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(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.
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