By Nate Bloom
Contributing Columnist
#10, Again; Romantic & Rooster Comedy; Mucho Kvelling!
Passover and this week’s issue have arrived at just about the same time. I see it is a sign that I have to cover, once again, “The Ten Commandments” (the blockbuster 1956 film). As usual, ABC will broadcast the film on April 4, starting at 7 p.m. Beware: it’s a “long viewing.” The film itself runs 3 hours, 40 minutes and there are ads, too.
“Ten” has a very large cast, but only two Jewish actors have fairly big roles: EDWARD G. ROBINSON (as Dathan, an evil Jew who helps the Egyptians) and OLIVE DEERING (as Miriam, the older sister of Moses and Aaron).
Debra Paget, now 93, is the only “adult” actor who is still alive. She is not Jewish. Paget played Lilia, a Jewish “water girl” who gave water to Jewish slaves. Paget had one more hit: “Love Me Tender” (1956) — a film with Elvis, and after that film, she got very few good parts.
JOANNA MERLIN, who died in 2023, age 92, was the last Jewish “adult” actor. She played one of Jethro’s daughters. It was a bit role. (Moses wed another Jethro daughter). Merlin went on to a distinguished career. She’s most recognized as Judge Lena Petrovsky in forty-three “Law & Order: SVU” episodes.
Several child (cast) actors are still alive. RISELLE BAIN, now 79, had the largest child role in the film. She played the Young Miriam. She appears very early in the film — we see young Miriam putting the baby Moses, in a basket in the Nile. (Riselle Bain was credited as “Babette” Bain. It was a showbiz name-change ‘put on her’).
For more info about her, simply enter her name and “Hadassah Magazine” article in a search engine. Bain became an ordained, synagogue cantor in her ‘40s. They did a good profile of her in 2024. Bain said nice things about the film, but she lamented that the adult Miriam — in the film — never “sang her song at the sea” (it’s in the Torah, Exodus 15:20-21].
And, yes, HERB ALPERT, now 90, had an “uncredited” role as a drummer on Mt. Sinai.
“The Drama” opens in theaters on April 3. It is a romantic comedy. Zendaya and Robert Pattison co-star as an engaged couple with problems. The advance publicity says that “days before their wedding, one of the partners discovers unsettling truths about the other.”
The credits only list six actors in the film and only Pattison and Zendaya have listed character names.
One of “the six” is ALANA HAIM, 34. She is a popular singer/songwriter who performs with her two sisters (“HAIM” is the band name). She had her acting debut (2021) with a co-starring role in “Licorice Pizza,” a hit film. She got a Golden Globe nomination.
“Rooster,” a new HBO comedy series, premiered on March 8. There are 10 episodes this season. Episodes premiere on Sundays. Steve Carrell plays an author of best-selling novels that appeal to “regular people.” He visits his daughter, an art professor who is having problems, and that visit leads to much more.
Initially, I didn’t find any “Rooster” Jewish connections, but I dug more and found them. The series was created by Bill Lawrence and MATT TARSES, 60. They wrote the first episode, too.
Lawrence is not Jewish, but Tarses is. Shamefully, Wikipedia couldn’t look a little bit more and find out that his late sister was JAMIE TARSES (1964–2021). Jamie was a phenom — she was the president of ABC Entertainment (1996 to 1999). She was the first woman and one of the youngest people to hold such a job — AND — there is their father, JAY TARSES, 86. He was a successful comedy writer and producer. (A reliable source said that Jay and his wife, Rachel, are Jewish.)
Matt has written 20 TV episodes and has produced many series. He produced 92 “Scrubs” episodes. I note this because ZACH BRAFF, the star of the old and new “Scrubs” series, directed the 3rd episode of “Rooster.”
I am still trying to sort out the Jewish background of a “recurring” actress. Fill you in soon.
In my Feb. 26th column, I wrote about “Dreams,” a drama, that opened on the 27th. It’s about a secret affair between a socialite (Jessica Chastain) and a Mexican ballet dancer (Issac Hernandez).
I noted that the film was directed by, and written by MICHAEL FRANCO, a Mexican Jew. I said that Franco’s fame is shooting up.
A reliable source just told me that ISSAC HERNANDEZ is a Mexican Jew, too! I am kvelling. More “Issac” news soon.
