Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BIKEL, Theodore

(b 2 May '24, Vienna) Actor, folksinger. Emigrated to Israel, began working in theatre there late '40s. Moved to London to study drama; signed by Sir Laurence Olivier for first European production of Streetcar Named Desire '47; first film with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen '51. Moved to NYC, began recording '55, specializing in folk music of Europe, Israel; solo Town Hall concert '58, signed to Elektra that year. Many albums of folk songs: Harvest Of Israeli Folksongs and Jewish Folk Songs stayed in US Schwann catalogue for years; some work reappeared later on Reprise. He was one of the hits of the Newport Folk Festival '60 along with Joan Baez and the Clancy Brothers. Concentrated on career as versatile actor: films The Pride And The Passion '57, The Defiant Ones '58, My Fair Lady '64, The Russians Are Coming '66, many others as well as TV and stage roles.