THEO: The Autobiography of Theodore Bikel

by Theodore Bikel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 12, 1994

The autobiography of a prominent folksinger/actor/activist of the 1950s and '60s. It's difficult to write the story of a good man, harder still when the good man is writing his own story: Bikel does not entirely avoid the pitfall of a self-congratulatory tone. Still, his is a compelling life, taking him from pre-WW II Eastern Europe to an acting career in Israel; emigration to England after the war, training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and initial success in British theater and film; a leap to the Broadway stage and stardom in The Sound of Music; productive years as a Hollywood character actor; a new career as a folksinger in the late '50s; then several decades of activism, as president of Actors' Equity and a prominent figure in the civil rights and anti--Vietnam War movements. Of late, he has made a career out of playing Tevye in many road productions of Fiddler on the Roof while guest starring in made-for-TV dramas ranging from the classy (""L.A. Law"") to the crass (""Dynasty""). Bikel has rubbed elbows with a fascinating parade of directors and actors (John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Mary Martin), singer/songwriters (Pete Seeger, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Phil Ochs, Frank Zappa), activists (Martin Luther King, Stokely Carmichael), and politicians (presidents Carter and Clinton invited him to the White House frequently; their Republican counterparts were, unsurprisingly, less friendly). As a performer, activist, and actor, he is a natural moderate-liberal. He seems surprised that ""folk purists"" object to his smoothing out the unusual harmonies of traditional music in his slickly commercial performances; similarly, as an early supporter of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), he was upset when the leadership turned increasingly radical, from ""freedom marchers...[to] freedom fighters."" A model life for those inclined to save the Earth while strumming a guitar.

Pub Date: Oct. 12, 1994

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 448

Publisher: HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1994

Categories: NONFICTION