Theodore Bikel

Biography

Theodore Bikel was an Austrian-born American actor and folk singer who began performing as a teenager in Mandatory Palestine, where he worked with the Habimah Theatre and helped establish the Cameri Theatre. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, then appeared in British films and later on Broadway, making his New York stage debut in 1955. His movie work included The African Queen (1951), Moulin Rouge (1952), The Enemy Below (1957), I Want to Live! (1958), My Fair Lady (1964), The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966) and 200 Motels (1971). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for playing Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones (1958). On stage he originated Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music and played Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof more than any other actor. He also recorded folk albums and helped found the Newport Folk Festival in 1959.

91years old at death

Born May 2, 1924Vienna
Died July 21, 2015Westwood
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Also credited as Theodore Meir Bikel

Movie Career

Films: 26
Career span: 65 years1951 to 2016

Genres

Drama58%, 15 films
Action27%, 7 films
Thriller27%, 7 films
Adventure23%, 6 films
Romance19%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Bikel was the first singer besides Bob Dylan to perform "Blowin' in the Wind" in public, doing so in 1962.
Big break
In 1959, Theodore Bikel originated Captain von Trapp in the first stage production of The Sound of Music. Because he was a skilled folk singer, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote 'Edelweiss' for him to perform on guitar.
A role that slipped away
For the James Bond movie Goldfinger, from 1964, Bikel took a screen test to play Auric Goldfinger, but the part ended up with Gert Fröbe, a German actor.
Behind the camera
In 1959, Bikel helped start the Newport Folk Festival. He did this with Pete Seeger, Harold Leventhal, Oscar Brand, and George Wein.
Languages
Bikel could sing in 21 languages. Among them were Yiddish, Hebrew, German, Russian, Hungarian, Romanian, French, medieval Spanish, Zulu, and English.
First role
As a teenager, Bikel lived in Mandatory Palestine, and it was there that he first appeared on stage, in Tevye the Milkman.

Theodore Bikel movies on Netflix

Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words2016IMDb rating 7.5as Rance Muhammitz
Babylon 5: In the Beginning1998IMDb rating 7.7as Lenonn
Shadow Conspiracy1997IMDb rating 5.0as Prof. Yuri Pochenko
Benefit of the Doubt1993IMDb rating 5.2as Gideon Lee
Shattered1991IMDb rating 6.5as Dr. Berkus
See You in the Morning1989IMDb rating 5.8as Bronie
Dark Tower1987IMDb rating 4.2as Max Gold
The Return of the King1980IMDb rating 5.7as Aragorn (voice)
Victory at Entebbe1976IMDb rating 5.9as Yakov Shlomo
Murder on Flight 5021975IMDb rating 5.4as Otto Gruenwaldt
200 Motels1971IMDb rating 5.6as Rance Muhammitz / Dave
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!1966IMDb rating 7.0as The Russian Captain
Sands of the Kalahari1965IMDb rating 6.7as Bondrechai
My Fair Lady1964IMDb rating 7.7as Zoltan Karpathy
The Angry Hills1959IMDb rating 5.7as Dimitrios Tassos
I Bury the Living1958IMDb rating 6.3as Andy McKee
I Want to Live!1958IMDb rating 7.5as Carl G.G. Palmberg
The Defiant Ones1958IMDb rating 7.5as Sheriff Max Muller
The Enemy Below1957IMDb rating 7.4as 'Heinie' Schwaffer
The Pride and the Passion1957IMDb rating 5.7as General Jouvet
Above Us the Waves1955IMDb rating 6.6as German Officer
The Colditz Story1955IMDb rating 6.9as Vandy
Betrayed1954IMDb rating 6.1as German Sergeant
The Little Kidnappers1953IMDb rating 7.1as Dr. Willem Bloem
Moulin Rouge1952IMDb rating 7.0as King Milo IV of Serbia
The African Queen1951IMDb rating 7.7as First Officer

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The African Queen1951 Adventure, Drama, Romanceas First Officer
IMDb rating 7.788K votes
My Fair Lady1964 Comedy, Music, Romanceas Zoltan Karpathy
IMDb rating 7.7109K votes
The Defiant Ones1958as Sheriff Max Muller
IMDb rating 7.520K votes
The Enemy Below1957as 'Heinie' Schwaffer
IMDb rating 7.414K votes
I Want to Live!1958as Carl G.G. Palmberg
IMDb rating 7.58.4K votes
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!1966as The Russian Captain
IMDb rating 7.011K votes
I Bury the Living1958as Andy McKee
IMDb rating 6.33.5K votes
Babylon 5: In the Beginning1998as Lenonn
IMDb rating 7.78.8K votes

Most often with

John Huston directed two of these films, Stanley Kramer two. Sixteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Donald Sutherland

Robert Mitchum

John Mills

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Stanley Baker

Farrah Fawcett

John HustonDirector, 2 films Stanley KramerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Donald Sutherland2 films together, 1993 to 1997
Donald Sutherland's page
- Shadow Conspiracy1997IMDb rating 5.0Bikel as Prof. Yuri PochenkoSutherland as Jacob Conrad
- Benefit of the Doubt1993IMDb rating 5.2Bikel as Gideon LeeSutherland as Frank
Robert Mitchum2 films together, 1957 to 1959
Robert Mitchum's page
- The Angry Hills1959IMDb rating 5.7Bikel as Dimitrios TassosMitchum as Mike Morrison
- The Enemy Below1957IMDb rating 7.4Bikel as 'Heinie' SchwafferMitchum as Capt. Murrell
John Mills2 films together, 1955
John Mills's page
- Above Us the Waves1955IMDb rating 6.6Bikel as German OfficerMills as Commandant Fraser
- The Colditz Story1955IMDb rating 6.9Bikel as VandyMills as Pat Reid
Wilfrid Hyde-White2 films together, 1954 to 1964
Wilfrid Hyde-White's page
- My Fair Lady1964IMDb rating 7.7Bikel as Zoltan KarpathyHyde-White as Colonel Hugh Pickering
- Betrayed1954IMDb rating 6.1Bikel as German SergeantHyde-White as Gen. Charles Larraby
Stanley Baker2 films together, 1959 to 1965
Stanley Baker's page
- Sands of the Kalahari1965IMDb rating 6.7Bikel as BondrechaiBaker as Mike Bain
- The Angry Hills1959IMDb rating 5.7Bikel as Dimitrios TassosBaker as Conrad Heisler
Farrah Fawcett2 films together, 1975 to 1989
Farrah Fawcett's page
- See You in the Morning1989IMDb rating 5.8Bikel as BronieFawcett as Jo Livingstone
- Murder on Flight 5021975IMDb rating 5.4Bikel as Otto GruenwaldtFawcett as Karen White
John HustonDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1952
All films by John Huston
- Moulin Rouge1952IMDb rating 7.0Bikel as King Milo IV of Serbia
- The African Queen1951IMDb rating 7.7Bikel as First Officer
Stanley KramerDirector, 2 films, 1957 to 1958
All films by Stanley Kramer
- The Defiant Ones1958IMDb rating 7.5Bikel as Sheriff Max Muller
- The Pride and the Passion1957IMDb rating 5.7Bikel as General Jouvet
Also two films together10 more actors
- Mona WashbourneMy Fair Lady (1964) and Betrayed (1954)
- Frank ZappaEat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016) and 200 Motels (1971)
- Keith MoonEat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016) and 200 Motels (1971)
- Christopher RhodesThe Colditz Story (1955) and Betrayed (1954)
- O.E. HasseAbove Us the Waves (1955) and Betrayed (1954)
- Ian CarmichaelThe Colditz Story (1955) and Betrayed (1954)
- Philip CoolidgeThe Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966) and I Want to Live! (1958)
- Guido LorraineAbove Us the Waves (1955) and The Colditz Story (1955)
- George DukeEat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016) and 200 Motels (1971)
- Jimmy Carl BlackEat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016) and 200 Motels (1971)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.