“A Complete Unknown,” a bio-pic about BOB DYLAN (1941), opens in theaters on December 25. Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman, the son of ABRAHAM, a small-time, Minnesota appliance store owner. Bob was 19 when he left Duluth and moved to New York City (early 1961).
Yes, Dylan had a bar mitzvah and spent several summers at a Wisconsin Jewish camp. From about 1978 to about 1984, he seemed to follow Christianity. This was followed by him appearing at Hasidic events. Where he now stands (religiously) will probably be somewhat murky until and after the day he dies (even if he has a Jewish funeral).
I can add that Bob married twice. He had five children with SARA NOZNISKY DYLAN, his first wife (1965-77). All five had bar/bat mitzvahs. He had one child, a daughter, with his second wife, Carolyn Dennis (1986-1992). I don’t know anything about this daughter’s religious background.
From advance publicity, we know that “Complete Unknown” covers Dylan’s arrival in NYC; his early folk music years (c. 1960-1964); and his decision (1964-1965) to embrace electric rock music. In his folk years, he wrote some famous songs that explicitly protested racism and war (like “Blowin’ in the Wind”). His rock songs (like, “Like a Rolling Stone”) were often social critiques, but their message(s) weren’t so explicit. (Dylan’s move to rock upset old fans and it is a major issue in the latter part of the film).
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, 29, plays Dylan. The actor is on a hot streak now. He starred in two monster hits in the last two years: “Dune” and “Wonka.” In “Wonka,” Chalamet proved that he could really sing. A released “Complete” trailer let us know that Chalamet could be made-up to look like Dylan and that he can almost perfectly imitate Dylan’s singing voice.
Various good sources are predicting that Chalamet will get a best actor Oscar nomination. If he wins at the 2024 Oscars ceremony (held on March 2, 2025), he’ll be the youngest person ever to win the best actor Oscar. He will be a few months younger than ADRIEN BRODY (“The Pianist”) was when Brody won at the 2002 Oscars ceremony.
As I have noted before, Chalamet is the son of an American Jewish mother and a French Protestant father. He’s essentially secular, but identifies as Jewish.
There are four other Jewish characters in “Complete Unknown,” but only one is played by a Jewish actor. DAN FOLGER, 48, plays ALBERT GROSSMAN (1926-1986). He was most famous as Dylan’s agent and the agent of Peter, Paul, and Mary (PETER YARROW, now 86, is Jewish.)
Grossman arranged for Peter, Paul, and Mary to record (1962) “Blowin’ in the Wind,” right after Dylan wrote the song. Their recording was a best seller and it jump started the trio’s career, and Dylan’s career.
Grossman was a “tough” guy who made good recording and concert deals for his clients. However, he took a really large take from Dylan’s income and that led Dylan to end their contract in 1970.
The others: HAROLD LEVENTHAL (1919-2005,) was a top jazz and “folkie” manager and song publisher. He was often referred to as a “mensch” who got his clients fair deals; AL KOOPER, now 80, was a top rock guitarist and album producer. Also, he created and played the now “iconic” organ riffs for “Like a Rolling Stone” and MIKE BLOOMFIELD (1943-81), an incredibly good guitarist who, along with Kooper, played on Dylan’s first rock album (1965). Kooper and Bloomfield are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
JAMES MANGOLD, 63, directed the Dylan film and co-wrote the screenplay. His mother, artist SYLVIA PILMACK MANGOLD, 86, is Jewish and James identifies as “half-Jewish.” His father, artist Robert Mangold, 87, isn’t Jewish.
Mangold has directed 13 films since 1997, and he wrote or co-wrote most of these films. Every film, with the exception of the most recent Indiana Jones flick (2023), has got good reviews and has made a lot of money. Here are a few: “Walk the Line” (2005), about singer Johnny Cash (a close friend of Dylan); “3:10 to Yuma” (2007); and “Logan” (2017).
A few more rock notes: the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony took place on Dec. 8th. You can view it on Paramount+ and most of the ceremony will end up on Youtube (free) in the months to come.
The entire Grateful Dead band (living and not) were inducted. The Dead long had two drummers. One of the drummers, MICKEY HART, 81, is Jewish. He’s the only Jew to be a 2024 Kennedy Honoree. Hart played Israel (solo) in 2013. (By the way, the Dead often collaborated with Dylan.)