grossman/samuel/b

Lives in the Yiddish Theatre
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE Yiddish THEATRE
aS DESCRIBED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"
1931-1969

Samuel B. Grossman

Born August 27, 1879, in Zboró, Hungary.

His father was a merchant.

He learned in yeshiva, and studied secular subjects privately with a tutor. At twelve years old Grossman became an orphan, and went to his brother, a Rav in Lemish who kept him for two years in a yeshiva. From there Grossman traveled in 1893 to America, where he worked the first years in various jobs.

He frequented the Yiddish theatre and Grossman harbored the desire to be an actor. He joined the “Progressive Dramatic Club,” in which he took part in the performances from time to time.

In 1903 Grossman cast off all his jobs and became absorbed by acting for two years in the New York area.

In 1905 Grossman was engaged by [Samuel] Aged in the Clinton Vaudeville House. A short time later, Grossman married Fannie Adler and in 1906 took over the management of the Third Street Theatre, where he performed together with his wife.

In 1907 Grossman managed the Columbia Theatre in Boston, and from 1908-1913 managed various theatres in Chicago and then in Winnipeg, Canada.

Over the last fifteen years Grossman toured with his troupe, and wherever [he went] his children also performed, both in America and Canada, and for three years he was the first to perform Yiddish theatre (in the Savoy Theatre) in San Francisco, California. In 1927 Grossman initiated the building of the Rolland Theatre in Brooklyn.

Sh. E. from Sholem Perlmutter.

Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 1, page 523.