Biography
Early life
Isidore Lillian was born into a poor family inMusic and theatre career
Lillian started to write full-length plays, and lyrics for other plays and operettas in the Yiddish theatre starting in 1905. Thereafter he wrote plays and song lyrics continuously for several decades. In 1911 he took over management of the Union Theatre where he planned to stage his own productions with his wife Annie Black and his collaborator Alex Cohn. His lyrical contributions to Isidore Solotarefsky's ''Yesoymim fun der velt'' (Orphans of the World) in 1916 were regarded as some of the best work of his career, even decades later. Then in 1923 he took over management of the Lyric Theatre in Williamsburg (not to be confused with the Lyric Theatre inFamily
Isidore married his wife Annie (née Black), born inSelected plays
* Lyricist for ''Der griner bokhur'' (1905), with music by Louis Friedsell * Lyricist for ''Der Yiddisher Yankee Doodle'' (1905), with music by Louis Friedsell. * Lyricist for ''Khantshe in Amerika'' (1913), Operetta, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Nahum Rackow. Performed by Sam Kasten. * Co-lyricist with Boris Thomashefsky for ''Tsubrokeneh fideleh'' (1916), Operetta, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Boris Thomashefsky. * Lyricist for ''Der troyer fraynd'' (1917), with music by Joseph Brody and libretto by Joseph Lateiner and David Kessler. * Co-lyricist with Louis Gilrod for ''Yente Telebende'' (1917), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by B. Kovner. * Lyricist for ''Yesoymim fun der velt'' (1916), with music by Peretz Sandler and libretto by Isidore Solotarefsky.* Co-lyricist with Boris Thomashefsky for ''Di khazinte'' (1918), operetta with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Boris Thomashefsky. * Lyricist for ''Gelebt un gelacht'' (1918), operetta, with music by Herman Wohl and libretto by Morris Goldberg. Performed by David Kessler. * ''Der rebbe hot geheysen freylakh zayn'' (1922), with music by Joseph Rumshinsky. * ''Keytun fun libeh'' (1923) music, lyrics and libretto by Isidore Lillian. * Co-lyricist with Joseph Tanzman for ''Sholem bays'' (1923), with music by Joseph Brody and libretto by Joseph Lateiner. * Lyricist for ''Freylakh zol zayn'' (1924), with music by Sholom Secunda and libretto by William Siegel. * Co-lyricist with Molly Picon for ''Dos Radio girl'' (1929), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Louis Freiman. Performed at the Kessler theatre by Molly Picon. * Lyricist for ''Ziseh momenten'' (1930), with music by Sholom Secunda and libretto by Louis Freiman and William Siegel. * ''The Trombinick'' (1930), with lyrics by Jacob Jacobs and music by Abe Ellstein. Performed by Ludwig Satz. * Lyricist for ''Der kleyne rebbeleh'' (1935), musical, with music by Philip Laskowsky and libretto by Anshel Schorr. * Lyricist for ''A sheyner kholem'' (1936), musical, with music by Sholom Secunda and libretto by William Siegel. * Lyricist for ''Fishel, der gerotener'' (1936), with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Louis Freiman. * Lyricist for ''Der freylikher shtetl'' (1937), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Isidore Friedman and Israel Rosenberg. * Lyricist for ''Yosel un zayn vayber'' (1937), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Louis Freiman. *Lyricist for ''Mazel tov rebbe'' (1938), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Anshel Schorr. * Lyricist for ''Der galitsianer rebbe'' (1938), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky and libretto by Israel Rosenberg. * ''Yosel, der klezmer'' (1941) with music by Alexander Olshanetsky, libretto co-written by Lillian and Olshanetsky. * Lyricist for ''Kinder ohn a heym'' (1943), with music by Ilia Trilling and libretto by Louis Freiman. * Lyricist for ''Lucky Days'' (1943), musical, with music by Sholem Secunda, libretto by William Siegel. * Lyricist for ''Mayn fraynd Yosel'' (1944), with music by Sholom Secunda, author of libretto unknown. * Lyricist for ''Good News'' (1944), musical, with music by Joseph Rumshinsky, librettist unknown. * ''Bessarabia'' (1946), musical comedy revue, with music by Manny Fleishman, performed by Herman Yablokoff. * Co-lyricist with Jacob Jacobs for ''Wish Me Luck'' (1946), musical, with music by Abe Ellstein, and libretto by Isidore Friedman and Israel Rosenberg. Performed by Menasha Skulnik and Miriam Kressyn. * Co-lyricist with Jacob Jacobs for ''My Wedding Night'' (1946), musical comedy, music by Abe Ellstein and libretto by Isidore Friedman. Performed by Menasha Skulnik. * Co-lyricist with Jacob Jacobs for ''Just My Luck'' (1947), musical, with music by Abe Ellstein and libretto by William Siegel. * Co-lyricist with Jacob Jacobs for ''The Baby Sitter'' (1948), musical comedy, music by Abe Ellstein and libretto by William Siegel. * Co-lyricist with Jacob Jacobs for ''Lakh un zay freylakh'' (1950), musical, with music by Sholom Secunda and libretto by Louis Freiman.References
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