Theodore Bikel, Best Known For Playing Tevye In ‘Fiddler On The Roof’, Dies At 91

Theodore Bikel, a veteran of the stage and screen who originated the role of Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music on Broadway, died on Monday at the age of 91.

Theodore Bikel Dead At 91

Bikel died in Los Angeles on July 20 of natural causes. His family announced the news with a post on his official website:

“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the passing of the wonderful Theodore Bikel. He passed of natural causes peacefully this morning, July 20th. He was loved by everyone who knew him, and he will be dearly missed. His family asks that you keep him in your prayers, and celebrate his remarkable life. If you wish to donate, Theo’s wish was that donations go to either The Actors Fund or Mazon.”

The actor was famous for originating the timeless role of Captain von Trapp in 1959’s Broadway debut of The Sound of Music, a role for which Bikel earned a Tony nomination. Bikel was also a prolific television actor, appearing in a wide variety of shows including Twilight Zone, Dynasty and Murder She Wrote. Bikel worked steadily over the years, his last credit on IMDB is from 2007’s The Little Traitor. No stranger to the big screen, Bikel also earned an Oscar nomination for his role in The Defiant Ones. But, Bikel is perhaps best known for his long-running turn as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. He played the starring role in the classic musical in various productions and tours – performing the role over 2,000 times.

He was so close to the role, that, even after Bikel stopped playing it in the late 2000s, he stuck with the spirit of the show. In 2008, Bikel began touring his a one-man show, Sholem Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears, about Sholem Aleichem, a Yiddish storyteller whose work inspired Fiddler on the Roof, and developed a documentary on his experience titled Theodore Bikel: In the Shoes of Sholem Aleichem.

On the stage, Bikel also appeared in various opera productions, including La Gazza Ladra at the Philadelphia Opera Company in 1989, and recorded 37 albums as a folk singer and musician.

Bikel didn’t just make an impact in the world of the performing arts, he was also a known civil rights activist. After becoming an American citizen in 1961, Bikel served a five-year term on the National Council for the Arts – appointed by President Carter in 1997. Over his long life, Bikel also worked as Senior Vice President of the American Jewish Congress, VP of the International Federation of Actors and was a board member of Amnesty International.

Bikel was born in Vienna, where he was raised until 1938, when his family was forced to flee the Nazis and moved to Palestine – and later Israel. In 1946, Bikel moved to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and eventually moved to the States in 1954.

He is survived by his wife Aimee, sons Rob and Danny and stepsons Zeev and Noam.