Władysław Godik
Encyclopedia
Władysław Godik (1892–1952) was a Polish Jewish singer, actor, director in Polish, Russian, and Yiddish theatre. Born in Zlatopol
near Kiev, Ukraine; moved with his family to Warsaw, Poland, where he did two semesters in the veterinarian institute.
He acted in the dramatic section of Hazemir, where he played with Mark Shveyd and Soreh Fibikh, and in 1911 he began playing professionally at Gershanovitsh in Vitebsk, playing Baynushl in "Pintele Yid." During the first world war he took part in Krutshinin's Russian operettas and later some German operettas. In 1909 he appeared in Radom in Tsharnetski's Polish Operetta troup, and played in "Shulamis" in Polish, then founded, together with the Polish actor a Polish-language revue theater called Mirage. Half a year later he joined Zygmund Turkow and Esther Rachel Kamiñska's traveling troupe. He played for four years at the Central Theater, spent one year in Vilna with Morevski.
Between 1920-1928 he appeared at the Theatre Habima. He became renowned as a conferencier (Master of Ceremonies). In 1918 he returned to Poland. In 1925 he convinced Ola Lilith
, his wife, to join him in founding the Yiddish kleynkunst theater Azazel. He was conferencier of the combined Azazel - Sambatiyon
theater revue in 1928 and performed with the Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater (Varshever Yidisher Kunst-teater; VYKT). In 1931 he and Lilith debuted in America, in recitals and in "The Girl from Warsaw." He returned with Lilith to Poland. She returned to America in 1935; in 1939 he fled the Nazis by entering the Soviet Union through Bialystock.
In 1942 Godik joined the Red Army. He was wounded in battle; after recovering he performed in Moscow, after 1944 in the Polish Army Theatre in Lodz; from 1946 until his death he acted at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw, where he died in 1952.
Zlatopol
Zlatopol is a small city in Ukraine, located about 80 km northwest to Kirovohrad, near Kiev.- History :Before the Holocaust, Zlatopol was a prosperous very rich Jewish Shtetl. There was also a gymnasium for rich people in Zlatopol...
near Kiev, Ukraine; moved with his family to Warsaw, Poland, where he did two semesters in the veterinarian institute.
He acted in the dramatic section of Hazemir, where he played with Mark Shveyd and Soreh Fibikh, and in 1911 he began playing professionally at Gershanovitsh in Vitebsk, playing Baynushl in "Pintele Yid." During the first world war he took part in Krutshinin's Russian operettas and later some German operettas. In 1909 he appeared in Radom in Tsharnetski's Polish Operetta troup, and played in "Shulamis" in Polish, then founded, together with the Polish actor a Polish-language revue theater called Mirage. Half a year later he joined Zygmund Turkow and Esther Rachel Kamiñska's traveling troupe. He played for four years at the Central Theater, spent one year in Vilna with Morevski.
Between 1920-1928 he appeared at the Theatre Habima. He became renowned as a conferencier (Master of Ceremonies). In 1918 he returned to Poland. In 1925 he convinced Ola Lilith
Ola Lilith
Olya Lilith 1906-1980. Polish Jewish singer and actress. Born in Warsaw. In 1925, in Otvotsk, her singing attracted the attention of Kvi Pro Kvo actor Boronski; it was he who suggested changing her stage name to Ola Lilith...
, his wife, to join him in founding the Yiddish kleynkunst theater Azazel. He was conferencier of the combined Azazel - Sambatiyon
Sambatiyon
Sambatiyon, a kleynkunst company founded in Vilna, Poland in June 1926, was called by its founders a "Jewish literary-artistic revue theater." Sambatiyon's founder, Yitshkhok Nozhik, wrote: "Clumsy American produced operettas, which are mostly melodramas or complete tragedies with song and dance,...
theater revue in 1928 and performed with the Warsaw Yiddish Art Theater (Varshever Yidisher Kunst-teater; VYKT). In 1931 he and Lilith debuted in America, in recitals and in "The Girl from Warsaw." He returned with Lilith to Poland. She returned to America in 1935; in 1939 he fled the Nazis by entering the Soviet Union through Bialystock.
In 1942 Godik joined the Red Army. He was wounded in battle; after recovering he performed in Moscow, after 1944 in the Polish Army Theatre in Lodz; from 1946 until his death he acted at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw, where he died in 1952.