Story Summary:
Leon Leibgold was born to parents who were both Yiddish actors. In his youth, Leon worked as a Vaudeville
performer. Leibgold was an actor in both the Yiddish theater as well as in Yiddish Lan-guage films. Leibgold gained fame by acting in several Yiddish Language films including Yidl Mitn Fidl and The Dyb-buk.
He was also known for his role in the film Tevye. After completing the Dybbuk, Leibgold and his wife, Lili Liana (Leibgold's former costar), escaped the holocaust in 1937 when they left Poland for the United States. ~Blog by Renee Meyers
Leon Liebgold: Yiddish Stage and Screen Actor
Leon Liebgold was born on July 31, 1910 in Krakow, Poland. Leon’s parents were the Yiddish actors Zalman and Bashe Liebgold. Bashe started out as a chorus girl in the Galician Province. After she got married, Bashe switched to comedy character roles. She worked on the same stage as her husband. Zalman was employed as the director of Yiddish theatre in Krakov and across the Galician province. In 1939, when the Nazi’s captured Poland, Zalman, Bashe and their three children: Leon (the oldest), his brother, Jan and his sister, Tanke wandered from their Krakow home to the city of Tarnow. In Tarnow the Liebgold’s worked under Nazi supervision for about three years. Zalman eventually became ill from both hunger and cold. Due to his physical weakness, Zalman and his children could not keep up with Bashe and Tanke and Zalman and his children were left on their own. Bashe and Tanke were subsequently arrested and transported to Treblinka where they were murdered.
Throughout Leon’s childhood, he was always told that he was born with a beautiful voice. Leon was selected to be a Synagogue choir boy. He also acted in children's roles in his father's troupe. Eventually, Leon became a vaudeville performer and an actor in Poland. He acted in Vienna’s "Reklam" Theatre. In 1928, Leon joined the "Vilna Troupe", where he acted until 1933. He was also able to find employment throughout many European countries. In 1934 Leon joined a "cooperative" troupe in Krakow and by late 1934, Leon became active in "Novoshtshi"(a theater in Warsaw) where he was given small-parts with the "Yiddishe bande".
During the Golden Age of Yiddish movie-making in the 1930’s, Leon immigrated to the United States. Here he worked as an actor in the Yiddish theatre and had roles in Yiddish language films. Aside from working in his youth as a vaudeville performer and actor on stages in Poland, Leon gained fame by acting in several Yiddish language films including Yidl Mitn Fidl (1936) with Molly Picon and The Dybbuk. For decades, Leon was a stage actor in Yiddish theaters, such as the Folksbiene theater, in America. Leon had reportedly worked in almost all of the Yiddish Theaters in America at that time. Right after the filming on The Dybbuk wrapped, Leon and Liliana left Poland. After they departed, World War II broke out. Fortunately, Leon and Liliana left Poland just in time to escape the Holocaust.
In 1935, Leon got married to his frequent co-star named Lili Liliana. She had been cast in the 1937 film of "The Dybbuk" as the girl possessed by the evil spirit. Leon is best known for his roles in the Dybbuk (1937), and Tevya (1939). Leon and Lili performed for many years onstage together.
Leon went on to serve in the United States Army where he was employed as a sergeant during World War II. From 1943 until 1946 he served in the American army in the "Counter-Intelligence Core." After returning from the army, Leon acted in New York and across the country until 1954 where Leon and Liliana performed in 1954 at the Soleil Theatre." In Germany in 1945, Leon searched for and found his brother Jan and brought him to America. After transitioning to civilian life from the army, Leon began acting in New York and across the country until 1954, then Leon and Lili traveled to Argentina where they were invited to be guest-stars. Leon and Liliana also toured South America in the 1950s.
Leon also starred in films in the 1930's. He also had a leading role in the 1936 film "Yidl Mit'n Fidl," with Molly Picon. Other plays which Leon performed in were "Mazel Tov, Molly" (1950); "Man Without a Home" (1952); "The Wedding March" (1956); "My Son and I" (1960); "God, Man and the Devil" (1975); "A Goldfaden Dream" (1979); "The Romanian Wedding" (1981); "The Marriage Contract" (1982); "L'Chaim to Life" (1986), and "Riverside Drive" (1987). Leon performed as a stage actor in Yiddish theaters in America for decades, including at the famous Folksbiene Theater.
In the late 1970's Leon was president of two Actor’s Organizations. He was President of the Hebrew Actor’s Union, one of the oldest theatrical unions in the United States. He was also the President of the Theatrical Alliance (previously known as the Yiddish actor’s fund) which is a welfare organization for actors working in New York.
September 1954 in the Soleil Theatre, in an operetta of Wolf Julian's adaptation of Peretz Hirshbein's "Grine Felder (Green Fields)" (music by Sholom Secunda), in Brazil and in the land of Israel. Since 1955 he has acted in New York, and has in 1958 and in 1959 went on a tour across America for the Yiddish National Farband.
In an interview from his New York home a few before his passing, Liebgold said he is “very happy” that “The Dybbuk” is again being screened. Discussion of the movie nearly brought the 80-year-old actor to tears as he recalled the film, the period and the many fellow actors and friends who worked on “The Dybbuk” and perished in the Holocaust. Gershon Serota, who portrayed the cantor in “The Dybbuk,” was killed in the Warsaw Ghetto; others committed suicide. The director, Michal Waszynski, managed to flee to Italy and survived, according to Liebgold.
Since 1955 he has acted in New York, and has in 1958 and in 1959 went on a tour across America for the Yiddish National Farband. In the Summers, Leon worked as a staff member in the troupes of the various Yiddish camps.
In an interview from his New York home approximately three years prior to his death, Leon said he was “very happy” that “The Dybbuk” was being screened once again. Discussing the film nearly brought the 80-year-old actor to tears as he recalled the film, the period, and the many fellow actors and friends who worked on “The Dybbuk” and perished in the Holocaust.
Leon recalled that Gershon Serota, who portrayed the cantor in “The Dybbuk,” was caught in Warsaw during the Nazi invasion of Poland during World War II. He spent his final years living in the Warsaw Ghetto, and died in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. Others that Leon worked with on the film committed suicide. The film’s director, Michal Waszynski, managed to flee to Italy and survived.
On 9/3/1993, Leon Leibgold died at age 83 in New Hope, PA. Leon and Liliana were married almost 60 years until she predeceased him. Leon is buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Queens.
