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Whatever happened to the Goldbergs?

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Q: We often have heard the ex-
pression "descendants of Eastern
European Jews," particularly in ref-
erence to diseases like Tay Sachs.
We have read that because of the
shtedexistence and marriage among
cousins and relatives, recessive
genes were maintained over gener-
ations.
What exactly were the boundaries
of Eastern Europe? Specifically,
what countries were considered in
this group? Also, were these con-
sidered the Ashkenazi Jews?
From reader S.K

Q: Among my favoritelli programs ecutives demanded that Mrs. Berg
growing up was "The Goldbergs," fire Loeb, but she refused. In Sep-
starring Gertrude Berg as Molly Gold- tember 1954, DuMont cancelled
The Goldbergs. (Loeb was then
berg. I understand it was a popular blacklisted by the industry, and
radio show before television. Why he committed suicide in 1955.
That same year, DuMont went out
don't I ever see reruns?
There was an updated version in of business.)
In 1956, Mrs. Berg hired a new
the early 1960s of "The Goldbergs"
actor to portray Jake, and using
living in the suburbs. Later, Gertrude the original TV cast she produced
Berg starred with Sir Cedric Hard- 39 new episodes of The Goldbergs.
wicke in "Mrs. G Goes To College," The series was put into syndica-
where Mrs. Berg played a Jewish tion by Guild Films. This is prob-
matron living as a student on a col- ably what you are thinking of
when you mentioned an "updated
lege campus in some small town, version."
with Sir Cedric as her faculty advis-
Aside from some TV commer-
er. But alas, I never see reruns ei- cials, Mrs. Berg never again por-
trayed Molly Goldberg. In 1959
ther.
Gertrude Berg will, for me, always she returned to Broadway to star
in the successful play A Majority
be Molly Goldberg, whose Jewish of One by Leonard Spigelglass.
mother portrayal is classic. Why, af- She portrayed Mrs. Jacoby, a Jew-
ter her early passing, haven't we ish widow from Brooklyn visiting
heard about this great Jewish ac- Japan who becomes involved with
tress of radio, television and stage? a Japanese native, Mr. Asano
From reader B.K (played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke).

A: First, it is unclear what you
mean by "shtetl existence" and
what effect it had on genetically
transmitted diseases. If you
mean to imply that most of the
families in shtetls intermarried
with one another and thus cre-
ated and maintained discreet
gene pools, it would be difficult
to prove. It is true that in pre-in-
Her work won Mrs. Berg a Tony
dustrial societies many of the in-
A: "The Goldbergs" was indeed Award as best actress.
habitants of small towns in any
Mrs. Berg also appeared in a
based on a radio show called 'The
given society are related by mar-
Rise of the Goldbergs," which be- number of installments of The El-
riage. History shows, however,
gan in 1929: It was radio's oldest gin Hour, The US Steel Hour and
that shtetl Jews routinely mar-
soap opera. The creator and cre- The Alcoa Hour. As you pointed
ried persons from outside their
ative force behind the 15-minute out, Berg and Hardwicke were
towns and village.
show was Gertrude Berg. Born paired in the series "Mrs. G Goes
Your question also implies that
Gertrude Edelstein in New York to College," 26 episodes that ran
marriages between cousins were
in 1899, she married Louis Berg on CBS from October 1961 until
unusually high among Jews. Al-
April 1962. (The Gin the title did
in 1918.
though Jewish inter-cousin mar-
By 1941, 'The Rise of the Gold- not stand for Goldberg. The char-
riage is not unusual, there is no
bergs" was America's most popu- acter's name was Sarah Green.
evidence that it was so prevalent
lar radio show in history, Her daughter, Susan, was por-
as to be a major source of the ge-
broadcast on a record 54 stations. trayed by Marion Ross, later
netic transmission of diseases.
In 1948, Mrs. Berg adapted the known as Marion Cunningham,
(Inter-cousin marriage in rab-
show for Broadway as Me and Richie's mom, on "Happy Days.")
binic, especially hasidic, families
Aside from "Mrs. G Goes to Col-
Molly, with herself in the lead role
is higher than in the general Jew-
as Molly Goldberg. Three years lege," the only other TV role Mrs.
ish population, and among these
later, she repeated her success in Berg appeared in was that of Aunt
families there is evidence of ge-
a Paramount feature film called Sarah on the Oct 30, 1961, episode
netic traits recurring through
Molly (originally released in 1950 of the CBS comedy "Hennessey,"
generations.)
starring Jackie Cooper and Abby
as The Goldbergs).
Second, while there is no pre-
The new CBS television net- Dalton. She died Sept. 14, 1966.
cise definition of Eastern Europe,
You ask why you haven't seen
work brought Gertrude Berg's fic-
in general it comprises most of
tional family to the small screen. reruns of "The Goldbergs." It all
the Slavic-speaking lands, the
The 30-minute show opened in depends on who owns the rights
Baltic countries and a few others.
January 1949 as The Goldbergs to the series, if they are offering
By today's map, Eastern Europe
and was an instant success (the them for telecast and if anyone is
includes Russia (up to the Urals
radio version continued until interested in paying to put them
and excluding the Caucasus),
1950). CBS ran The Goldbergs un- on the air.
Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Slo-
You also ask why, after her
til June 1951, when it was picked
vakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithua-
up by NBC, which aired the show passing, we haven't heard more
nia, Romania, Bulgaria and
until September 1953 (ethnic hu- about Gertrude Berg? Mainly be-
Moldava. (Although Bulgaria
mor was going out of style). The cause she's dead. El
usually is included in Eastern
Goldbergs then ran on the Du-
Europe, its Jewish community
Mont TV network.
was mostly Sephardic. Thus in
Meanwhile, the American Send questions to Tell Me Why,
terms of Jewish history, Bulgar-
broadcasting business was sent The Jewish News, 27676
ia often is included in the Balka-
reeling by the publication of Red Franklin Road, Southfield, MI
ns rather than Eastern Europe.)
Channels, a book that purported 48034, or fax to (248) 354-6069.
Eastern Europe, along with
to list everyone in radio and tele- All letters must be signed and in-
Germany, was indeed the home
vision who was a Communist. clude the writer's address. Ques-
of Ashkenazic Jewry, who for the
tions answered in the column will
Among those named was Philip
most part, spoke Yiddish or Ger-
Loeb, who portrayed Molly Gold- feature only the writer's initials
man.
berg's husband, Jake. DuMont ex- and city of residence.

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