Abe Ellstein

Abe Ellstein, a visionary composer in New York's Yiddish theater scene, battles personal and professional struggles to create *Yidl Mitn Fidl*, a groundbreaking film that redefines Yiddish music and cements his legacy among the genre's greats.

Born

July 9, 1907

Died

1963

From

New York City, New York, USA·New York City, New York, USA

Also:
Music Department
Actor

Credits on file

Decades active

In short · Composed for 10 decades — 12 credits.

Remembered for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

Help complete this page

We’re missing birth date. Sign in to add what you know.

Biography

A composer, conductor, and pianist, he received his education at the Third Street Settlement, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard, where he studied on scholarship under Frederic Jacobi, Rubin Goldmark, and Albert Stoessel. He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera's Children's Chorus from 1916 to 1920 and performed in the John Barrymore production of "Richard III." He toured internationally as an accompanist to cantor Joseph Rosenblatt and composed operettas for the Yiddish Theater. He also composed the Broadway stage score for "Great To Be Alive" and worked in radio as music director for WMGM in New York and as a program host for WEVD in New York from 1951 to 1963. He also served as music director for the Advertisers Broadcasting Company. He joined ASCAP in 1958, and his chief musical collaborators included Walter Bullock, Molly Picon, Jacob Jacobs, and Samuel Rosenbaum.