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Berl Botvinik
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Born
24 December 1885 in Rakov, Minsk region, White Russia.
His father was a poor carpenter. He studied in a cheder
(religious elementary school) until the age of thirteen,
and then in the Minsk Yeshiva. At sixteen he became a
painter of signs, was drawn into the Bund (socialist)
movement, was arrested for disseminating illegal
literature, and was then active in illegal activities
under the name “Berele the Painter”.
In
October 1905 he immigrated to America. Here he began at
first to work in his profession and participated in the
Jewish Worker’s Movement, and then – after debuting with
two stories in 1909 – he slowly left his profession and
became a co-worker in various publications, and then
from 1913 in the “Forverts (Forward)”. Here he wrote under his own
name as well as under the pseudonyms “Led Pensil”, “B.
Brondz”, “A. Teater Patriot”, and “A. Beyzer Shlinger”,
and published various humorous theatre stories, as well
as theatre accounts and episodes, and biographies and
characteristics of Jewish actors. From 1914 to 1922 B.
was responsible for the theatre news and later for the
weekly theatre page that appeared in the “Forverts”.
While in close touch with the Yiddish theatre, he
himself wrote several plays for the theatre, and his
“Beylke maronetta (Bella the Marionette)” was performed
on 12 September 1913 in the Royal Theatre – with Malvina
Lobel and Maurice Schwartz in the leading roles. |
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Soon after, the “Freye yidishe folks-bine” performed
his play “Der vegetarianer” (a comedy in one act
that was printed in the “Forverts” on 12 October
1919).
On 19 January 1921, “Beylke maronetta” was performed
in a reworked version titled “Tayvlshe libe”. On 12
January 1923, his and B. Kovner's play “Shayke fun
bronzvil” was performed at Brooklyn's Lyric Theatre,
and later at the National Theatre, a sketch called
“Polyakn oyf hyuston strit”.
B. also wrote a drama “Yezus kristus” of which
several parts were published in “Der veker”.
M. E.
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Zalmen Reizen – “Leksikon fun der
yidishen literatur (Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre)”,
Vol. I. pp. 198-200.
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B. Gorin – “Geshikhte fun dem yidishn
teater”, Vol. II, (list of plays). Special issue
about artistic theatre.
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A. B. Cahan – New talents,
“Forverts”, September 24, 1913.
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Y. F. – Beylke maronet, “Yidishn
teater blat”, September 27, 1913.
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Jacob Kirschenbaum – “Beylke maronetke”,
“Keneder odler”, Montreal, October 1913.
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Y. Miller – “Mini di finisherin”,
“Der kibitser”, N.Y., October 1913.
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Dr. Moyshe Mukarty – “Beylke
maronetke”, “Der kibitser”, N.Y., October 1913.
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B. Y. Goldstein – “Shayke fun
bronzvil” in the Lyric Theatre. “Tog”, N.Y., 10
February 1922.
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Sh. Robinson – “Shayke fun bronzvil”
“Yidishn teater blat”, 4 February 1922.
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