Zvee Scooler (December 1, 1899 – March 25, 1985) was a Russian-born American actor and radio commentator. He was born in Kamenets-Podolsky (now Ukraine) and his original surname was Shkolyar. He came to the United States in 1912. He performed in both Yiddish and English, on the stage, television, and film. He first joined Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theater in 1921 -- his debut was in the first American performance of S. Ansky's classic play The Dybbuk -- and remained with the company for 25 years. [1] He is probably best known for his roles in Fiddler on the Roof, playing Mordcha, the innkeeper in the Broadway play (he was the only actor to appear in every performance of the play's entire seven-year-run) and the rabbi in the film version.[2] He appeared as Duddy's grandfather in the 1974 film "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." Another of his more notable roles was that of Boris' father in Woody Allen's Love and Death.

Zvee Scooler
Born(1899-12-01)December 1, 1899
Kamenets-Podolsky, Russian Empire, now Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine
DiedMarch 25, 1985(1985-03-25) (aged 85)
Occupation(s)Stage, film, television, voice actor

He was known as the Grammeister (Master of the Rhyme) on WEVD, a Yiddish radio station in New York City. Every Sunday, from the 1930s until his death, Scooler presented a ten-minute segment on the radio show, Forward Hour, which was news and commentary in rhyme.[3][4]

He died in New York City on March 25, 1985, at age 85, and was buried at Cedar Park Cemetery, in Paramus, New Jersey.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1932 Uncle Moses Charlie
1965 Andy Mr. Chadakis
1968 No Way to Treat a Lady Old Man Uncredited
1969 A Dream of Kings Zenoitis
1971 Fiddler on the Roof Rabbi
1973 Lady Ice Jeweler
1973 The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob Le rabbin New-yorkais Uncredited
1974 The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Grandfather
1975 Hester Street Rabbi
1975 Love and Death Father
1977 Thieves Old Man
1978 King of the Gypsies Phuro
1979 Boardwalk Rabbi
1981 The Chosen Bal Koreh
1983 Enormous Changes at the Last Minute Pa
1984 Over the Brooklyn Bridge Rebbe (final film role)

References

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  1. ^ Shepard, Richard F. (1985-03-26). "ZVEE SCOOLER DEAD; ACTED IN FILM, PLAYS AND YIDDISH RADIO". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  2. ^ Zvee Scooler at IMDb
  3. ^ Yiddish Radio Project
  4. ^ Yiddish Radio Project "Vacation in the Mountains"
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