bellarina/bella

Lives in the Yiddish Theatre
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE yIDDISH THEATRE
aS DESCRIBED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"
1931-1967

Bella Bellarina
(Rubinlicht)

Born on 15 July 1898 in Warsaw, Poland.

She was the progeny of the famous and old Jewish family in Poland, Vinaver-Rubinlicht.

At the age of seventeen, she completed an eight-class women's institute in Warsaw. Afterwards she attended higher educational studies at the University of Warsaw.

As the students in the institute got use to her taking part in the school productions, she developed a strong sense and love of the stage.

With the desire to become a Polish actress, she was taken into the Warsaw Dramatic Government School in 1916, and there she underwent her studies. Under the influence of David Herman she became at the same time a member of the dramatic society in Warsaw "Hazamir" and later "Artistn vinkel (Artist's Corner)".

Her first role in Yiddish was as "Fanitshke" in Sholom Aleichem's "Mentshn". She caught the attention of H. D. Nomberg during the play.

In 1918 B. became a member or the Vilna Troupe and traveled throughout Europe with the troupe.

In 1924 she came to America with the Vilna Troupe, and a year later was taken into the Actors' Union.

In 1925 she acted in Schwartz's [Yiddish] Art Theatre.

In 1926 she was at the Palace Theatre in Chicago.

In 1927-8 she acted at the Hopkinson Theatre in Brooklyn.

Specialty: Young dramatic roles.

Sh. E.

Translated from the original Yiddish text found within the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 1, page 193.