mintz/eli

Lives in the Yiddish Theatre
SHORT BIOGRAPHIES OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE yIDDISH THEATRE
aS DESCRIBED IN zALMEN zYLBERCWEIG'S "lEKSIKON FUN YIDISHN TEATER"
1931-1967

Eli Mintz
(Eliyahu Zatz)

Mintz was born on 1 August 1904 in Lemberg, Galicia.

He was the brother of Ludwig Satz.

He learned in a cheder and then in an elementary school. As a child he was forced to trade on the street. During the war he sang at the temple.

In 1918 he left for Krakow where he studied and made a living working in a coffee house.

In 1920 he returned to Lemberg, joined Gimpel's chorus and played in small parts, debuting as the “Bridegroom” in Anski’s “The Dybbuk”.

He then returned to Krakow, where he worked again as waiter, in a restaurant this time, and later was accepted to Adolf Meltzer’s troupe, then to other troupes, making a living as a waiter or merchant.

In 1924 he went to Danzig, where he, for a short time, worked as waiter and then as a haberdasher while simultaneously playing the role of the “lover” at the local Peretz organization.

In July 1927, M. arrived in America, where he worked in a shop and, although he continued working there, in the 1928-29 season, appeared as Eli Mintz in small roles at the Yiddish Art Theatre.

During the 1929-30 season he acted with Hollander in Boston, toured with Leon Blank at the end of the season, and in the summer worked as a waiter once again.

During the 1930-31 season he played at the intimate Art Theatre (director -- Mark Shweid), and when the theatre closed down, became waiter at “Our Camp” ["Unzer kemp"], but also organized a theatre evening for the diners.

In the 1931-32 season he played at the Odeon Theatre (stage manager Moshe Richter) and then in Detroit, where he received the opportunity to act with the touring Samuel Goldenburg.

During the summer he worked as waiter again at “Amusirer”, and in the 1932-33 season was once again engaged by the Yiddish Art Theatre.

Sh. E.

His face tells that he is Satz, but it lies [??], “Forward”, N.Y. 5 October,1928.

Adapted from the original Yiddish text found within the "Lexicon of the Yiddish Theatre" by Zalmen Zylbercweig, Volume 2, page 1328.