Pesach Burstein
 | This biographical article is written encyclopedic . (January 2019) |
Pesach Burstein | |
|---|---|
 Burstein and his wife Lillian Lux | |
| Born | April 15, 1896 Pułtusk, Poland |
| Died | April 6, 1986 (aged 89) United States |
Pesach "Peishachke" Burstein (April 15, 1896 – April 6, 1986) was a Polish-born American comedian, singer, coupletist, and director of
Early years
Born in Pułtusk,[2] then in Congress Poland, in the Russian Empire (today, in Poland), Burstein was called Pesach-ke due to his birth on Passover.[3] In 1901 he moved with his family to Berdiansk (Ukraine), where his father ran a clothing store.[2] He ran away from home as a teenager to join a traveling Yiddish theatrical troupe. He was arrested as a spy by Russians during World War I. He never again saw his parents, who were beaten and killed in a robbery in Minsk, as they were traveling back to Poland in 1921.[4]: 75
United States
Brought to the United States in 1923 by Boris Thomashefsky and signed to a 20-year recording contract by Columbia Records,[5] he is well-remembered for singing "Odessa Mama" and the Yiddish version of "Sonny Boy". There is a common myth that this recording was made same day, in the same studio and with the same orchestra that Jolson had just used, but the Burstein waxing was made some time after the million-selling Jolson recording. In addition, Jolson was an exclusive Brunswick artist, whilst Burstein recorded for Columbia, on its Green Label ethnic series. Jolson was accompanied by the Brunswick studio orchestra, under the direction of Gus Haenschen. The (considerably smaller) studio orchestra accompanying Burstein was probably a sub-group of the National Theater pit orchestra, under the baton of Joseph Rumshinsky. An impressive stage whistler and actor-director of the popular A Khasene in Shtetl (A Wedding in the Village) act with his entire family.[6]
He married twice, secondly to
Pesach and Lillian Burstein had twins, Michael and Susan (b. 1945). Michael Burstein became an actor, known professionally as
After the
Later years
Pesach Burstein performed a small role in the
Autobiography
His autobiography, What a Life!, was co-authored with his wife in Yiddish (Geshpilt a Lebn, 1980) and later translated into English.[4]
Death
Pesach means Passover in Yiddish, and Pesach-ke Burstein was so named because he was born on the day of Passover in 1896; he died a few hours before Passover in 1986, a week and two days short of his 90th birthday. He was interred in the Yiddish Theater section (Block 67) of the Mount Hebron Cemetery.[8][9]
References
- ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (April 8, 1986). "Pesach Burstein, Yiddish Star, Dies". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Zylberczweig, Zalmen (1931). "Burstein, Pesach" (in Yiddish). In: Zylbercweig, with the assistance of Jacob Mestel, Leksikon fun yidishn teater [Lexicon of the Yiddish theatre]. Vol. 1. New York: Elisheva. Col. 156. English translation at the Museum of Family History website: "Pesach Burstein". Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ Known as Paul Burstein in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).
- ^ ISBN 0815607849.
- ^ a b c d e Miller, Stephen (June 14, 2005). "Lillian Lux, 86, International Star of Yiddish Stage". New York Sun. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
- ^ The Komediant(1999). New York: New Yorker Video.
- ^ a b Pesach Burstein's bio at Jewniverse.
- ^ Kilgannon, Corey (March 15, 2011). "Yiddish Theater Bids Farewell to Shifra Lerer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
- ^ "Yiddish Theatrical Alliance-names of those buried in YTA cemetery sections". Museum of Family History. Retrieved April 2, 2011.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |