I am seeking information about a great-uncle named Jacob (Jack) Grossman who was a Yiddish actor in the 1920s and 1930s. 

My father told me that, later in his career, Jack owned or managed a Yiddish theater in the Bronx.  My father thought it was the Bronx Art Theater, but wasn't certain.  My father also said he thought it might have been a theater near Hunt's Point.

Can someone suggest a way I might be able to trace this down?  Is there any documentation on the Bronx Art Theater, or on other Yiddish theaters in the Bronx, that might identify owners and managers?

I do not know when he might have held this position, but he died in 1973 at the age of about 85, so I imagine it was several decades prior to that.

I'd appreciate any help or advice in tracking this down.

GH Marcus
ghmarcus@...

Gail,

A search at www.fultonhistory.com for Bronx Art Theater comes up with newspaper articles from at least the1930's and 1940's.  There were lots of hits, so I didn't browse through them all.

Do an exact search at the above site for "Bronx Art Theater"

The site is free, and has old digitized newspapers.  You can search by surname, or by address also, or any keyword.

Good luck in your search,

Sherri Bobish

Gail H. Marcus:

One of the librarians at the New York Public Library Dorot Jewish Division (who I got to know in the 10 years (before March of this year) that I regularly spent time reading material there) -- a lady named Amanda (she also goes by Miryem-Khaye) Seigel -- is a devoted Yiddishist and is interested in the history of Yiddish-language theater (and -- in fact -- has sung and acted in Yiddish); she might be able to track down information about the Bronx Art Theater (or know sources already).

The Dorot Jewish Division can be reached (librarians -- at least in September when I last sent email to them -- can be reached by email, even though the old NYPL main building is closed to the public) via dorotjewish@.... (I hope that it is OK to include that email address -- and the one I will be giving below).

(A page on Amanda/Miryem-Khaye Seigel -- with a link to her website -- may be found here: https://web.uwm.edu/yiddish-stage/author/amanda-miryem-khaye-siegel .

(I wish you Good Luck, too.)

Ethan Kent
New York City
ewkent@... .

Hi from Paris,
I have been often in New York for my researches at :
Center for Jewish History https://www.cjh.org/
Yivo  https://www.yivo.org/
and I know they detain archives on Yiddish theater, in Europe and in America, specially New York.
Khavershaft
Bernard Flam
Archives & History at Medem Center - Arbeter Ring (Bund / Workmen Circle of France)