Research Catalog

Title

Joseph Buloff papers, 1925-1993.

Author

Buloff, Joseph

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904.
• Dymow, Ossip, 1878-1959.
• Kadison, Luba, 1906-2006.
• Mendele Mokher Sefarim, 1835-1917.
• Peretz, Isaac Leib, 1851 or 2-1915.
• Sholem Aleichem, 1859-1916.
• Swerling, Jo, 1897-1964.
• Ṿilner trupe

Description

2.75 linear feet (6 boxes )

Summary

The Joseph Buloff papers contain scripts, photographs, programs, fliers, reviews, contracts and notes.

Subjects

• Theatrical producers and directors
• Contracts
• Jewish actors > United States
• Kadison, Luba, 1906-2006
• Theatrical producers and directors > United States
• Theater, Yiddish > United States
• Scripts (documents)
• Actors
• Buloff, Joseph
• Photographs
• Correspondence
• Fliers (printed matter)
• Programs

Genre/Form

• Contracts.
• Correspondence.
• Fliers (printed matter)
• Photographs.
• Programs.
• Scripts (documents)

Note

• This collection incorporates material that previously was cataloged as Papers, 1929-1991 (former call numbers were 8-MWEZ+ n.c. 28779-28782).

Access (note)

• Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Source (note)

• Buloff, Luba Kadison

Location of Other Archival Materials (note)

• Judaica Division, Widener Library, Harvard University.

Biography (note)

• Actor and director Joseph Buloff (1899-1985), along with his wife, Luba Kadison, were among the most prominent stars of Yiddish theater, in Europe, and, later, in the United States.

Language (note)

• The Writings series contains scripts in both English and Yiddish.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

• Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Call Number

*T-Mss 1992-006

OCLC

122349398

Author

Buloff, Joseph.

Title

Joseph Buloff papers, 1925-1993.

Restricted Access

Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Biography

Actor and director Joseph Buloff (1899-1985), along with his wife, Luba Kadison, were among the most prominent stars of Yiddish theater, in Europe, and, later, in the United States. Buloff, who was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, began his career in 1915 touring with the Vilna troupe during World War I and remained with them during the early 1920s, appearing in Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, as well as works by Yiddish authors. He left Europe in 1926 and immigrated to the United States when he was invited to join Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theater and made his American debut in Ossip Dymov's The Tenth Commandment. After several appearances with the company, Buloff left to form his own Yiddish Folks Theatre. He appeared in over 225 plays in Yiddish, Russian and English-language theater over the course of his long career. Buloff made his Broadway debut in 1936 in John Crump's short-lived play, Don't Look Now. Among his more notable roles on Broadway was as a 1942 replacement for Morris Carnovsky in the part of Mr. Appolpolous, the Greek landlord, in My Sister Eileen. Buloff also created the role of Ali Hakim, the Persian peddler, in the Theatre Guild's production of Oklahoma! (1943) and he appeared in the 1979 revival of Arthur Miller's The Price. In addition to performing, Buloff directed many productions, including the long running Broadway comedy, Mrs. McThing (1952), which featured Helen Hayes. He also distinguished himself as a writer by adapting English language plays into Yiddish as dramatic sketches as vehicles for himself. In 1980, he directed and appeared in The Chekhov Sketchbook, which he adapted with his wife from short stories by the author. Buloff worked in television and films and toured South America, Europe, South Africa, and Israel, often working with Luba Kadison. Although Kadison also had been a star of Yiddish theater, she felt limited by her accent and worked very little as an actress in English-language theater, but collaborated with her husband on many projects. When Joseph Buloff died in 1985, Kadison donated their archive to the Harvard College library. She also worked on getting his book, Fun altn markplats (From the Old Marketplace) translated into English; it was published in 1991. Her own memoirs, On Stage, Off Stage (1992), which had been written in collaboration with Buloff, won the 1994 National Book Award.

Location of Other Archival Materials

See also Joseph Buloff Jewish Theater Archive in the Judaica Division, Widener Library, Harvard University.

Language

The Writings series contains scripts in both English and Yiddish.

Indexes

Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Connect to:

Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material

NYPL Digital Collections

Finding Aid

Occupation

Actors.

Theatrical producers and directors.

Added Author

Buloff, Joseph. Beggar in paradise.

Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich, 1860-1904.

Dymow, Ossip, 1878-1959.

Kadison, Luba, 1906-2006.

Mendele Mokher Sefarim, 1835-1917.

Peretz, Isaac Leib, 1851 or 2-1915.

Sholem Aleichem, 1859-1916.

Swerling, Jo, 1897-1964.

Ṿilner trupe.

Research Call Number

*T-Mss 1992-006