He sang in 21 languages.

July 21, 2015 8:49 PM

Theodore Bikel, multilingual troubadour, character actor and social activist who created the role of Baron von Trapp in the original Broadway production of “The Sound of Music” and toured for decades as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof,” died on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The prolific Tony- and Oscar-nominated actor and singer was an artist of many passions. He also was once a guest on Buckley's Firing Line to discuss student unrest.
posted by Sir Rinse (29 comments total)

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As a child I had books on tape read by Theodore Bikel. I don't remember what books they were, but I remember being haunted by his voice.
posted by deadbilly at 9:12 PM on July 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by Meatafoecure at 9:18 PM on July 21, 2015

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posted by Melismata at 9:22 PM on July 21, 2015

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posted by mosk at 9:27 PM on July 21, 2015

He was known by many names, but I'll always remember him as Rance Muhammitz.

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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 9:48 PM on July 21, 2015 [4 favorites]

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posted by Shmuel510 at 10:18 PM on July 21, 2015

I grew up listening to him because my parents had lots of his albums. I can still hear his songs in various languages in my head.

He was also great in The Russians Are Coming, a movie made at the height of the cold war, that let us see Russians as just ordinary people.

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posted by eye of newt at 10:46 PM on July 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

I knew him better as Worf's adoptive father in The Next Generation, and as a murderer-of-the-week on Columbo.
posted by dumbland at 10:55 PM on July 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

I saw him at the 1968 Newport Folk Festival. When I saw his name on the schedule, my thinking went "Urrghh! Old, old! Broadway borscht! not-Dylan!!" What I got was a gifted, fascinating song interpreter and performer, unusually sensitive to the nuances (such as they were) of, I guess I'd love to unironically characterize as, counter cultural concerns.
posted by Chitownfats at 1:16 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by On the Corner at 2:59 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by maggiemaggie at 4:51 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by briank at 5:36 AM on July 22, 2015

Wow. I knew he was multi talented, but what an obit.

Alav Ha-sholom
posted by clvrmnky at 5:37 AM on July 22, 2015

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zol er hobn a likhtikn gan-eydn
posted by femmegrrr at 6:05 AM on July 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

two incredible videos: his last performance, (worth watching until the very end) and giving the priestly blessing (birkat hakohanim) to the lubavitcher rebbe
posted by femmegrrr at 6:10 AM on July 22, 2015 [2 favorites]

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posted by allthinky at 6:11 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by Gelatin at 6:50 AM on July 22, 2015

He also was once a guest on Buckley's Firing Line yt to discuss student unrest.

And on an episode of Babylon 5 as a rabbi and family friend of Susan Ivanova.
posted by Gelatin at 6:52 AM on July 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

He definitely added some class to 200 Motels. Which I am sad to say is probably my only experience of his long career.

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posted by njohnson23 at 8:35 AM on July 22, 2015 [1 favorite]

The song in femmegrrr's first video:

"Volt ikh gehat koyekh/ Volt ikh gelofn in di gasn/ Volt ikh geshrign sholem/ Oy Sholem, sholem, sholem."

"If had the strength, I would tear through the streets, crying peace, peace, peace."

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posted by the_blizz at 8:44 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:25 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by the sobsister at 9:31 AM on July 22, 2015

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posted by thegreatfleecircus at 11:20 AM on July 22, 2015

Me too, eye of newt — some of our best family moments are remembering the songs from my Dad's Theodore Bikel records. This is how I think of Theodore Bikel (pardon the blurriness).

By the way, I'm in the middle of getting our records ripped (that's where the album image is from). I've recorded them off the albums and are on my computer as huge Audacity projects. I need to find the time to cut them into individual songs, clean them up, and MP3 them. If this list of songs means something to you, drop me a note (in this thread, I guess) and when I'm done (don't hold your breath) I'll find a way to share them with you.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:25 AM on July 22, 2015

•🎼🎼😢 another bit of my childhood gone.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 11:36 AM on July 22, 2015

I know his singing from the Pennywhistlers. What an immense talent.
posted by theora55 at 12:39 PM on July 22, 2015

Theodore Bikel discussing "The Sound of Music."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:00 PM on July 22, 2015

Last year's 90th Birthday Tribute to Theodore Bikel [7 minute video] includes clips from Theo's TV and movie roles, as well as tributes and greetings from the likes of Kirk Douglas, Leonard Nimoy, Tom Paxton, Peter Yarrow, Judy Collins and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
posted by Sir Rinse at 2:17 AM on July 23, 2015

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posted by Ignorantsavage at 9:03 PM on July 24, 2015