Theodore Bikel Biography

Fast Facts

• Graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1948
• Began performing at a Jewish community theater in Palestine and had his first paid role as the Czarist constable in a Hebrew production of Sholem Aleichem's stories about Tevye
• First learned about the character Tevye as a child, when his father would read Sholem Aleichem stories to him from the family's 20-volume collection
• Originated the role of Baron von Trapp in "The Sound of Music" on Broadway in 1959 and played Tevye for the first time in Las Vegas in 1967
• Quote: "[on acting] "If I learned anything, it's that less is more, don't overdo things․ It's richer if you're spare․""
• Quote: "[on Tevye] "The dark side depicted by Sholem Aleichem is just as important, if not more․ He has wonderful sides․ On a dime, he can turn from a hilarious description of the shtetl and its people, to squalor, suffering, hunger and tragedy․""
• During his 42 years acting in "Fiddler on the Roof," he played the role of Tevye more than 2,100 times
• Best known as an actor, folk singer and composer who played the role of Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" for more than 40 years
• Has also had a number of film roles, including the First Officer in "The African Queen" and Zoltan Karpathy in "My Fair Lady․"
• Even after retiring from "Fiddler on the Roof," he continued playing the role of Tevye in the one-man show "Sholem Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears," based on Aleichem's early 1900s Yiddish stories on which "Fiddler" was based