Boris Thomashefsky was a Ukrainian-born, later American, Jewish singer and actor who became one of the biggest stars in Yiddish theatre.
Thomashefsky was born in a town near Kiev, Ukraine, he moved to the United States in 1881, at the age of 12. A year later, barely a teenager, he was mostly responsible for the first performance of Yiddish theatre in New York City, in what was to become the Yiddish Theater District, and has been credited as the pioneer of Beet soup Belt entertainment.
Although Thomashefsky left Russia at a time when Yiddish theater was still successfully growing there, he had never actually seen it performed before the 1882 performance he brought together in New York. Thomashefsky, who was earning some money by singing on Saturdays at the Henry Street on the Lower East Side, was also working …show more content…
By 1910, Thomashefsky owned a 12-room home on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, plus a house by the sea, and a home in Hunter, New York which included an open-air theater, Thomashefsky's Paradise Gardens. Each of his three sons had an Arabian horse. However, in 1915, Thomashefsky filed for bankruptcy.
Both Thomashefskys did much to shape the world of modern theatre from the silly mistakes to Broadway and gave a start to many actors, composers and producers who went on to start and own theaters and movie studios. Even the Gershwin brothers had their start with the Thomashefkys. The Thomashefskys were also well known in dealing with social issues of the day and in teaching the Greenhorns how to be Americans. They not only founded theaters and production companies, but also had publishing houses and many other successful business fun trips. Boris Thomashefsky even founded and gave money to a Jewish Army, which he sent to Israel and was named after him. The unit later became a unit in the British
Thomashefsky was born in a town near Kiev, Ukraine, he moved to the United States in 1881, at the age of 12. A year later, barely a teenager, he was mostly responsible for the first performance of Yiddish theatre in New York City, in what was to become the Yiddish Theater District, and has been credited as the pioneer of Beet soup Belt entertainment.
Although Thomashefsky left Russia at a time when Yiddish theater was still successfully growing there, he had never actually seen it performed before the 1882 performance he brought together in New York. Thomashefsky, who was earning some money by singing on Saturdays at the Henry Street on the Lower East Side, was also working …show more content…
By 1910, Thomashefsky owned a 12-room home on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, plus a house by the sea, and a home in Hunter, New York which included an open-air theater, Thomashefsky's Paradise Gardens. Each of his three sons had an Arabian horse. However, in 1915, Thomashefsky filed for bankruptcy.
Both Thomashefskys did much to shape the world of modern theatre from the silly mistakes to Broadway and gave a start to many actors, composers and producers who went on to start and own theaters and movie studios. Even the Gershwin brothers had their start with the Thomashefkys. The Thomashefskys were also well known in dealing with social issues of the day and in teaching the Greenhorns how to be Americans. They not only founded theaters and production companies, but also had publishing houses and many other successful business fun trips. Boris Thomashefsky even founded and gave money to a Jewish Army, which he sent to Israel and was named after him. The unit later became a unit in the British