Theodore Bikel, one of the most remarkable entertainers in history, has passed away at the age of 91.
Born in Vienna, Austria, escaped to pre-Israel Palestine in 1939, where he lived on a kibbutz (collective) for years, then eventually, to London where he studied at the Royal Acadamy of Dramatic Arts, and then to the USA (where he became a naturalized citizen in 1961).
Among his seemingly countless achievements was a Tony-nominated performance as Captain Georg Von Trapp in The Sound Of Music, an Oscar nomination for his role as a Southern Sheriff in The Defiant Ones, his status as an internationally acclaimed folk singer, his founding of the Newport Folk Festival, his performances in various operas, his amazing range of characters in television and radio performances. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on.
Oh, and somewhere in there Mr. Bikel was also a thoroughly committed humanitarian. Not a for-show one, in it for the publicity, but a real one.
You can read a more detailed obituary by clicking here. Do it, and marvel at just what an amazing man he was.
We have lost a giant today.
May Theodore Bikel rest in peace.
