By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
“Bau, Artist at War” opens in theaters on January 25. I could use several columns to explain who JOSEPH BAU was and convey his amazing life. Do Google his name and you’ll find many articles that provide full bios.
Bau (Emile Hirsch) was a Polish Jew who was imprisoned in the Plaskow concentration camp near Krakow, Poland. This is the concentration camp depicted in “Schindler’s List” and Oskar Schindler is a character in “Bau.” Schindler saved the lives of Bau and REBECCA, a woman whom Bau met and married in the concentration camp.
Bau used his artistic talents to stay alive and he used those talents to create phony identity documents that allowed many Jews to escape the camp and survive — all this is in the film — it also shows Bau and his wife moving to Israel in 1950 and his return, to Europe, to testify against the Nazi officer who tortured and killed his father.
Hirsch’s paternal grandfather was Jewish. The rest of his “grands” weren’t Jewish. Most of Jewish characters are played, I think, by little known Jewish actors. One exception: Rebecca is played by INBAR LAVI, 38, a well-known Israeli actress. She was a main cast member in five American TV series: “Underemployed” (MTV); “Gang Related” (Fox), “Prison Break” (Fox); “Imposters” (Bravo); and “Lucifer” (Netflix)
Notice: TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, 29, the star of “A Complete Unknown,” a BOB DYLAN bio-pic, will be the “Saturday Night Live” host and musical guest on January 25. It’s unclear if he will sing Dylan songs or whether there will be a skit related to Bob Dylan.
Last week, I said I would follow a list of famous Jews who died in 2024, with a happy list of living Jewish showbiz folks who are 83 and older and still living. Well, that list turned out much longer than I thought. Here are the (living) Jewish showbiz celebs 90 and older. I’ll get to the 83-89 (age) in a future column.
GENE SHALIT, 98, movie critic, “Today” show; GLORIA STEINEM, 90, feminist activist/writer, filmmaker; MIKE STOLLER, 91, wrote many rock classics with his late partner, JERRY LEIBER (“Hound Dog” and many more); JOAN COLLINS, 91, actress; “Dynasty”; JULES FEIFFER, 95, satirical print cartoonist/screenwriter; TINA LOUISE, 90, actress, “Gilligan’s Island”; LEE GRANT, 98, Oscar-winning actress (“Shampoo”); BERNIE KOPELL, 91, actor, “Love Boat” (captain); TOM LEHRER 96, wrote & sang comedic “folkie” songs; RICHARD LESTER, 92, director, “A Hard’s Day Night”; HAL LINDEN, 93, actor, “Barney Miller”; BARBARA BARRIE, 93, actress, “Barney Miller”; BARBARA BAIN, 93, actress, “Mission Impossible”; JOEL GREY, 92, Oscar-winning actor (“Cabaret”); CHARLES STROUSE, 96, wrote music for “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” and “Applause,” with lyricist LEE ADAMS, 100(!). He wrote “Annie” with the late MARTIN CHARIN; WILLIAM SHATNER, 93, “Star Trek” star; RENEE TAYLOR, 91, actress, “Love & Other Strangers,” “The Nanny”; JUNE SQUIBB, 95, actress, “Thelma”; CLAIRE BLOOM, 93, English actress. She’s a Grammy, Tony, and Emmy winner; and last, but not least, is MEL BROOKS, 98, a comedic jack-of-trades, a Tony-winning song composer, and a WWII combat veteran.
Last week, I noted that ROD SERLING (1924–1975,) the creator of “The Twilight Zone,” would have been 100 years old on Dec. 25, 2024 and that he was only 50 when he died. His 100th birthday has prompted many articles and the unveiling of a statue of him in Binghamton, New York, his hometown. Just enter “Serling statue” in the Youtube search and you’ll find the unveiling ceremony. The statue is in Recreation Park, which has a beautiful, (now) 100 year-old carousel that inspired “Walking Distance,” a famous Twilight Zone episode set in Binghamton.
Serling enlisted in the army as soon as he finished high school in 1943, and he was assigned to the elite paratroopers. He hoped to fight the Nazis, but was sent to the Pacific. He had a “hard war” with much combat and many deaths. He presided over the field burial of another Jewish soldier. He won the Bronze Star and other medals.
After the war, he went to Antioch College in Ohio. He met and married Carol Kramer (who wasn’t Jewish) in a Unitarian ceremony. He was a secular Jew, but “here and there” you could sense his Jewish ties in his writing. His most Jewish work was his script for “The Messiah on Mott Street,” a 1971 “Night Gallery” series episode.
The episode can be rented for $2 on Amazon Prime. Do watch a Youtube video entitled “The Messiah — A Tribute to YAPHET KOTTO.” This short video includes film clips of the episode.
I won’t disclose the plot, but I will note that Kotto was black and Jewish, and the other main characters are played by EDWARD G. ROBINSON and TONY ROBERTS now 85.