Born May 1, 1888 in Bucharest, Rumania. Her parents were hotel owners. Studied in gymnasium and Yiddish with private tutors.

As actors used to travel past (the hotel), she became acquainted with the theatre from her childhood. She would imitate the actors and sing their songs, so she was called the "concert maker".

In 1902 she immigrated with her mother to Montreal, Canada. At the age of fourteen she joined a dramatic club of amateur actors. Later she started to perform in vaudeville. The actress Penny Schwartz saw her perform and brought her into her troupe. Anna Appel's family accepted this news with little satisfaction. They even sat Shiva for her, according to her account.

In the troupe she became acquainted with the actor Appel. She became a soubrette, and later she started playing the roles of grandes dames. For fourteen years she performed with Appel in variety shows, then one season with Gabel and a season with Adler.

When Schnitzer founded the Art Theatre, A. was one of the first
in the troupe. Later she performed in Schwartz's newly founded [Yiddish] Art Theatre. She performed there until 1928. In 1928-29 she began to perform in folk theatre and went from time to time acted on the English stage (the comedy "Papa"). In 1929-30 she was [back acting] in the Yiddish Art Theatre.

M.E.

• Dr. A. Mukdony: Anna Appel, "Theatre", New York, 1927, pp 120-6.

• Anna Appel: My best role, "Mrs. Warren's", "Morning Journal", October 13, 1922.

• Uriel Mazik: Picture gallery of our Yiddish actors, "Der tog", New York, May 11, 1918.

• Anna Appel: The public and I, "Der tog", New York, March 2, 1928.

• Jacob Mestel: Who are the artists of the New York Yiddish Art Theatre? "Di tseyt", London, April 1924.