Herschel Bernardi

Biography

Herschel Bernardi was an American actor and singer who began performing in the Yiddish theater on New York's Lower East Side and went on to Broadway musicals, films and television. He played Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba and Bajour, and earned Tony Award nominations for the first staging of Zorba and for the 1981 Fiddler revival. On television he appeared alongside Craig Stevens in Blake Edwards's Peter Gunn as Lieutenant Jacoby, the part that gave him his only Emmy nomination, then headlined the sitcom Arnie, which brought two Golden Globe nominations. His film credits included Murder by Contract (1958), Irma la Douce (1963), Love with the Proper Stranger (1963), No Deposit, No Return (1976) and The Front (1976). He voiced Charlie the Tuna and the Jolly Green Giant and recorded two minor hit singles. He died in 1986.

62years old at death

Born October 30, 1923New York City
Died May 9, 1986Los Angeles
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 18 years1958 to 1976

Genres

Comedy75%, 6 films
Drama38%, 3 films
Romance38%, 3 films
Crime25%, 2 films
Family25%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Beyond film
Bernardi was the original voice of the StarKist Tuna character Charlie the Tuna and the original voice of the Jolly Green Giant, among hundreds of films, commercials and cartoons he narrated.
First role
Bernardi launched his acting career in the Yiddish theater movement on New York's Lower East Side, and in 1969 he narrated and emceed a documentary about it called The Golden Age of Second Avenue.
Beyond film
Bernardi provided the singing voice of the Cowardly Lion in Journey Back to Oz while Milton Berle supplied the character's speaking voice, and he also voiced Woodhead the rocking horse.
Beyond film
Herschel Bernardi scored two minor record hits: "If I Were a Rich Man" in 1967, which reflected his success as Tevye, and "Pencil Marks on the Wall" in 1971.