kubansky/abraham

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

Abraham Kubansky

Born on 23 November 1882 in Odessa, Ukraine.

He studied in a Russian school.

He began to act in his youth in Russia on the Russian stage.

In 1917 he came with his parents to America.

In 1923 he performed in Maurice Schwartz's "Yiddish Art Theatre", where he characterized himself in plays in character roles, especially in Russian translated repertory, e.g. "Anathema" by Leonid Andreyev, "The Lower Depths" by Maxim Gorki, and "Revizor (The Inspector General)" by Gogol. When Maurice Schwartz staged the English [version of] "Anathema", K. played his role in English.

Later he went again over to the "Yiddish Art Theatre", and he finished the 1929 season with the troupe, guest-acting in Philadelphia on the Yiddish stage.

In 1935 he settled in Los Angeles and here returned to the Yiddish theatre. He played with amateurs and those "dignified" as a composer for the local "folks-biene"

On 22 May 1965 K. passed away in Los Angeles. His friend, the actor Anatol Winogradoff, portrays him as such:

"He was popular among his fellow actors, known as a modest and serious person and a talented actor. However his love of young actors in America, in this time when he was here again acting on the stage was hard and connected? with great [egmt-nfsh]. After the last production of the Yiddish Art Theatre in Philadelphia in 1929, he was everywhere. From my point-of-view, why I am so sad, with tears in my eyes, said 'Heynt', located in the middle of the Yiddish theatre. If he leaves the theatre. 'I don't believe you; you have too much love for this theatre.' 'Father, if it was, you will never leave.' But he thought that he spoke.

The last year, being in Los Angeles, he often used to meet me. His great pleasure was to speak about the theatre, about his fellow members: Muni Weisenfreund, Yudel Dubinsky, Wolf Goldfaden et al. He was very sick in the last years of his life. His wife had preserved him, done everything she was able to do to keep him alive, but his sick heart had not survived."

Sh. E. from Anatol Wingradoff.

Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 6, page 6132.