Aaron Lebedeff
Encyclopedia
Aaron Lebedeff a Yiddish theater star, was born in Homel, White Russia
. In childhood he sang for the Hazzan
, Borekh David. Having no interest in education, he was sent to learn a trade, but soon he ran away and began to play small roles in a Russian theaters in Boboysk, Minsk
and other towns. When the Russian troup fell apart, he went back to Homel, taking part in amateur theater and opening a dance club. When Leyzer Bernshtein's troup arrived, he wheedled a place in it.
He was officially a chorister, unofficially a roadie/stage hand (pekl-treger). He dressed the actors and was a prompter
. He finally debuted in Der Pipkiner rav and became the character actor he would remain, playing in different wandering theater troups across Russia. He was hired in Warsaw
and became popular there as Der Litvisher Komiker (The Litvak comic). In 1912-13 he played in Lodz
with Zandberg, then back to Warsaw; and at the outbreak of World War I
, he was pressed into the Russian army and sent to Harbin
, Manchuria
, (1916), where he spent his time of military service giving concerts for the officers
.
After being demobilized, he worked in Avrom Fishzohn's troup; but in order to support himself, he often had to sing in Russian
or English
for the American Red Cross
.
He married Vera Lubow and later wandered toward Japan
with his wife, presenting "International Concerts" (also in China
). In 1920, he and his wife left for America
and were hired for Boris Thomashevsky's National Theater production of Wolf Shumsky's Lyavke Molodyetz. He was such a hit that he became an overnight star of Yiddish theater in America.
In the 1930s:
In his traveling troups, he also presented:
Lebedeff was a coupletist
, composing dozens of comic songs for the Broadway Record Company; he recorded hundreds of sides including the famous Rumania, Rumania and Vot ken yu makh, s'iz amerike!. He never performed in Europe
.
White Russia
White Russia or White Ruthenia is a name that has historically been applied to a part of the wider region of Ruthenia or Rus', most often to that which roughly corresponds to the eastern part of present-day Belarus including the cities of Polatsk, Vitsyebsk and Mahiliou. In English, the use of the...
. In childhood he sang for the Hazzan
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
, Borekh David. Having no interest in education, he was sent to learn a trade, but soon he ran away and began to play small roles in a Russian theaters in Boboysk, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
and other towns. When the Russian troup fell apart, he went back to Homel, taking part in amateur theater and opening a dance club. When Leyzer Bernshtein's troup arrived, he wheedled a place in it.
He was officially a chorister, unofficially a roadie/stage hand (pekl-treger). He dressed the actors and was a prompter
Prompter
The prompter in an opera house gives the singers the opening words of each phrase a few seconds early. Prompts are mouthed silently or hurled lyrically in a half-voice, audible only on stage...
. He finally debuted in Der Pipkiner rav and became the character actor he would remain, playing in different wandering theater troups across Russia. He was hired in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
and became popular there as Der Litvisher Komiker (The Litvak comic). In 1912-13 he played in Lodz
Lódz
Łódź is the third-largest city in Poland. Located in the central part of the country, it had a population of 742,387 in December 2009. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is approximately south-west of Warsaw...
with Zandberg, then back to Warsaw; and at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was pressed into the Russian army and sent to Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, (1916), where he spent his time of military service giving concerts for the officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
.
After being demobilized, he worked in Avrom Fishzohn's troup; but in order to support himself, he often had to sing in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
or English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
He married Vera Lubow and later wandered toward Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with his wife, presenting "International Concerts" (also in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
). In 1920, he and his wife left for America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and were hired for Boris Thomashevsky's National Theater production of Wolf Shumsky's Lyavke Molodyetz. He was such a hit that he became an overnight star of Yiddish theater in America.
Lebedeff's musicals
Here are most of the shows he starred in during the 1920s:- Khatskele kol boynik (Yehude Boymvol)
- Di sheyne Berta (Julius AdlerJulius Adler (actor)Julius Adler was a Jewish actor, writer, and director in Yiddish theater.-Career:He was born in Biłgoraj, Poland into an orthodox Jewish family. When his father died six years later his mother emigrated to America leaving the children with grandparents. In 1920 the family was reunited in the...
) - Shloymke oyf Brodvey and Yoshke Khvat (Yitskhok Lesh) (music Herman WohlHerman WohlHerman Wohl Born in Otinya near Stanislavov, eastern Galicia. He was raised in a Chasidic home and studied with cantors from the age of 9. He soon began composing, directing choirs, and singing as a Hazzan himself...
- Lebedik un Freylekh (Lively and happy) (music Herman Wohl)
- Arontshik un Solomontshik (Harry Kalmanovitsh, music Herman Wohl)
- Toyznt un eyn nakht (1001 nights) (Boris Thomashevsky, music Herman Wohl)
- Tanz, gezang un veyn (Dance, sing and cry) (music Joseph Chernyavsky)
- Yankele Litvak (Israel Rosenberg, L. and S. Rozenstein)
- Di Rumenishe Khasene (Rumanian wedding), (Moyse Shor, music Perez Sandler)
- Dem tatn's zindele (The father's little son) (Kalmanovitsh, music Perets Sandler)
- Mendl in Japan (Rakov, music Peretz Sandler)
- Kavkazer libe (Israel Rosenberg, music Peretz Sandler)
- A khasene in Palestine (Rosenberg - Sandler)
- Modeln fun libe (L. Freeman - Sandler)
- Volodke in Odessa (Lesh - Sandler)
- Syomke vert a khosn (Freyman - Sandler)
- Der kleyner milioner (The little millionaire) (Aaron Nager - Sholom Secunda)
- A nakht in Kalifornia (William Siegel - music Alexander OlshanetskyAlexander OlshanetskyAlexander Olshanetsky was a Jewish-American composer, conductor, and violinist of Russian Jewish descent. He was a major figure within the Yiddish theatre scene in New York City from the mid 1920s until his death in 1946.-Life and career:...
) - A gan-eydn far tsvey (Paradise for two) (William Siegel - Olshanetsky)
- Itzikl Sholtik (Isidore Lesh, music Olshanetsky)
- Goldene teg (Siegel - Olshanetsky)
- Der litvisher yankee (Yitskhok Lesh - Olshanetsky)
- Hulye Kabtsn (Israel Rosenberg - Olshanetsky)
- Motke fun Slobodke (Kalmanovitsh)
In the 1930s:
- A Khasene in shtetl (William Siegel, music Herman Wohl)
- Rusishe Libe (Russian love) (Yitskhok Lesh - Wohl)
- A nakht in vald (A night in the woods) (Siegel - Wohl)
- Di gliklekhe nakht (The lucky night) (Siegel - Wohl)
- Der groyser nes (The great miracle) (Avrom Blum - Wohl)
- Raykhe kabtsonim (Rich paupers) (Siegel - Wohl)
- Der groyser suprayz (The big surprise) (Blum - Wohl)
In his traveling troups, he also presented:
- Max and Abraham GoldfadenAbraham GoldfadenAbraham Goldfaden ; was an Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in the languages Yiddish and Hebrew, author of some 40 plays.Goldfaden is considered the father of the Jewish modern theatre.In 1876 he founded in...
's Beyde Kuni Lemel - Di bobe Yakhne (Goldfaden)
- Der vilder mentsh (The wild man) (Jacob Mikhailovich Gordin)
- Morgen (Hannah Gotesfeld)
Lebedeff was a coupletist
Coupletist
A coupletist is a poet, singer, or actor who specializes in couplets - wittily ambiguous, political, or satirical songs, usually in cabaret settings, usually with refrains, generally used as a transition between two cabaret numbers....
, composing dozens of comic songs for the Broadway Record Company; he recorded hundreds of sides including the famous Rumania, Rumania and Vot ken yu makh, s'iz amerike!. He never performed in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.