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Don't Sing It Again, Sam

The unforgettable — ouch — voice of the first Nathan Detroit.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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Sam Levene was, by every-
Q: We recently had some friends wear a garment made from
over for Shabbat lunch, and we clothing containing a mixture one's account, a wonderful ac-
(shaatnez). tor. But there was a problem.
started talking about our family of linen and wool
Only Jewish tailors and dress- With Guys and Dolls, he took
backgrounds. Of the six adults at makers would be careful not to on a leading role in a musical
the table, four of our grandfathers use such forbidden cloth.
— and Sam Levene couldn't
Some societies regarded tai- sing.
made their living as tailors. Then
"In 'Sue Me,' his only song,
we started thinking about other loring as a lowly trade, fit only
he would invariably come in on
for
the
inferior
elements
of
the
people we knew and realized that
the wrong note, until my father
population, such as Jews.
many of their grandparents and
Tailoring and dressmaking put in 'call a lawyer and,' in an
great-grandparents also had should be distinguished from ascending five-note phrase, to
worked in tailoring and dressmak- the mass manufacture of cloth- give him the means to slide up
ing. Why were so many Jews in the ing in which thousands of im- to a relatively accurate starting
migrant Jews who came to point," Susan Loesser writes in
clothing trade?
America
were employed begin- A Most Remarkable Fella, a bi-
A: There are many reasons
ning
in
the
late 1800s. Quite of- ography of her father. "When
why Jews predominated in the
ten,
the
only
skill required in he was in a group number like
needle trades, most evolving
the clothing factories was the `The Oldest Established,' he
from the circumstances under
was under strict orders to
which Diaspora Jews have lived ability to operate a sewing ma- mouth the lyrics."
chine.
over the centuries.
According to Ms. Loesser, a
In countries where Jews
song
called "Traveling Light,"
Q: Can you tell me the name of
were forced to reside in ghettos,
to
be
sung by Nathan Detroit
the only tailor or dressmaker the volunteer program for the IDF (I and Sky Masterson, was even
they were allowed to patronize think it's called Sarel) and where I taken out of the play because
was a fellow ghetto resident.
can call for more information?
no one could take Sam Levene's
Yet even in places where no
"singing."
From reader EL in Fenton
ghettos existed, Jews tended to
"He couldn't hear the
A: The program is actually
have their clothing made only
rhythm and no one could find
Sar-El,
the
National
Project
for
by their co-religionists.
Volunteers for Israel, and you a key he could sing it in," Ms.
Before the beginning of mass-
Loesser says. "... At perfor-
produced, ready-to-wear cloth- can reach them in Skokie,
mances on the road in
at
(847)
432-8733.
ing in the late 19th and early
Philadelphia, Robert Alda
20th centuries, people
would cover for him and
went to tailors and dress-
everyone would wait,'-
makers for custom-made
cringing, for the number
garments. Being fitted
to be over."
for clothing involved a
At last, the producers
level of social intimacy
insisted the number be
that simply did not exist
cut. The song has never
between Jews and gen-
been heard since.
tiles in most countries,
(In case you're inter-
especially Christian
ested, you can still find
ones. A Jew felt more
recordings of the original
comfortable with a mem-
cast of Guys and Dolls
ber of his own communi-
Be assured Ms. Loesser
ty taking his
was not exaggerating in
measurements. The feel-
her assessment of Sam
ing was likewise for gen-
Levene's voice.)
tiles.
Of course later the
Language also pre-
play would come to the
sented obstacles. Jews of-
movie screen — ironi-
ten did not speak the
cally featuring Frank
standard language of the
Sinatra, who can sing
host society, but rather a
better than anyone in
Jewish tongue or dialect
the world, as Nathan
unintelligible to most This "Nathan Detroit" could sing not so the ye ry first. Detroit, and Marlon
gentiles. For example, in
Brando, who absolutely,
Q: My favorite musical is Guys
some parts of eastern Europe
absolutely and absolutely, I do
there were Jews who spoke and Dolls, I've seen it 100 times. I mean absolutely, cannot sing,
Yiddish only.
know the playwright, Frank Loess- as Sky Masterson. O
In many places, Jews wore a
distinctive form of dress, creat- er, was Jewish. But wasn't one of
ed by themselves or enforced the original leads in the play also
Send questions to Tell Me Why,
through legislation. It took Jewish?
The Jewish News, 27676
A: The original cast of the Franklin Road, Southfield, MI
craftsmen with special skills
and knowledge to create Jews' play Guys and Dolls featured 48034, or fax to (810) 354-6069
attire. The material out of Robert Alda as Sky Masterson, All letters must be signed and in:`
which the clothing was made Vivian Blaine as Adelaide, Is- elude the writer's address. Ques-
could have presented a prob- abel Bigley as Sarah Brown, tions answered in the column will
lem. According to Halachah, and Sam Levene as Nathan De- feature only the writer's initials
Jewish law, a Jew may not troit.
and city of residence.

—