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Hersh
Fagin
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M. was born on 24 December
1905 in Dvinsk, Lettland, into a family of laborers.
Still in his early years he showed a great interest in
reading literature, and as a youth he joined a Russian
troupe with which he toured across Lettland, and at the
same time he began to take up with revolutionary work
and was connected with commercial organizations.
In 1922 he traveled across
the border, and as a political immigrant he arrived in
Moscow. Here he joined the dramatic studio of the
"Culture League." F. completed the Moscow theatre
school, which was part of the Moscow Jewish State
Theatre, and [subsequently] traveled to Kharkov, where
he joined the Jewish State Theatre there.
About this, Y. Lubomirski
writes:
"Received his theatrical
education was partly in the theatre studio, "Culture
League." He worked in Kharkov's theatre a part of the
first season, when they had only just founded the
theatre. Then he manifested for a temperamental actor in
the role of "Shmuel" in "Sabtai Zvi." Then -- in
connection with the conflict that occurred among a group
of actors, and among the former artistic directors --
Fagin in the year 1927 left the theatre in Kharkov. For
a time he wandered, was in a few other Soviet theatres,
here for not a long time (written in 1931), returned to
the Kharkov theatre, before his actorial physiognomy was
not yet determined. Did not use any harmful material in
consideration of shtim, musical and diction." |
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In the year 1928 F.
played in Odessa. Then he returned to Kharkov. In
1933 he was invited as a leading actor in the Jewish
State Theatre in Birobidzhan. Here he had the
opportunity to play several interesting roles as
"Brodsky" in "Intervents" by Slovin, "Aaron Wolf" in
"Boytre," "De Santos" in "Uriel acosta." "Hirsh Glik"
in "Oyfshtand" by Peretz Markish, and "Tuviya" in
Sholem Aleiche's "Tuviya der milkhiger."
In the years of Stalin's
cult, f. was sent way from 1937 until 1946, when he
returned to the theatre in Birobidzhan. Here he
continued to receive a possibility to excel in a
series of new offerings and roles, but quite
especially in the role of "Hirsh Glick," which he
had played with great temperament. The role of the
hero of the struggle took a special place in his
creations. He loved the role very much and had given
it his entire heart, his intellectual force, and
thereby evoked a great recognition from the viewers
and critics.
From 1950 to 1953 F. was
in the Russian dramatic theatre in Kamchatka, where
he played roles of various characters and genres. At
the same time he also took up with stage direction
and staged the play, "Dos kol fun amerike," and "In
gezets." F. traveled to Lettland and worked from
1957 until 1960 as a stage director in the Russian
dramatic theatre in Riga, where he excelled, playing
the role of "Professor Kokh" in "Der letster
tsurikkum" by Remark, and in Sholem Aleichem's "Tuviya
der milkhiger." A great place also in his artistic
activity was to recite the beloved poetry of
Mikovsky, Block, Simonov et al. Due to his poor
health condition, he withdrew from his artistic
activities, and on 23 February 1965 he passed away
in Riga from a heart attack.
Sh.E. from
Y. Radinov.
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