[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 3, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO THEODORE BIKEL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 3, 2005

  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Theodore 
Bikel, a Renaissance man who has made his mark as an accomplished 
musician, actor, author, lecturer, and activist. Throughout his life, 
Theodore has been committed to arts awareness, human rights, and Jewish 
activism, and his service to the Los Angeles community and the world 
has been truly remarkable.
  Theodore was born in 1924, in Vienna, Austria. At the age of 13, 
Theodore and his parents fled Austria to avoid Nazi persecution. They 
eventually settled in Palestine, where Theodore began to develop a deep 
respect for Jewish tradition and the performing arts. He soon began 
acting in the famous Habimah Theater. After a few years of training, 
Theodore left for London, where he performed in small theatre 
productions. He eventually caught the attention of Sir Laurence Olivier 
and was cast as Mitch in ``A Streetcar Named Desire.''
  After his initial success, Theodore went on to star in Broadway 
productions of ``The Sound of Music'', ``The Lark'' and ``The King and 
I,'' but he is most famous for his portrayal of the character Tevye in 
``The Fiddler on the Roof,'' a role he has played more than 2,000 
times. Theodore later branched into film, and in 1959 he was nominated 
for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role as the Southern 
Sheriff in ``The Defiant Ones.''
  In 1965, Theodore made his concert debut at the Carnegie Recital 
Hall, and in 1988 he won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Harris 
Newmark, an early immigrant pioneer of the West Coast. In recognition 
of his inspirational work on stage, Theodore will be honored this 
spring with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
  Off stage, Theodore has used his talents to advance causes near to 
his heart. During the Civil Rights Movement, he helped produce the 
album ``Sing'' for Freedom: Civil Rights Movement Songs. He has also 
dedicated himself to human rights movements around the world, visiting 
and entertaining soldiers during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and serving 
as a board member of Amnesty International. Back home, Theodore has 
been president of the Actors' Equity Association and a member of 
President Carter's National Council on the Arts.
  Throughout his life, Theodore has also made serving the Jewish 
community a priority. Most notably, he has been involved in the Soviet 
Jewry movement and has served as senior vice president in the American 
Jewish Congress. In the Los Angeles Jewish community, Theodore has 
collaborated with Rabbi David Baron and cofounded Temple Shalom for the 
Arts in Los Angeles.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Theodore Bikel, an 
influential leader, a visionary artist, and a talented individual whose 
spirit and activism have inspired our generation and will undoubtedly 
touch generations to come.

                          ____________________