The World of Sholom Aleichem (1959)

Drama
TV Movie

This omnibus release consists of three playlets filmed and aired during television's Golden Age, and starring some of the legends of film and television. The collection originally ran as a two-hour segment on December 14, 1959, on the anthology series The Play of the Week, broadcast locally in New York City via the independent radio station WNTA. Each "tale" in the anthology was adapted from a single tale by the inimitable Sholom Aleichem, regarded by many as the "Yiddish Mark Twain". Included are: "A Tale of Chelm" starring Zero Mostel and Nancy Walker in the story of a bookseller attempting to buy a goat; "Bontche Schweig" about a poor man (Jack Gilford) whose recent arrival in Heaven makes the angels cry; and "The High School" about a Jewish merchant (Morris Carnovsky) persuaded by his wife (Gertrude Berg) to let their son attend a particular high school despite the enforcement of quotas for Jewish students.

Cast

Mendele
(as Conrad Josephs)
Rabbi David / Prosecuting Angel
Melamed / Maxel
Aaron Katz / Presiding Angel
The Goatseller / Avenging Angel
Bontsche Shveig / Angel
The Angel Rochele
Dodi the Innkeeper

Crew

Set Decoration
Costume Design
Makeup Supervisor
Unit Manager
Production Supervisor
Graphic Designer
Settings
Lighting Director
Script Editor
Choreographer
Production Assistant
Original Music Composer
Original Music Composer