APRIL 18 • 2024 | 71
J
N

(Mendel Berlinger), Sophie 
Tucker (Sofia Kalish), Phil 
Foster (Fivel Feldman), Tiny 
Tim (Herbert Butros Khaury), 
Harry Richman (Henry 
Reichman Jr.), and many 
others, including my favorite, 
Buddy Baer (Jacob Henry 
Baer). Boxer and actor Buddy 
Baer was heavyweight boxing 
champion and uncle to Max 
Jr., who played Jethro on the 
Beverly Hillbillies, one of my 
favorite shows as a kid. 
During the late 1920s, Al 
Siegel became Ethel Merman’s 
coach and accompanist. 
(Ethel was born Ethel Agnes 
Zimmermann.) 
Prior to Al’s work with Ethel, 
he was Bee Palmer’s accompa-
nist. Al and Bee were husband 
and wife for a few years. Al 
sued the famous boxing legend, 
Jack Dempsey, for $250,000. 
According to Al, Jack tried to 
lure Bee away from him. The 
“scandal” occurred during the 
decade that Al was in three 
Broadway productions, Ziegfeld 
Follies of 1927, Here’s Howe and 
Happy Go Lucky. Al also made 
a few records around that time. 
Al worked with Ethel in 
her 1930 Broadway debut as 
a performer in the musical 
Girl Crazy. She was a big hit! 
In the musical, Ethel sang a 
marvelous rendition of George 
and Ira Gershwin’s song, “I 
Got Rhythm.
” Al did the vocal 
arrangement for that song and 
others. Al was supposed to be 
her onstage pianist opening 
night, but he became ill and 
couldn’t perform. He was 
credited and got billing for the 
production, though. 
Al Siegel claimed that he 
was the reason that Ethel had a 
successful career in show busi-
ness. However, Ethel denied the 
claim. 
Ethel Merman was also one 
of the main characters in the 
film It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, 

George 
Jessel

Al Jolson

Harry Roy 
Gozzard

One of the autographed photos my dad used to get 
from the headliners at the Elmwood. Sammy Davis 
Jr. converted to Judaism.

Al Siegel and Ethel Merman rehearsing for Girl 
Crazy. Courtesy of The New York Public Library 
(1930).

Sophie 
Tucker was 
one of many 
Jewish enter-
tainers who 
performed at 
the Elmwood.

continued on page 73

