The World of Sholom Aleichem

The story

This omnibus release consists of three playlets filmed and aired during television's Golden Age, and starring some of the legends of film and television. The collection originally ran as a two-hour segment on December 14, 1959, on the anthology series The Play of the Week, broadcast locally in New York City via the independent radio station WNTA. Each "tale" in the anthology was adapted from a single tale by the inimitable Sholom Aleichem, regarded by many as the "Yiddish Mark Twain". Included are: "A Tale of Chelm" starring Zero Mostel and Nancy Walker in the story of a bookseller attempting to buy a goat; "Bontche Schweig" about a poor man (Jack Gilford) whose recent arrival in Heaven makes the angels cry; and "The High School" about a Jewish merchant (Morris Carnovsky) persuaded by his wife (Gertrude Berg) to let their son attend a particular high school despite the enforcement of quotas for Jewish students.

Cast

G Gertrude BergHannah S Sam LeveneMendele Z Zero MostelMelamed / Maxel M Morris CarnovskyAaron Katz / Presiding Angel L Lee GrantThe Goatseller / Avenging Angel N Nancy WalkerRifkele J Jack GilfordBontsche Shveig / Angel C Charlotte RaeThe Angel Rochele E Elsa Freed H Henry LascoeDodi the Innkeeper C Conrad Bromberg(as Conrad Josephs) F Frederick RolfRabbi David / Prosecuting Angel

See more cast

D Dora Weissman C Carl Reindel