I am the grandson of Adolph Bell and son of Cilli Bell.
My grandfather continued his career as a Yiddish actor and director in the United States after leaving Vienna for Philadelphia in 1938. My mother left Vienna for London and appeared as a featured artist in many of the Yiddish theaters that existed in East London at that time, among them the Grand Palais. There she met and married my father. After World War Two, they immigrated to the United States. My mother rarely appeared in the Yiddish theater in the United States and then, only with my grandfather in local Philadelphia productions which he directed and in which he performed.
As a child I remember having many notables of the European Yiddish theater visit my grandfather's Philadelphia home, among them Molly Picon, who by that time had transitioned to the American theatre. She always said she owed her career to my grandfather, as he gave her her first major opportunity to perform at the theater in Vienna he managed.
I recall visiting London in 1960 and her inviting me to see her appear with Sir Robert Morley in A Majority of One, playing in the West End. On another occasion she invited my grandparents and our entire family to see her perform in Milk and Honey in Philadelphia's Playhouse in the Park.
My grandfather, because of the negative connotation of the name Adolph, changed his name to first name to Abraham. He lived the remainder of his life in Philadelphia, my grandmother, Leah, (nee Konigsberg) passed away about ten years before his death which took place in 1977. He continued to write, and became an artist of some local fame. My mother passed away in 2004 in Tucson, Arizona.
If you would be interested in obtaining any additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.
I am the grandson of Adolph Bell and son of Cilli Bell.
My grandfather continued his career as a Yiddish actor and director in the United States after leaving Vienna for Philadelphia in 1938. My mother left Vienna for London and appeared as a featured artist in many of the Yiddish theaters that existed in East London at that time, among them the Grand Palais. There she met and married my father. After World War Two, they immigrated to the United States. My mother rarely appeared in the Yiddish theater in the United States and then, only with my grandfather in local Philadelphia productions which he directed and in which he performed.
As a child I remember having many notables of the European Yiddish theater visit my grandfather's Philadelphia home, among them Molly Picon, who by that time had transitioned to the American theatre. She always said she owed her career to my grandfather, as he gave her her first major opportunity to perform at the theater in Vienna he managed.
I recall visiting London in 1960 and her inviting me to see her appear with Sir Robert Morley in A Majority of One, playing in the West End. On another occasion she invited my grandparents and our entire family to see her perform in Milk and Honey in Philadelphia's Playhouse in the Park.
My grandfather, because of the negative connotation of the name Adolph, changed his name to first name to Abraham. He lived the remainder of his life in Philadelphia, my grandmother, Leah, (nee Konigsberg) passed away about ten years before his death which took place in 1977. He continued to write, and became an artist of some local fame. My mother passed away in 2004 in Tucson, Arizona.
If you would be interested in obtaining any additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Michael S. Levy.