Chaim Shmuel Towber (''Tauber, Toyber'', , June 14, 1901,

Mohyliv-Podilskyi Mohyliv-Podilskyi (, ) is a city in Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Mohyliv-Podilskyi Raion within the oblast. It is located in the historic region of Podolia, on the border with Bessarabia, Moldova, along th ...

— February 26, 1972, New York City) was an American and Canadian actor of Jewish-Ukrainian descent, best known as the author of the song "I Love You So Much" (Yiddish: '' Ikh Hob Dikh Tsu Fil Lib'').

Biography

Early life

Chaim Towber was born on June 14, 1901, in the town of

(Yiddish name Molev) into a family of a poor tailor. He received education in a

cheder A ''cheder'' (, lit. 'room'; Yiddish pronunciation: ''khéyder'') is a traditional primary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language. History ''Cheders'' were widely found in Europe before the end of the 18th century. L ...

and later attended a commercial school. At the age of nine, Chaim made his debut in a family production of

Abraham Goldfaden Abraham Goldfaden (; born Avrum Goldnfoden; 24 July 1840 – 9 January 1908), also known as Avram Goldfaden, was a Russian-born Jewish poet, playwright, stage director and actor in Yiddish and Hebrew languages and author of some 40 plays. Goldfad ...

's play '' Doctor Almasaro''. In the spring of 1917, he participated in the establishment of the Molev-Podilskyi society ''Di yidishe bine'' () under the direction of Borukh Mozshvits, and on May 12 of the same year, he played the role of Shemay in

Jacob Gordin Jacob Michailovitch Gordin (Yiddish: יעקב מיכאַילאָװיטש גאָרדין; May 1, 1853 – June 11, 1909) was a Russian-American playwright active in the early years of Yiddish theater. He is known for introducing realism and nat ...

's play ''The Jewish King Lear''. He later became the director of this society. Under his leadership, actors who eventually formed the Mohyliv troupe toured villages and towns in the

Podolia Podolia or Podillia is a historic region in Eastern Europe located in the west-central and southwestern parts of Ukraine and northeastern Moldova (i.e. northern Transnistria). Podolia is bordered by the Dniester River and Boh River. It features ...

and

Kyiv Governorate Kiev Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit ('' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire (1796–1917), Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–18; 1918–1921), Ukrainian State (1918), and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919–1925 ...

s, acquiring "invaluable experience" in lieu of monetary compensation. Peasants used food to pay for admission to the performances.

In Bessarabia

In 1919, Towber joined a professional troupe led by Lev Meyerson and Grisha Epstein. To escape from

pogrom A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of Massacre, massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe late 19th- and early 20th-century Anti-Jewis ...

s, Chaim, along with the troupe, moved to

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, where he, along with other refugees from various parts of the Russian Empire, formed a new theatrical collective. In the summer of 1921, he obtained a temporary engagement at the Jignitsa Theater in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

, directed by Itsikl Goldberberg. From 1922, he performed in Bucharest and other Romanian cities. During his time in

Bessarabia Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...

, Towber created his first one-act plays, ''Bloody Hanukkah'' and ''Thorny Path'', and performed in them. At the same time, he wrote his three-act dramatic work, ''Glut'', and engaged in translating Russian plays into Yiddish. His last work in Romania was a role in the production of I. L. Peretz's ''Three Gifts''.

In America

In 1925, Towber moved to

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Canada, where he joined the theatrical troupe of Isidor Hollander, touring small towns across America. In 1928–1929, Towber worked at the Casino Theater in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, where he staged his plays ''Galician Rabbi'' and ''Golden Rings'' to the music of Reuben Osofsky. The play ''Golden Ring'' was also staged in 1930 in New York's National Theatre by Mikhal Michalesko, set to the music of Alexander Olshanetsky. In the theatrical season of the 1929-30s, he worked at the Liberty theater in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. In the following season, he rejoined Hollander's troupe in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. In 1931, Towber became a member of the

Hebrew Actors' Union The Hebrew Actors' Union (HAU) was a craft union for actors in Yiddish theater in the United States (primarily in New York City), and was the first actors' union in the United States. The union was affiliated with the Associated Actors and Artiste ...

. During the 1931–33s, he played in various theater groups in Detroit,

, and

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. In 1934, in collaboration with

William Siegel William Siegel (1905–1990; born Wilhelm Tsiegelnitsky, later William Sanderson) was an American painter and illustrator. Early in his career, he worked as a contributing editor publishing illustrations in ''New Masses'' magazine. During the Gr ...

, Towber wrote the script for the musical show ''Happy Family'', which premiered at the Public Theater in New York. The music was composed by

Sholom Secunda Sholom Secunda (, , Alexandria, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire13 June 1974, New York) was an American composer of Ukrainian-Jewish descent, best known for the tunes of "Bei Mir Bistu Shein" and " Donna Donna". Biography He was born in 1894 ...

Ikh Hob Dikh Tsu Fil Lib

The 1933–34 season was successful for Chaim Towber. The premiere of the operetta ''Der Katerinshtshik (The Organ-grinder)'' by Alexander Olshanetsky took place on the stage of the Second Avenue Theater in New York. The main roles in the play were played by

Julius Nathanson Julius Nathanson (sometimes spelled Natanson, , July 17, 1890 – May 14, 1957) was a prominent figure on the Yiddish stage, known for his career as both a character actor and comedian. Over the course of nearly five decades, he made significant ...

, Annie Thomashefsky (

Boris Thomashefsky Boris Thomashefsky (, sometimes written Thomashevsky, Thomaschevsky, etc.; ) (1868–July 9, 1939), born Boruch-Aharon Thomashefsky, was a Ukrainian-born (later American) Jewish singer and actor who became one of the biggest stars in Yiddish th ...

's sister) and

Luba Kadison Luba Kadison Buloff (December 13, 1906 – May 4, 2006) was a Lithuanian Jewish actress, active for decades in Yiddish theatre, in both Europe and the United States. Early life Luba Kadison was born in Kaunas, Kovno, Lithuania. She moved with her ...

. Kadison became the first performer of the famous song written by Towber, " Ikh Hob Dikh Tsu Fil Lib" ("I Love You So Much"). Luba Kadison's performance was praised for "taste and restraint, clearly absent in other productions of the Theater on Second Avenue." In the subsequent years, the song experienced significant popularity among Jewish artists and transcended its initial theatrical context, gaining recognition beyond the Jewish community.

Work in Cinema

Starting in 1939, Towber began working in cinema. Initially, he appeared in episodes of the films ''Kol Nidre'' and ''Big Shot''. In 1940, he wrote screenplays and lyrics for songs for musical comedies with the music of Sholom Secunda: ''My House'', ''Der Yiddisher Nigun (The Jewish Melody)'', ''Motl the Operator''. In the latter, Towber played the leading role. All these films were directed by

Joseph Seiden Joseph Seiden (; 1892–1974) was a pioneering American Yiddish language film producer of the early twentieth century. He released a large number of low-budget, sentimental Yiddish dramas during the 1930s and 1940s. He also directed '' Paradise in ...

. Towber played his last role in 1941 in the film "Mazl Tov, Jews!" by the same director. Chaim Towber passed away in 1972.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Towber, Chaim 1901 births 1972 deaths People from Mohyliv-Podilskyi Jewish American male actors Yiddish theatre performers 20th-century American people 20th-century American Jews American Ashkenazi Jews