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Nellie Casman

Nellie Casman (1896–1984) was an American actress and singer in Yiddish theater. She was born in Proskurov, Russian Empire, and moved to the United States in the early 1900s. She lived in Philadelphia where her father was a hazzan. Casman showed such talent as an actress when a child, the actress Rose Rubin took her into a professional Yiddish theater, where she began to play child roles in 1910.

Playing Gitele in Zalmen Libin's Gebrokhene hertser (Broken Hearts), she came to the attention of Regina Prager's husband, a theater manager, who hired her for his company in New York. She played several years as a soubrette in vaudeville houses and became successful enough to be hired to replace Bessie Thomashevsky in Edelstein's People's Theater where she played opposite David Kessler in Mish Mash. She then abandoned "legitimate theater" and went back to vaudeville (in English as well as Yiddish). She recorded Yiddish songs and couplets for the Victor and Columbia labels. In 1913, Casman married playwright Shlomo “Samuel” Steinberg and collaborated with him in writing songs and shows; their biggest hit, written in 1923, was Yossel, Yossel, popularized in English as “Joseph Joseph” by the Andrews Sisters in 1938.

She went to Warsaw in 1929, concertizing and appearing in her husband's play A khasndl oyf shabos. The couple went to Russia as well, where she performed in Dos vaybele. They then went to Argentina and toured with equal success. She played at the Odeon Theater in New York and then went back to Argentina where she performed Spanish songs and appeared in Steinberg's Di Komediantke. In 1932 she performed in London, Paris, Berlin, and Riga, then back to Warsaw. Her most popular character was a "Little Cantor" in the Aron Nager's play "Dos Khazndl".

In 1937 she played Di zingerin at the Roxbury and then left again for Argentina, where she toured the provinces in Lilian's operetta A shif mit kabtsonim (A ship with paupers) She performed on radio and later on TV, in English, and did some film work at Paramount Studio.

Casman played Pathetic on the TV show “The Goldbergs” for eight years, reprising the role in the 1950 film, “Molly”. In 1971-72, she played the role of Sara Gitel in “The Laugh Maker” with Jacob Jacobs and Leo Fuchs at the Eden Theater in NYC. In 1973, Casman appeared in the film The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob.

In 1982, the musical comedy, “The Showgirl”, which she wrote with Steinberg was performed by the Shalom Yiddish Musical Comedy Theater at Town Hall starring Mary Soreanu.

Following Steinberg’s death in 1938, Casman married two more times including marriage to chess master Jacob Bernstein . She died in New York City.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1896 (Khmelnytskyi), Died May 27, 1984 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1918 - 1938

Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal, composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 51 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-36729 10-in. 10/21/1926 Idish Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BVE-40276 10-in. 10/5/1927 Avreimel Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BVE-40277 10-in. 10/5/1927 Dus fidele Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor PBS-019040 10-in. 3/4/1938 Joseph Ozzie Nelson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor [Trial 1918-04-15-04] Not documented 4/15/1918 Getin zech Nellie Casman ; Rubin Doctor Female-male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor [Trial 1920-11-10-02] Not documented 11/10/1920 If I were a child again Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 87071 10-in. approximately February 1921 Wen ich sol vieder kenen zain a kind Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 87072 10-in. approximately February 1921 Mister, by vos arbeit ihr Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 87073 10-in. approximately January 1921 Wer darf a weib? Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 87221 10-in. approximately March 1921 Chiri biri bom Nellie Casman Female vocal solo vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 88417 10-in. March 1922 Chicken Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 88418 10-in. approximately March 1922 Tzu mein sheine chassene Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 88419 10-in. approximately March 1922 Men shpielt in dreidel Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 88420 10-in. March 1922 Meine sheine mishpoche Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 89459 10-in. October 1923 Yosef Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia 89460 10-in. October 1923 Yoineh Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105659 10-in. May 1925 Itzek mit'n smitchek Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105741 10-in. July 1925 Chayim, chayim Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105768 10-in. approximately August 1925 Oisgeshpielt Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105769 10-in. approximately August 1925 Vu zenen meine zieben gute yohr? Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105878 10-in. September 1925 Nellie, thu es noch amol Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal, composer  
Columbia W105879 10-in. September 1925 Ich bin farliebt in mein eigenem man Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal, composer  
Columbia W105962 10-in. October 1925 Tchastushkes Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W105963 10-in. October 1925 Heibt die fiselach! Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W106268 10-in. approximately January 1926 Alles is a bluff Nellie Casman Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 26-50 of 51 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Casman, Nellie," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115076.

Casman, Nellie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115076.

"Casman, Nellie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/115076

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