Samuel Goldenberg (1883/1884–1945) was an actor in

Yiddish theatre Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Central European Ashkenazi Jewish community. The range of Yiddish theatre is broad: operetta, musical comedy, and satiric or nostalgic revues ...

on stage and screen.

Career

Goldenberg worked as a tailor before becoming a leading Yiddish-language actor-singer-pianist. He was known to incorporate piano solos into dramatic scenes, such as the gimmick of hiding a piano behind tombstones props to raise music from the dead. Goldenberg's performances included the title role in the

Yiddish Art Theatre The Yiddish Art Theatre was a New York Yiddish theatre company of the 20th century. History The organization was founded in 1918 by actor and impresario Maurice Schwartz, to present serious Yiddish drama and works from world literature in Yiddis ...

's '' Jew Suess'', Svengali in ''

Trilby A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in Britain Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. Barnes & Noble. and ...

'', and '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. He also appeared in English-language Broadway productions. His English-language roles, included in the

Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of the W ...

's '' American Dream'', '' The Eternal Road'', and ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

''. He headlined the 1935 Yiddish film '' Shir Hashirim'' (''Song of Songs''), which ran in the

Union Square Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

Acme Theatre. ''The New York Times'' described his performance as effective. He played in Yiddish road shows. In early 1922, his five-week engagement with the Yiddish Toronto National Company, which went through Buffalo's Teck Theatre, grossed what ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described as exceptional for Yiddish theatre. The magazine described him as among "the surest money-getters on the Yiddish stage". In 1924, ''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'' said Goldenberg to have "unusual talent" and adaptability in both comedy and tragedy. Goldenberg had been cast as

Leon Trotsky Lev Davidovich Bronstein. ( – 21 August 1940), better known as Leon Trotsky; uk, link= no, Лев Давидович Троцький; also transliterated ''Lyev'', ''Trotski'', ''Trotskij'', ''Trockij'' and ''Trotzky''. (), was a Russian ...

in the 1943 film ''

Mission to Moscow ''Mission to Moscow'' is a 1943 film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the 1941 book by the former U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union, Joseph E. Davies. The movie chronicles the experiences of the second American ambassador to the Soviet ...

'' but his scenes were edited out in the final release. Incidentally, Goldenberg had previously played Trotsky in a drama about the Russian Revolution 20 years prior.

Personal life

Goldenberg graduated from the

Warsaw Conservatory The Chopin University of Music ( pl, Uniwersytet Muzyczny Fryderyka Chopina, UMFC) is a musical conservatorium and academy located in central Warsaw, Poland. It is the oldest and largest music school in Poland, and one of the largest in Europe.

and spoke about six languages. At some point, he managed a theater in New York's

Irving Place Lexington Avenue, often colloquially abbreviated as "Lex", is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries southbound one-way traffic from East 131st Street to Gramercy Park at East 21st Street. Along its ...

. Goldenberg had a wife and two daughters. He died October 31, 1945, at the age of 61 in Brooklyn's

Unity Hospital Unity Hospital, an affiliate hospital of Rochester Regional Health, is a 471-bed community hospital in Greece, New York. After a four-year renovation in 2014, Unity is now the only Monroe County hospital to feature all private patient rooms and fr ...

following a heart attack a week prior. The heart attack had occurred on stage during his performance of ''Apartment 7''.

References

Bibliography

* 1945 deaths Yiddish theatre performers {{US-actor-stub