Shmuel Rodensky (Hebrew: ×©×ž×•× ×œ רו×"× ×¡×§×™â€Ž, 10 December
1902[a] â€" 16 July 1989[b]) was a Russian-born Israeli actor whose
stage, film, and television career in Israel and West Germany spanned
six decades. He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1924 and studied
drama at the Eretz Israel Theatre in Tel Aviv. After performing with
several theatre companies between 1928 and 1948, he joined Habima
Theatre in 1949 and became one of its principal players. He was known
as "the Israeli Laurence Olivier". In 1968 Rodensky traveled to
Hamburg to join the German-language production of Fiddler on the Roof
(titled Anatevka), playing the lead role of Tevye the Dairyman. He
performed this role more than 1,400 times throughout West Germany and
Switzerland. His notable film roles include the lead in the 1968
Israeli film Tevye and His Seven Daughters, Simon Wiesenthal in the
1974 Anglo-German film The Odessa File, and Jethro in the 1974 BBC
television miniseries Moses the Lawgiver. He was the recipient of
numerous honors in both Israel and West Germany, including the Federal
Service Cross from the Federal Republic of Germany and the Israel
Prize.Shmuel Rodensky was born in Smorgon, Russian Empire,[c] in 1902.
During World War I he fled to Ukraine, but was expelled from the
country during the Russian Revolution. He then traveled to Poland,
entered Hamburg, Germany, on a forged Polish passport, and finally
immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1924.In his early years in
Mandatory Palestine, Rodensky was employed in draining swamps, field
work, and construction. He studied at the studio of drama at the Eretz
Israel Theatre in Tel Aviv and performed with a number of theatre
companies between 1928 and 1948, including the Eretz Israel Theatre,
Hakumkum (The Kettle), and Hamatate (The Broom). In 1949 he responded
to a newspaper advertisement seeking new performers at the Habima
Theatre in Tel Aviv and became one of that theatre's principal
players. He was known as "the Israeli Laurence Olivier".At Habima,
Rodensky performed a wide variety of dramatic roles, including Iago in
Othello and the cardinal in The Deputy. He also performed satire, as
in Ephraim Kishon's 1953 play Yiddishpiel.
1902[a] â€" 16 July 1989[b]) was a Russian-born Israeli actor whose
stage, film, and television career in Israel and West Germany spanned
six decades. He immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1924 and studied
drama at the Eretz Israel Theatre in Tel Aviv. After performing with
several theatre companies between 1928 and 1948, he joined Habima
Theatre in 1949 and became one of its principal players. He was known
as "the Israeli Laurence Olivier". In 1968 Rodensky traveled to
Hamburg to join the German-language production of Fiddler on the Roof
(titled Anatevka), playing the lead role of Tevye the Dairyman. He
performed this role more than 1,400 times throughout West Germany and
Switzerland. His notable film roles include the lead in the 1968
Israeli film Tevye and His Seven Daughters, Simon Wiesenthal in the
1974 Anglo-German film The Odessa File, and Jethro in the 1974 BBC
television miniseries Moses the Lawgiver. He was the recipient of
numerous honors in both Israel and West Germany, including the Federal
Service Cross from the Federal Republic of Germany and the Israel
Prize.Shmuel Rodensky was born in Smorgon, Russian Empire,[c] in 1902.
During World War I he fled to Ukraine, but was expelled from the
country during the Russian Revolution. He then traveled to Poland,
entered Hamburg, Germany, on a forged Polish passport, and finally
immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1924.In his early years in
Mandatory Palestine, Rodensky was employed in draining swamps, field
work, and construction. He studied at the studio of drama at the Eretz
Israel Theatre in Tel Aviv and performed with a number of theatre
companies between 1928 and 1948, including the Eretz Israel Theatre,
Hakumkum (The Kettle), and Hamatate (The Broom). In 1949 he responded
to a newspaper advertisement seeking new performers at the Habima
Theatre in Tel Aviv and became one of that theatre's principal
players. He was known as "the Israeli Laurence Olivier".At Habima,
Rodensky performed a wide variety of dramatic roles, including Iago in
Othello and the cardinal in The Deputy. He also performed satire, as
in Ephraim Kishon's 1953 play Yiddishpiel.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.