The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-06
5000 AT AN ACTORS FUNERAL
CHORUS SINGS IN THE STREET
OVER MENDEL ABRAMOVITZ.

| He Was One OF the Founders or the Ntddlsh
Theatre IN Russia and Leading ENpOn-
cnt OF Orthodox ROles-DanCed With
Pneumonia and Collapsed on stage.
The Bowery saw yesterday the unusual
spectacle Of a theatrical chorus chant
ing a funeral service In tho street. This
tribute was paid by his fellow actors to
Mendal Abramovitz, comedian OF the
PEOPLES Theatre and one Of the little group
of plavers who laid the foundation OF the
Yiddisb theatre. A sterling actor and the
leading interpreter Of the orthodox Hebrew
type. Abramovitz was also a leader In the
charitable activities Of the Hebrew section
Of the East Side His funeral brought out
the big crowd by which the Hiddish speaking
people honor their prominent dead
His body lay in state yesterday morn
ing In the apartment house at 81 Second
avenue, where many OF the Hebrew actors
live. From early morning the halls ana
stalryays were choked with nclghbors'
passing in aud out to see the body and to
join In the lament for the dead. His daugh-
ter. herself an actress sat at the head OF
the coffin with her two aunts, whom the
dead actor had brought over from Russia
IN the first days of his prosperity. A crowd
of Hebrews packed Second avenue, and
through 1t half a dozen pedlers went, selling
black bordered button photographs Of the
dead actor. By o'clock, when the fifty
carriages we're ready 10 start, 5000 men
and women were waiting in the street to
follow the body. The Actors Fund and
half dozen societies in which he was proml-
nent were represented in the procession.
It took Inspector SchInittberger and fifty
policemen a quarter Of an hour TO clear q
way for the procession. il went down
Second avenue to Rivington street and then
down 20 the Bowery, where il halted before
the Peoples Theatre. The chorus Of the
house was waiting The actors LEFT their
carriages and stood in the street while this
chorus chanted the prayers TOT the dead.
On the way across the Williamsburg Bridge
TO Washington Cemetery in Brooklyn fully
/ 200 people followed on foot, in spite OF
Although only IS years old, Abrsmovitz
was almost the only survivor Of the original
Yiddish company formed in Odessa, Rus
sia He was only boy then and used
10 play leading juvenile. He lived 20 see
the Yiddish drama grow from a pitiful
little attempt in the small halls OF a European
ghetto 10 a national theatre with literature
and traditions. When they began present.
ing Yiddish plays in New York be emigrated
with his wife. He began to study the comic
types Of the OF thodoI Hebrew, aEd in that
range of parts he was supreme. He acted
nearly verything on the Yiddish stage, from
the Rabbi in Hamlet 1.-THE Niddish counter
part of the King Of Denmark TO cong
and dance pedlers. Perhaps his best
remembered part was that Of the Rabbi IN
Gordins Nina the literary masterpiece
of the Yiddish drama.
A week ago Sunday Abramovitz appeared
at the theatre with bad cold. His fellow
players advised him 70 go home; but thore
was big house and he did not want 10 die
appoint the audience, He was playing low
comedy, and had dance 10 do. Suddenly
they noticed from the wings that he had
stopped dancing and was only moving his
hands to the music. At the end Of the song
he staggered OF. The audience, liking
this comic variation OF his dance, Numbered
for an encore. He could not respond, for
he had tainted In the wings. II was pneu-
monia He was taken home In an ambu-
lance and never left his bed.
Mrs. AbTamo vitz Il the old woman i'm
personator at the Peoples Theatre. She
Is called sthe Mrs. GlbeTt Of the Niddish
stag e.