together a large troupe for America, they brought him in, and in August 1886 they traveled to London, where Feinman performed.

In 1887 Feinman participated in the role of "Shemash" in "Professor" Hurwitz's "Tisa Eslar," and Ab. Cahan published the following about his acting:

"Feinman was a young man with a heavy-sounding baritone voice. He use to recite his words in a melodramatic manner, which the audience loved -- at any rate, more than today."

Soon Feinman began to stage his plays, which most of the time were not very original, but were translations or adaptations.

On 3 June 1889 in New York's Poole's Theatre, Feinman play , "Der get, oder, Der nikolayevsky soldat" was staged [according to B. Gorin, he portrayed "the Jewish soldier," and particularly that "Der Get" was staged in 1890]. The play was no longer performed [after this], and also was not published.

A manuscript of "Der royte menshele" (in acts), which was staged on 11 December 1891, is found in the New York archive of YIVO.

On 24 October 1890 in the Thalia Theatre, there was staged Feinman's play, "Di froy, oder, Tsvey khasunus oyf lhkheis, a lebensbild in five acts, music by Mogulesko" [according to Itskil Goldenberg, it was an adaptation of "Der hitn-bazitser" by George Oney [sp]. The play did not remain in the repertoire and was not published.

A manuscript of "Di froy, a drama in five acts," is found in the archive of YIVO.

According to B. Gorin, in 1891 there was staged Feinman's play "Gelt, oder, Der tremp (Gold, or, The Tramp)," which later pn was no longer performed. In the same year -- according to B. Gorin -- there was also staged Feinman's play, "Dem foters kale (The Father's Bride)," which Feinman later staged in Lemberg. The play did not stay in the repertoire. It was not published. A manuscript can be found in the possession of Y. Steinberg in Winnipeg, Canada.

A written version of "Geld, oder, Der tremp, a comedy-drama in four acts," and a written version of "Dem foters kale," a drama in four acts and five scenes, music by S. Mogulesko," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

In 1891 Feinman acted in the role of "Levin" in the Union Theatre, in the premiere of Gordin's first play, "Siberia."

Although everyone points to the intellligence of Feinman, B. Gorin recounts a serious, offensive conflict that occurred between Feinman and Jacob Gordin:

"In another theatre, with another play, at times there once began a conflict between him [Jacob Gordin] and Feinman. The latter had categorically rejected with consequences what was requested, and he declared that he would say what he wanted. Gordin therefore became so incensed that he slapped him."

In 1892 Feinman was (together with Adler, Mogulesko and Kessler) director of Poole's Theatre, but there was no peace heard between them,and Feinman acted across the province.

According to B. Gorin, in 1896 there was staged in the Windsor Theatre Feinman's play "Ezra [Ezri] der gibor hakheyl, oder, Der printsesins neyder [Ezra, the Living Hero, or, The Princess' Vow] [according to Itsikl Goldenberg, it was a free adaptation of the French play, "Gismonda"]. The play was kept in the repertoire for a long time, and also without the knowledge of the author was published in 1909 in Lemberg in the publishing house of David Roth, under the name "Ezra gibor hakheyl (Der tapfere held), a historic operetta in four acts by S. Feinman."

Two manuscripts "Gibor hakheyl [in four acts], music by Mogulesko," and "Der printsesins neyder," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

On 5 September 1898 there was staged (with David Kessler, Regina Prager and Feinman) Feinman's "Der Yidisher vitse-kenig (The Jewish White-King), oder, A nakht in Gan Eydn (A Night in the Garden of Eden)." The play also was called "Der shtrasnzinger," and it often was performed under this name on the Yiddish stage in Eastern Europe. Feinman also had the operetta played in Lemberg. A manuscript for the play can be found in the Lipovsky archive in YIVO. The play, without the knowledge of the author, was published under the name of "Der vitse-kenig, an operetta in four acts by Sigmund Feinman, published by the David Roth bookstore, Lemberg, 1909."

A manuscript of "Vitse kenig," and a manuscript of "A Night in the Garden of Eden" [in one act] can be found in the archive of YIVO.

According to B. Gorin, in 1898 there was also staged Feinman's play "Di kleynshtetldike aristokratn." The play later was no longer performed and wasn't published.

A manuscript of "Der rayker betler oder di kleynshteteldige aristokraten, a lebensbild in five acts," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

On 28 October 1898 in the Thalia Theatre, there was staged by Kessler Feinman's "Di gasn kinder, a lebensbild in four acts, six scenes, music -- Mogulesko." The play later was no longer performed and was never published.

In 1899 -- according to B. Gorin -- there was staged Feinman's play "Di yidn in Moroko (The Jew in Morocco)" and "Der shtumer, oder, Lebedik bagrobn." Both plays were not performed again and were never published.

A manuscript of "Di yuden in maroko, oder, Der Talmid fon R'itzhak Abarbanel, a historical-romantic opera in four acts and eight scenes," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

Also found in the YIVO Archive is a manuscript of "Der shtumer, oder, Lebendik begroben, a tragedy in four acts."

According to Sholem Perlmutter, there was also staged a play, "Dos lebn in Nyu York," as Feinman's composition.

A handwritten "Dos leben in Nyu York, a folksbild in four acts, music by S. Mogulesko," was found in the archive of YIVO.

Around 1899, in the Roumanian Opera House (with Bertha Kalich, David Kessler, Sigmund Mogulesko and Feinman), there was staged Feinman's play, "Chanele di finisherin (Chanele the Finisher)." [According to Sholem Perlmutter the last two plays were really written by a certain (actor) Shenkman, who loaned them to the then-prompter and playwright Nahum Rakow, and for Feinman, Rakow improved the two plays a little and put his name on them, and sold them to play all over the province. Feinman had the plays improved, and they were staged in New York in his name.]

The play later was performed for a long time in America, and it was one of the popular plays in the Yiddish repertoire in Europe. It is known that Feinman published it under the name "Ḥaneh’le di neherin, a lebensbild in four acts by S. Feinman," published by Amḳroyṭ and Friends, Przemyśl, 1909."

A handwritten "Chanele di neherin, oder, Chanele di finisherin, a lebensbild in four acts and six scenes, translated by Sigmund Feinman," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

About the play and the acting, Celia Adler in her memoirs relates:

"The success of "Chanele di finisherin," both as the play written by Feinman, as well as the acting of Sigmund and Dina Feinman, they began to complete an important position in the growing Yiddish theatre in New York, so that a season or two later they joined as partners with Kessler and Bertha Kalich in the Thalia Theatre.

The novelist, playwright and one of the first writers of Yiddish theatre history, Moshe Zeifert, had an entirely different opinion:

"Sigmund Feinman is a good actor in dramatic and father roles, as long as he doesn't imagine that he is also a playwright. When one puts one's own name on other people's plays, one cannot still claim that one is a dramatist and a writer."

Bertha Kalich in her memoirs, wrote:

"That season of "Chana di finisherin," Feinman also staged "Natan der vayze (Nathan the Wise)," and here he knew that it did not lack intelligence and any considerable force. By himself he used to write plays, and they were more or less successful.

Around 1902 in the Germania Theatre, there was staged Feinman's play "Numer 587, oder, Di mame Sarah." This theatre soon closed. The play was not performed again, and it also was never published.

A handwritten "Shifrale, oder, Num. 587, a lebensbild in four acts," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

On 15 October 1902, Feinman put on in the Thalia Theatre, "Di nakhtigal fun Yerushalayim (The Nightingale of Jerusalem)," a historic opera in four acts and twelve scenes. The play was not performed for long, and it also was never published.

On 10 April 1903, Feinman appeared in the Thalia Theatre as "Zemach" in N. Rakow's "Der betlen," which was later popular under the name "Der talmid khokhem."

In the same year there also arrived in the Grand Theatre an exceptional Goldfaden production in honor of the author, who then for the second time had come to America. Feinman played "Eliezer Hamudei" in an act from Goldfaden's "Bar Kokhba."

In 1904 Feinman's "Dos tsebrokhene lebn" was staged, but it was not performed again, and also it was never published.

In 1904 there was also staged Feinman's "Der yid in Sobieski's tsaytn, oder, Shabes̀ ḳoydesh." The play was maintained for a little longer time in the Yiddish theatre repertoire in America, and was a hit in Eastern European theatres, where it often was performed under the name "Ḥayaḥ Shmaʻyah." The play, without the knowledge of the author, was published in 1908 in Warsaw in the publishing house "Yudishe teater bibliotek," under the name "Shabes̀ ḳoydesh, oder, Ḥayaḥ Shmaʻyah, a historic operetta in four acts by S. Feinman."

A manuscript of "Shabes̀ ḳoydesh, an historical operetta in four acts," can be found in the archive of YIVO.

About Feinman as an actor in those years, Sholem Perlmutter writes:

"Feinman soon became popular with the public. His interesting appearnce in life, as well as on the stage, and his great dramatic talent soon started to shine. In an entirely short time, Feinman already occupied the place of honor in the Yiddish theatre, both as an actor, as well as a playwright. For years and years Feinman stood in the first rows, together with David Kessler and Jacob P. Adler, where together with them, they fought for the better dramas and showed a lot of understanding when he played real life roles. Feinman was the only one in that time who played after Adler [did], Gordin's "Jewish King

Sigmund Feinman as "Abraham," and Celia Feinman as "Itzhak" in  Goldfaden's "The Sacrifice of Isaac."

Lear," and after David Kessler's "Hershele Dubrovnik," and this led to the fact that the former could not bear the great applause that Feinman had received, and the peace was destroyed. Disputes begn, and Feinman, who was an aristocrat and had flirted with the intelligentsia and his own "I," separated from Adler and Kessler, with whom he was connected with year long, and he decided to become his own boss." About the same topic, Celia Adler tells: "Sigmund Feinman could not fit in with any of them (the stable companies: Jacob and Sarah Adler, Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky, David Kessler and Bertha Kalich or Keni Lipzin). Both the behind-the-curtain politics, as well as the the distribution of the roles, did not agree with his taste, with his ambitions, and with his sense of justice. He got bored of the theatre world in New York, and Feinman left to wander across the American province, which is still in diapers about Yiddish theatre. Also the Adlers and the Thomashefskys had several years earlier tried their luck in

the province, and it was not successful, and Feinman also had ths same fate.  ... After several yers of wnadering across the provincial cities in America and Canada with very meager results, and a lot of sadness and heartache, Feinman became very fed up. The stable, well-established theatre companies in New York had no place for such a cast of actors as Sigmund and Dina Feinman. Before Feinman could open by himself a new theatre business in competition with the already strongly acknowledged and popular "stars," it was too risky. ... Feinman saw no other way out than to try his luck in Europe. After a long discussion, he and his mother decided that he would travel to London. Meanwhile, he should travel alone and see what the outlook could be there to become established. In that time there already was the Yiddish theatre in London, out of the back-shacks in beer-saloons, and on the other hand, from club rooms. The Pavilion Theatre, a very beautiful and more convenient theatre, in an aristocratic part of Whitechapel, which before those years was an English theatre, was taken over by a Yiddish theatre entrepreneur. There then a torupe played with the fine actor Charles Nathanson at its head. There Feinman performed as the guest-actor in several productions. The London Jewish theatre audience hd taken to him with great enthusiasm. The owner had kept him on until the end of the season. He was strongly beloved in London. From him we had received a spirited letter and money every week. The owners proposed to him that he should take over the theatre for the coming season. He struck a deal with them." Feinman soon took to wandering again, and Sholem Perlmutter maintains that this was "the first trip Feinman made to Argentina. There, for a short time, he played under the direction of Marienhof, where he had a very great success, both as an actor as a playwright, because Feinman put on almost all of his own plays there, and from there Feinman left to wander across Europe. His first station was London (England), but after he played for several weeks and received great applause, he left for Lemberg." Here he performed under Gimpel's direction in Gordin's "Jewish King Lear," and about his success, Sholem Perlmutter writes: "The impression that Feinman made with his first performance won over the director Y.B. Gimpel, to use Feinman in several productions. The second performance that Feinman created was in his own play, "Dem foters kale." The audience in the theatre had literally demonstrated for enthuiasm and demand that he should remain in Lemberg, and although Feinman already made every amplication to play in Bucharest, Romania, he complied with their request and performed his play, "Der vitse-kenig." So Feinman remained in Lemberg for all of ten weeks, and if the director Liblich had not come especially from Bucharest to take him out to play in Romania, Feinman would have remained in Lemberg for a long time." And about Feinman's guest-appearances in Bucharest, according to Sholem Perlmutter, .there is a sensational story -- the Romanian students had wanted to create a strong demonstration in the theatre when it became known that Feinman was preparing to perform as "Othello." The director Liblich got scared and wanted to withdraw the performance, but on Feinman's request they put on "Othello," and here's what happened -- according to Sholem Perlmutter -- it was done in the theatre: "The theatre that evening was packed more with anti-Semitic students than with Jews, because the Jews were simply afraid to come to the theatre. The students were armed with rotten apples and tomatoes, in order to have the honor of being the "Zhidan (Jew?)." The director Liblich again was concerned with the police, and in an atmosphere of the fear of death, the long-awaited "Othello" spectacle began, but soon after the first act people began to feel that the opinion of the anti-Semites  had changed, and after the production, the same students were enthusiastic about Feinman's playing, put him in a carriage, unharnessed the horses and dragged him from the theatre to his hotel amid loud cheers." Feinman traveled again to play in London. He put together a large troupe for the 1907-8 season in the Pavilion Theatre, and about this, Celia Adler tells us: "Then with the huge troupe he specially staged his own operetta, "Shabes̀ ḳoydesh." .... The operetta in London had huge applause and went on for several weeks. Sigmund Feinman alone had the greatest success in the operetta. We then came out for the first time to see the enormous enthusiasm of the audience for Sigmund Feinman. In the operetta he played an Oriental Jew, Rabbi Leyb Sefardi. His majestic appearance, his magnetic personality, his fine, warm bass voice, his heartfelt and natural tone evoked great admiration from the audience, and from me as well. Feinman, in his patriarchal role as Rabbi Leyb Sefardi, wrapped himself in a tallit and sang, "יהי רצון מלפניך (Let Their Be a Will Before You)." ... He reached such a high ecstasy in the scene, such a holy enthusiasm, that the audience literally sat there trembling, and when he passed in his prayer in tenor of heart-rending wails, sobs and hysterical cries were heard from all corners of the theatre. I know of many London theatre-goers who used to see the play several times, return to the theatre again only for the third act, paying, of course, for a ticket, in order to watch the scene of "יהי רצון מלפניך ". His popularity in that scene reached its peak." According to Celia Adler, Feinman also had at that time staged an experiment, playing only with actresses in Goldfaden's "Bar Kokhba," in which Regina Zuckerberg played as "Shulamis," and Frida Zibel played as "Abshalom." On 9 January 1907 Feinman celebrated his twenty-fifth stage anniversary and directed there for the first time in Yiddish, "Menasha fun Reneti Roman," and he had the opportunity to issue a special brochure in which he wrote the contents of the play, his visit with the author of the play, telling about the great success that he had staging the play earlier in New York in the Windsor Theatre, and at the end he spoke out from the heart: "The unfriendliness of the Yiddish press, the remarks of many private people who spoke only about what they had heard, had begun to discourage me, and I wanted to abandon my plan to establish a Yiddish theatre, but I reminded myself that I had given the grateful London audience my word from the stage that I would remain in London, and I had decided to stay. Yes, it is very easy to sit at home and publish unfair criticism and personal attacks. ... The Yiddish "Journal" can't get away from the actor who last summer a couple of times guest-starred here, and when I came and the newspaper believed that I would be a guest only for some performances, they accepted me as a guest and said that I was very good. As soon as they found out that I would remain a bigger person, I stopped liking them. What they should understand is that when you come to play five or six times, you can play what you want and how you want. But when you have to put on an entire season with a completely foreign, unrehearsed ensemble, when you need to hold rehearsals every day, every week perform one new piece, and moreover play alone almost every evening, mainly in London, when the weather is unfavorable for a seasoned person, and this damages the organ, the chest, when they would understand all this, they would treat me much more friendlier." In 1908 Feinman guest-starred in Czernowitz. About this the actor Benzion Palepade tells us in his book of memoirs: "... Axelrod volunteered to bring over the artist Feinman to Czernowitz to guest-star, and this Jewish Czernowitz went to Chodorom [?]. (bottom, pg. 2551) ... Every production had Feinman at its head, and the garden was so fully packed to the brim that it would be impossible to count how many people came to see our performance. ... Feinman guest-starring appearance in Czernowitz was a great sensation, and business exceeded all expectations, and it did not lessen until the departure of the great guest." According to I. Perkoff, Feinman was earlier in London, then he traveled to Argentina. Perkoff portrays Feinman's productions in London: "With the departure of Adler (1887) to America, London's Yiddish theatre became impoverished, and if some weak groups of actors, through the twenty years (since the Princess Street Club) tried to perform [in some production], it was no more than a Purimshpil, which only helped to convince the intelligent public that there was no Yiddish theatre in London. The unsuccessful attempts showed the Yiddish theatre from the serious side, and thereby the intellectual class instilled in him a contempt for the Yiddish "stage," and at the same time attracted the serious element of the public, which made the serious audience applaud with admiration, as long as the actors joked with coarse jokes and tickled the rough taste of the Gallicarque [?] (top, pg. 2552),of the day. The demoralized actors on one side, and this undeveloped public on the second side -- they became the educators of London's Yiddish theatre. Naturally, such teachers could only spoil it, and at once Sigmund Feinman came to London and took the theatre into his hands. ... Being a good actor was not enough for such a big job. A great entrepreneurial spirit, enormous energy and commitment to the cause was necessary. He had all these virtues, and therefore he was suitable to become the pioneer of the London Yiddish stage. After a lot of difficult work, Feinman succeeded in bringing to the theatre an impetus, such that it also attracted the intelligent public. Feinman had not only the actors, but he also had disciplined the public. ... Although a small part was sympathetic, the largest part stood from afar, and they were curiously interested in the existence of the theatre. ... They wanted the theatre to be open whenever they wanted to visit, but they didn't do anything for the [survival of the] theatre. ... The troupe of actors, which Feinman had assembled with great effort, fell apart, and the theatre closed. I remember his last speech from the stage, before he left afterwards for Buenos Aires, that he did not lose hope of reviving the theatre once more. And he kept his word." About the playing that time in London, Celia Adler writes in her memoirs: "We began a theatre season in London. ... London, which is infamous for its "fans" as they call it there, that winter dissolved without an end and without a border. ... It had, of course, a harmful effect on the business part of our theatre. Going out in the evening in such situations was simply a life-threatening situation.  Feinman loved everything with a generous hand -- he put together a very fine troupe, even brought in several actors from America, and they were paid very high wages. With the pitiful income, he barely covered the expenses. ... At the end of that shlim-mazl season in London, Feinman alone went off to guest-star in Galicia, Poland and Lita (Lithuania), in order to earn a little money. When we returned to New York after the season in London, our financial condition was not elevated at all. Feinman tried to connect with a theatre in New Yok, but he was not successful. Even today, I cannot understand why such gifted actors as Sigmund and Dina Feinman in those years weren't able to find a successful position in the Yiddish theatre. ... With no choice, Freiman again took his wandering stick and set off across Europe. ... Finally, Feinman let my mother know that he had worked out a tour for them both through Poland, Lithuania and Romania --  and that she should come soon." In 1908 Feinman continued to play in Argentina in Buenos Aires at Chacabuco 966. During this guest-appearance, he also performed as "Othello." He also brought the actress Fannie Vadya Epstein with him. Feinman returned to New York, where he tries to fit in, but it didn't matter ot him, and he only performed in one performance, at Adler's Grand Theatre, where he staged his play, "Der bigamist (The Bigamist)," which did not remain the the repertoire and also was never published.                                                                                                                  Title page to Feinman's plays. Feinman traveled again to London, and about that season I. Perkoff tells us: "He tried once more with his usual energy [to continue] what he had started, but unfortunately [this only lasted] for a short time. With the [similar] conditions under which he played there the last time, he was not happy and got very upset. I also noticed to my regret that his energy was subdued, and his health wasn't the best. ... One evening in his room in the Pavilion Theatre, we spoke for a long time about the future of Yiddish theatre, and also about theatre in London. About the latter, he spoke in a tired, sad tone. I noticed that the subject did not make a good impression on him, and when the question of his beloved Pavilion Theatre was touched upon, he suffered just as if one were to touch a wound." The difficult conditions under which he played there, and his health condition, which was not the best, did not allow him to be so energetic anymore, and he stopped again. According to A. Frumkin, Charles Nathanson was hired by him for the Pavilion Theatre. Feinman took a hall and performed several sketches there. However, he still did not give up completely and continued to hope that he would return to a theatre and perform in "Shylock". About this, I. Perkoff tells us: " ... Hardly had I mentioned Shylock, which he had been shouting about with me lately, when he became animated as if by electricity. He soon straightened up, jumped up from his chair and with sparkling eyes and great enthusiasm spoke once more of his upcoming play, "Shylock," which he had been studying for a few years. In his "Shylock" he will show that Shakespeare did not mean to paint a bad Jew, etc. Talkatively, he was very excited and showed me a rich Shylock's costume."

              Left: Feinman in "Di heymat."                                        Right: Feinman in "Vitse kenig."   

In June 1909 Feinman arrived in London to play in the Grand Theatre (director: Yitzhak Sandberg). He performed in "Othello." About his performance and his tragic end, Zalmen Zylbercweig writes:

"He excites the critics and the public. Such a fiery temper, such an expressive diction, such a figure had not been seen on the Lodz Yiddish stage until then. It made the impression that Feinman would not part ways so quickly with the Lodz theatre public. They threatened to try out "Uriel Acosta." Feinman's health condition meanwhile had worsened. The doctors forbade him from getting excited. This was dangerous with his fat figure. But how can he follow the doctor's [advice], that he lives beyond each role, that the sufferings of Othello and of "Uriel Acosta" are his sufferings, and so it happened that on Thursday, July 1, 1909, at 12 o'clock, he took part in the rehearsal of "Uriel Acosta." [He was] so excited, that during the famous monologue "Yes, Rabbi, I am a Jew", [after] uttering the first words, he suddenly dropped to the ground like a felled tree. There became a tumult. They quickly brought out a doctor, but it was already too late. Julius Adler, who the same day had just arrived in Lodz and was going to greet Feinman, had to change his greeting to a eulogy.

But when the first shattering impression of the catastrophe was over, there began a new concern for the wife of the newly deceased, and for the direction and the actors. According to the former Russian law, a foreign Jew was not allowed to enter Russia. Feinman, as a foreign Jew, also fell down under the law. In order for him to be able to leave, he was given a passport in another, Christian name, and it said that Sigmund Feinman is only his stage name. ... Efforts were made wherever necessary until Sandberg succeeded in bringing Feinman to his eternal rest in the Lodz Jewish cemetery. The funeral was grandiose. Much of the theatre public participated in it. Eulogies were given by Julius Adler, Mittelman, Mark Arnstein, Yeshaya Uger et al."

Shortly thereafter in "Wonderland" in London, under the leadership of the "Feinman Literary Society," a memorial was held in which there participated Kalman Marmor, A. Kaplan, I. Perkoff, and A. Sterling, and the Feinman company with a mixed chorus sung "Shoiti" [sp], with Zultser's music. There was also issued a special pamphlet in which there was published the song, "Der farhang iz gefaln tsu fri (The Curtain Has Fallen Too Early)," specially composed by Sam Levenvirt, with music by Professor Shtoyb, who the actor M.D. Waxman had carried away [?].

Feinman left his first wife and son, Joe, and a daughter, Becky, and from his second wife, Dina (Stettin), a daughter, Lili (later the wife of Ludwig Satz), who played for a certain time in the Yiddish theatre, and his adopted daughter, the famous actress Celia (the daughter of Dina and Jacob P. Adler), who later changed her name from Adler to Feinman.

In 1911 his wife, Dina, and the two daughters Celia and Lili, arrived in Lodz, where they erected a gravestone for Feinman, which imagines a cut-down tree, and from below there are listed his most important plays.

Feinman also for a short time played on the English stage in the play, "Nakhes Tovah" [sp].

In the archive of YIVO one can find the following manuscripts of Feinman's plays: "Dovid un Devorah, oder, Der falsher meshiakh, a historical opera in four acts and eight scenes, adapted from Sigmund Feinman, subject taken from Jacob Terr's play" (Jacob Terr had a play, "Der falsher meshiakh, oder, Dovid Alray"), "Sholem oyf der velt (Peace in the World?)" (in four acts), "Shtarker fun libe, in four acts," "30 yor unter der erd, a drama in four acts," and "Di yerushe, oder, Nakhtvekhtler, in four acts."

About the impression of Feinman's death, Morris Meyer writes:

"The news of Feinman's death here in London made a great impression. It was only known that his departure from here [i.e. London] greatly annoyed him, and it was assumed that this was the cause of his sudden death. ... I was very much friendly with Sigmund Feinman and his life. He was one of the few artists who could bear even a sharp critical word ... and his commitment to the Yiddish theatre had no boundaries at all. I greatly appreciated him for that.  ... Sigmund Feinman always had many great patrioten (zealous fans). Especially after his death, patriotism for him grew very strong, and a movement was formed to rebuild a Yiddish folks theatre that should carry the name of "Feinman" (about the movement and the results, see "Feinman's Yiddish Folks Theatre.")

The actor Benzion Palepade gives such a description of Feinman as an actor and regisseur:

"Feinman  was from the old school, and the classical repertoire would certainly suit him, but as a great talent, he excelled in every role. I have to say that until him, I had not felt any real director, and I had not seen any real director. Feinman was a great actor, and a very great and conscientious director. The stage to him  was a holy place, and to play on it he gave the entire fire of his creative soul. During the rehearsals Feinman played his role just as he would in the productions, and in the serious scenes, from Feinman's eyes, you saw true tears. He was so absorbed and so immersed in the roles that he needed to embody. And even though Feinman was a solidly built man of heavy weight, during the rehearsals he acted out each scene with extraordinary agility and showed a pattern of how it should be done. He asked at the rehearsals that we put so much effort into his instructions and pedagogical lessons, that you could wring out his clothes after the rehearsal, they were so wet from the effort."

Zalmen Zylbercweig writes:

"When the period came to America in which, for competition purposes, each theatre had its own author who would write only for his proper community, Feinman took on the mantle of a playwright and put himself at the head of a theatre, in the beginning satisfied with translating the classical repertoire, whatever suits his external figure and his pathetic body, and he soon becomes an "author" and adapter of an entire series of plays that year long became part of the Yiddish repertoire. ... It goes without saying that all these plays had no literary value, but here and there there were scenes in them that prove that Feinman possessed intelligence, people-knowledge and stage practice."

Dina, Celia (Adler), Lili Feinman and director Yitzhak Zandberg at the
gravesite of Sigmund Feinman at the Jewish cemetery in Lodz, Poland.

The long-time resident of London, editor Morris Meyer, portrays Feinman's role in London's Yiddish theatre this way: "The first Jewish artist who in my time, more than thirty-five years ago, laid the foundation for a permanent Yiddish theatre to exist in general, was Sigmund Feinman. ... He really did a lot to maintain a Yiddish theatre here. At first he came here alone, then he brought his wife, the very popular Dina Feinman. They were the first to play a larger repertoire of better plays for us. Here Feinman was the first to stage Jacob Gordin's dramas, and also such a drama as Maxim Gorki's "Meschanye." Sigmund Feinman the very great virtue: Although he was a great artist, and his wife a significant artist, he did not focus on himself or his wife. He always sought to have a first-class troupe, and he brought over very good powers from America, such as Boris Rosenthal, B. Shoengold. He also brought over Satz to London for the first time, and besides this he had in his troupe his wife's daughter, the very talented actress Celia Adler. ... It was natural that such artists as Sigmund Feinman with his wife, who were so devoted to the Yiddish theatre, and who, moreover were very friendly, so that, as a sign of enthusiasm, they should be greatly loved and appreciated by the entire Jewish public in London. That's roughly how they played for five years in the Pavilion Theatre, with great success, but afterwards difficulties arose. The public thought that it had seen enough Yiddish theatre, and the productions became sparser. Consequently, the then owner of the theatre began to show dissatisfaction. There is another competition: A second actor began to play in a second theatre and also began to negotiate quietly with the owner of the Pavilion. In the end, Sigmund Feinman left London in the summer of 1909. Sigmund Feinman arrived in London in 1906, at first as a guest-star in the Pavilion Theatre during his return trip from a visit to Romania. He was very successful with his productions, and he remained here for several years. .. There were two Yiddish artists who learned from the famous English theatre director, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, how to introduce plays. He staged spectacular productions; the two Yiddish artists, who followed Tree's method, were Sigmund Feinman and Maurice Schwartz. Feinman was the first who staged spectacular productions in London. It goes without saying that he did not possess great artistic abilities and the means of Maurice Schwartz. But for his time he was successful. Sigmund Feinman also was also a talented, serious reasoner and character actor. When he was in London, he even had big faults: He became too fat, and his voice was no longer very pure. But despite his shortcomings, he played well. It goes without saying that he was not very successful in roles that did not suit his physique, but in roles that suited him, he was excellent. When he played "Uriel Acosta" with us for the first time, I said to him kindly: "Dear Feinman, if Uriel Acosta was like you, he would not be the hero in such a drama." He replied laughing: "I understand you, but did I say the monologues well?" I added that he said the monologues went very well. He correctly understood and expressed the ideas they contained. He played entirely well as "Hershele Dubrovnik" in Gordin's "God, Man and Devil." He was very much in character as the writer who becomes a businessman, who puts off kissing his young wife after he recounts ... Another role he played with great success, was as "Raphael Friedlander" in "Kreutzer Sonata." He was very much in character and hearty as the old Jewish intellectual from Katsaposk, who has problems with daughters. That Feinman also had an understanding of modern dramas, one could see this from the fact that he had the first performance in London Gorki's "Meschanye (Middle-Class People)." In the piece he played the character "Timerev" with a lot of character. I liked him best as "Menasha" in Renatta's drama with the same name. ... He portrayed a type of a wise, Jewish student, and a grandfather in the most despicable style." Bertha Kalich characterizes him as such in her memoirs: "He was a happy, kind-hearted, sociable person. He valued people and valued art, and he loved the Yiddish theatre with a strong philanthropy." And his adopted daughter, Celia Adler, wries about him this way: "He was a serious and very intelligent person. He quickly became a leading force in the then theatre family, and was quickly considered one of the stars. He also wrote a number of plays for the Yiddish theatre. Many of them were played with great success for the Yiddish theatre. Many of them had great success, playing in those years, and remained in the Yiddish theatre repertoire. He evoked a great respect, both because of his talent as an actor, as well as with his intelligence. His opinion was highly valued and people were influenced by his words." Feinman's published plays: [1] Shabes̀ ḳoydesh, oder, Ḥayaḥ Shmaʻyah, a historical operetta in four acts by S. Feinman, Yidishe theater-bibliotek, Num. 14, Warsaw, Trs"kh [1908, 54 pp., 16°]. Price 30 kopecs. [2]  Chane'le di geherin, a lebensbild in four acts by S. Feinman, published by Amkroym and Fraynd, bookstore. Przemsyl, 1909 [67 pp., 16°]. {3]  Ezra der gibor hakheyl  (Der tapfere held), a historic operetta in four acts by S. Feinman, published by David Roth, bookstore in Lemberg, Trs"t, 1909 [52 pp., 16°]. [4] Der vitse-kenig, an operetta in four acts by Sigmund Feinman, published by David Roth, bookstore, Lemberg, [1909, 60 pp., 16°].

M.E. from Dina Feinman. Z. Reisen -- "History of Yiddish Literature," Vol. III, pp. 61-63. B. Gorin -- "History of Yiddish Theatre," Vol. I, p. 237; Vol. II, pp. 35, 69, 89, 119, 199, 272. -- Theatre berikhte, "Fraye arbeter shtime," N. Y., 14 November 1890. [B. Gorin] -- Drey piesen, "Der theatre zhurnal," N. Y., 19 October 1902. "Herr Sigmund Feinman's erklerung iber dos groyse literarishe meisterverk menasha," London, 1907. M. Hirshzohn -- Dos Idishe teater in London amol un yetst, "Di varhayt," N. Y., 16 September 1907. I. Perkoff -- Sigmund Feinman (in "Di Idishe folks-literatur"), London, 1909. A. Frumkin -- A "devolutsye" in Londoner Idishn theatr, "Forward," N. Y., 14 June 1909. A. Frumkin -- Der troyer gokh'n aktor Feinman in london, dort, 10 July 1909. Bessie Thomashefsky -- "Mayn lebens geshikhter," N. Y., 1916, p. 236. David Kessler -- A klap dem Idishn teater, "Der tog," N. Y., 4 February 1917. Zalmen Zylbercweig -- Bihne-siluetn, "Der zhurnalist," Lodz, 1919. Bertha Kalich -- (Memoirs) -- "Der tog," N. Y., 14 October 1925. Ab. Cahan -- "Bleter fun mayn lebn," N. Y., Vol. II, p. 383. Morris Meyer -- London's baytrag tsum Idishn theatre, "Di tsayt," London, 30 May 1928. Sholem Perlmutter -- Idishe dramaturgen, "Di Idishe velt," Cleveland, 26 December 1928.  [reprinted in his book "Yidishe dramatirgn un teater," comosed, N. Y., 1957, pp. 114-119]. Zalmen Zylbercweig -- Zayn gantsen leben geven a yud un geshtorbn als krist mit di verter "yo, rabbi, ikh bin a yud," "nayer folksblat," Lodz, 28 December 1928 [repreinted in his book "Teater figurn," Buenos Aires, 1936, pp. 37-42]. Zalmen Zylbercweig -- "Albom fun yidishn teater," New York, 1937, pp. 4, 41. Morris Meyer -- "Idish teater in London," London, [1942], pp. 243-52, 259-63. Benzion Palepade -- "Zikhrunus," Buenos Aires, 1946, pp. 208-10, 251-54. Jacob Mestel -- "70 yor teater-repertuar," N. Y., 1954, pp. 28, 90. Celia Adler -- "Tsili Adler dertseylt," N. Y., 1959, pp. 7, 16, 45-54, 73-78, 92, 98-125, 136-7, 144-5, 153, 178, 193-203, 210-16, 225, 240-1, 270, 274, 282-3, 397, 400, 624, 645.