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