in the United States, from Rainbow & Stars in New York to Boarding House in San Francisco , toured the world and performed in New Zealand and across Europe.

Theodore Bikel continued his dual career in film and folk music over the years. He received film roles in The Russians Are Coming! The Russians are Coming! (1966), Second Happiness (1989) and The Conspiracy in the Shadows (1997). In 1967 he recorded Songs of the Earth , A New Day for Reprise (1970) and A Taste of Passover (1998). Bikel played for the record companies Elektra Records, Columbia Records , Reprise Records and Rounder Records . Bikel played all kinds of villains; he gave the characters depth, character and at times likeable qualities. He played the Serbian King in Moulin Rouge (1952) and a German submarine officer in a duel in the Atlantic (1957). He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Sheriff Max Muller in Stanley Kramer's Escape in Chains (1958) . In 1963 he was cast for the role of Auric Goldfinger in the James Bond film Goldfinger , but Gert Fröbe ultimately got the role. In 1971 Bikel played a leading role in the music film 200 Motels by Frank Zappa .

On stage, for example, Bikel played in the original Broadway line-up of The Sound of Music alongside Mary Martin . He also had roles in Tonight in Samarkand , The Lark and The Rope Dancers . Theodore Bikel was a master of languages, dialects and accents : he spoke six languages ​​and sang folk songs in almost 20 languages, accompanying himself on the guitar , mandolin , balalaika and harmonica . He appeared regularly on the 1960s folk music television show Hootenanny . His autobiography Theo was published in 1995 , a new edition followed in 2002. Even in old age, Bikel was still active as an actor and singer.

Bikel was also active in the political field. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter accepted Bikel into the National Council for the Arts , a position he held until 1982. He was president of the Actors' Equity Association and was president of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America until his death ; he was also involved in the Americans for the Arts and in the American Jewish Congress , of which he was Vice President. Theodor Bikel was married four times: from 1942 to the divorce in 1943 with Ofra Ichilov, from 1967 to the divorce in 2008 with Rita Weinberg Call, from 2008 to her death in 2012 with Tamara Brooks and from 2013 to his death in July 2015 with Aimee Ginsburg . Bikel had two children from his second marriage.

Filmography (selection)

interview

  • "We had neighbors on Mariahilferstrasse who were very nice and decent people." In: Christian Cargnelli and Michael Omasta (eds.): Departure into the Unknown. Austrian filmmakers emigrated before 1945. Wespennest, Vienna 1993, (Volume 1) pp. 163–173.

Awards and honors

literature

Web links

Commons : Theodore Bikel  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Actor Theodore Bikel dies at 91
  2. ↑ a b All Music Guide Theodore Bikel Biography .
  3. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000942/awards
  4. ↑ Mailath presents the Golden City Hall Man to Theodore Bikel City Hall correspondence of November 27, 2008 (accessed June 18, 2010)
  5. ↑ National Council President Prammer honors Theodore Bikel with the Cross of Honor for Science and Art in New York (accessed December 11, 2013)
personal data
SURNAME Bikel, Theodore
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bikel, Theodore Meir
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American folk singer and actor of Austrian origin
DATE OF BIRTH May 2, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna , Austria
DATE OF DEATH July 21, 2015
Place of death Los Angeles , California , United States