Story Summary:
Ludwig Satz was a Yiddish comedian. He was born in Lvov, Poland. In 1910 he joined a troupe of Yiddish actors. he played in Gordin's Got and Mentsch under Taivi. He appeared in Budapest and London and achieved Broadway success as Abe Potash in Potash and Perlmutter. He also acted with Jacob Adler and Maurice Schwartz. Ludwig performed in Boris Thomashefsky's Yiddish Venture on Broadway. He later toured Europe and South America. In 1925, a New York Times article stated that Ludwig Satz was the greatest Yiddish comic actor of all time.
~Blog by Renee Meyers
Ludwig Satz- Greatest Yiddish Comic Actor of all Time
Ludwig Satz was born in Lemberg, Austria Hungary (Galicia), which is now Lviv, Ukraine). His father was a tailor. Ludwig also had two brothers named Alexander and Eli (Known as Eli Mintz). Ludwig attended a Cheder and a Public School.
Ludgwig got his start in the acting profession when he just a toddler. He was 5 years old when he got a part in a play by Sharkanski’s located in the local Coliseum Hall. When he was 7 years old, Ludwig got a part as a soloist in a professional theater that was showing the film “Khinke un Pinke.” Ludwig also began singing in the children’s chorus for the local Blush Opera.
When he was older, Ludwig worked for a Photographer for one year and afterward, he worked in book binding. For a short time, Ludwig owned a small book and paper business. He took full advantage of this opportunity and spent time reading the world’s literature in both German and Polish.
Although Ludwig tried out several fields of employment, he continued to have a nagging urge for the theater. Therefore, Ludwig started going to theatres to act. As a result, he was eventually eliminated from his regular job. In 1900, Adolph Meltzer, an acquaintance in show business, offered Ludwig a job as a chorus singer in the Meltzer troupe in Przemysl. This would be Ludwig’s debut as “a Jew” in Gordin’s play entitled, “G-d, Man and the Devil.” When Ludwig traveled with the troupe across Galicia, he had the opportunity to act as “Shmuel Yosi” in another production by Gordin called “Di Shkhite.” Ludwig joined a troupe of Yiddish actors in 1910 and played in Gordin's Got Mentsh und der Taivl. Ludwig joined a troupe of Yiddish actors in 1910 and played in Gordin's Got Mentsh und der Taivl.
In 1911, Ludwig returned to Lemberg and acted In Ezra Gimpel’s troupe where he remained for a year as the first comic. He also acted in “LMD” in Gordin’s Der Vilder Mentsch (The Wild Man). Later he went to Budapest where he acted for 6 months with the Vertheymen. He soon became a partner with Shnek, the director of the troupe.
Ludwig formed his own theater company in Galicia when he was 18 years old. Before he was 20 Ludwig was hired by Maurice Materlink for an English role in London. In 1912, He emigrated to the United States shortly after the outbreak of World War I. From 1912 until February 1913, Ludwig acted in London’s Yiddish Pavilion Theater. In May 1914, Ludwig went to Lemberg where he once performed in their Yiddish theater. Due to the outbreak of WW1, Ludwig left Lemberg and traveled through London to America where he became the publicity man and business manager for the Roof Garden of the National Theater in New York.
In 1914-1915, Ludwig worked in Philadelphia as a performer and stage manager at the National Theater. In 1915, Ludwig worked a half-season as an employee as an “extra” in the Lubin Film Society. For the next few years, Ludwig had many acting jobs. He acted with Anshel Schour at the Arch Street Theater, at the Irving Place Theater, and the Second Avenue Theater. Ludwig acted at Irving Place Theatre for two seasons. In 1919 he was among the founders of the Yiddish Art Theatre.
He also acted with Jacob Adler and Maurice Schwartz, and in Boris Thomashefsky's Yiddish venture on Broadway (1923–24). Later he toured Europe and South America. In 1927-1929, he acted at the Rebbe Theater and the Satz Public Theater. Since 1925, Ludwig alone composed all of the plays in which he acted and a part of his drawings have also been used for the stage designs. He wrote the lyrics and music to many of the plays.
In 1931, Ludwig played the male lead in “His Wife’s Lover.” This film was billed as the first Jewish Musical Comedy talking picture. He also played on Broadway. One of his most notable roles was as Abe Potash in the 1926 Potash and Perlmutter of A.H. Woods. He started in “A Galitsiane Khasene” (A Wedding in Galitsia.
In between Ludwig’s acting jobs, he married Lillie Feinman and they had three daughters named Celia, Mimi and Frances. Fyvush Finkel, a famous actor was interviewed and said that Ludwig Satz was his mentor. He said about Ludwig Satz: “He was a great actor. Now that was an actor! Now that was a Comic! Now that was a dramatic actor! I only wish I could be a Ludwig Satz!”
Ludwig joined a troupe of Yiddish actors in 1910 and played in Gordin's Got Mentsh und der Taivl. He 1913. He also acted with Jacob Adler and Maurice Schwartz, and in Boris Thomashefsky's Yiddish venture on Broadway (1923–24). Later he toured Europe and South America. Mr. Satz appeared in numerous productions during the past 25 years, the most recent being “Golden Land” last season. A 1925 New York Times article singles Ludwig Satz out as the greatest Yiddish comic actor of the time
Ludwig Satz died at Beth Israel Hospital at the age of 53. He had been ill for some time. Ludwig’s last role was in the Golden Land at the Public Theater in 1943. He was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Queens, NY.
~Blog by Renee Meyers
