Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History 

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

50 Years of Fiddler
I 

think it was at the old Americana 
Theater in Southfield, but I cannot 
recall why I was there. Maybe I was 
on a date? But I sure do remember the 
film. It was Fiddler on the Roof, a block-
buster, one of the most notable films in 
the history of American cinema.
The script of Fiddler on the Roof 
is based upon one of Yiddish writer 
Sholem Aleichem’s most 
beloved characters “Tevye 
the Dairyman.” The 
essence of the movie is 
the story of Tevye and his 
five daughters, three of 
marriageable age. They 
all live in a shtetl, which 
most historians believe is 
a portrait of the one in which Aleichem 
(1859-1916) was raised. 
Released in November 1971, the 
movie Fiddler on the Roof celebrated 
its 50th birthday last year. The film is 
based upon a play of the same name 
that debuted at the Fisher Theatre 
in Detroit on July 25, 1964, before it 
began its storied run on Broadway a 
few months later. I did not know this 
until JN Associate Editor David Sachs 
brought this fact to my attention. I 
dove into the William Davidson Digital 
Archive of Jewish Detroit History and 
soon found that Fiddler on the Roof has 
a long history in the city and Michigan.
First, there are several stories about 
the premier of Fiddler at the Fisher. The 
play starred Zero Mostel and received 
good reviews in JN (July 31 and Aug. 
7, 1964) — there was a lengthy daily 
newspaper strike in Detroit that year 
that may have saved the play from some 
negative reviews. I also found a small 
item about Congregation B’nai David 
sponsoring the play (July 3, 1964). And, 
within weeks, Borenstein’s and Spitzer’s 
were selling recordings of the music.

The show was really a work in prog-
ress when it first debuted in Detroit. 
After the test drive here, several songs 
and script elements were scrapped 
and/or rewritten before it appeared on 
Broadway. Obviously, the producers, 
writers, director and actors hit the 
right combination. Fiddler on the Roof 
became nothing short of legendary.
For example, how many of us know 
the songs? We all know “If I Were a 
Rich Man” as we “ya ba dibba dibba 
dibba dibba dibba dibba dum” all day 
long (my spell check went nuts on this 
phrase). And there is “Tradition.” I can 
still hear Topol, who played Tevye in 
the movie, sing this out loud and clear.
Since 1964, Fiddler on the Roof has 
been performed thousands of times 
in professional theatrical productions 
around the world. Zero Mostel and 
Theodore Bikel also became famous 
portrayers of Tevye. Moreover, there 
have been thousands of addition-
al performances at high schools 
and colleges, and by local theater 
troupes.
Fiddler was again in the news last 
month. Saturday Night Live paro-
died Fiddler in a skit. This is a sure 
sign of the ubiquitous influence of 
Fiddler. As reported in the JN, the 
University Musical Society at the 
University of Michigan staged a 
concert performance of Fiddler 
on the Roof featuring the Grand 
Rapids Symphony and the sing-
ing of various students. 
Simply stated, Fiddler on the 
Roof is great work. And, now that I’ve 
written this column, its songs will be 
playing in my head for a few days! 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN 
Foundation archives, available for free at 
www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

62 | APRIL 7 • 2022 

