Theodore Bikel, the folk singer, social activist, and actor best known for his Broadway roles in "The Sound of Music" and "Fiddler on the Roof," has died. He was 91.
The performer’s publicist, B. Harlan Boll, confirmed that Bikel died of natural causes Tuesday at the UCLA Medical Center near his
home in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Bikel was originally born in Vienna, Austria, in 1924, but he later lived in England-regulated
Palestine, according to The New York Times. He sang in a total of 21 languages and was able to play characters of countless nationalities.
The actor has become almost synonymous with "The Sound of Music" and "Fiddler on the Roof," as he created the role of Captain Georg Von Trapp in the original Broadway production in one and starred in more than 2,200 performances as Tevye the Milkman in the other, according to The Reporter.
In addition to his diverse spectrum of acting, Bikel is also credited with a filmography of more than 150 rolls, including “My Fair Lady.”
Bikel also served as a delegate at the wild 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, an officer of the American Jewish Congress, and founding member of the Newport Folk Festival. He was arrested in front of the Soviet Embassy in Washington in 1986 for protesting the plight of Soviet Jews, as he was an advocate for the right of Jewish people around the world.
Bikel enjoyed his diversified career.
“Horizons,” he once said, “are not meant to be shrunk. You do as much as you can in as many fields as you know how to master.”
As news of Bikel’s death spread, many fans took to Twitter to express their condolences.
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