It was announced last Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015 by publicist Harlan Boll that Theodore Bikel at 91 years old died of natural causes in UCLA Medical Center in LA from an article of The Hollywood Reporter.
Bikel was popularly known in portraying the character Teyve numerous times in stage in the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" from the book of Joseph Stein and also creating the Captain Von Trapp role in the "Sound of Music".
He was also known for playing foreign characters in films such as "The Enemy Below," "The Pride and the Passion," "The Little Kidnappers," and "My Fair Lady."
He was also a well-rounded and world renowned artist in the fields of acting, and music. He was a film and theater actor, a folksinger, composer, and musician. As a folk musician, Bikel even performed for Queen Elizabeth at Carnegie Hall in 1961.
He garnered much recognition including an Academy Award nomination for "The Defiant Ones" in 1959, Tony Nomination for "The Rope Dancers" in 1958 and in 1959 for "The Sound of Music," a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Foundation of Jewish Culture and in 2009 for the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.
He served, been a leader, and also a member to many organizations such as the co-founder of Actors Federal Credit Union, president of Actors' Equity and Associated Actors and Artistes of America, and chair of Board Director of Meretz and a member of Mensa International.
From Variety, Actor's Equity Association wherein Bikel was once a president said that it "mourns the passing of our dear friend, our brother and former President Theo Bikel. From the time he joined Equity in 1954, Bikel has been an advocate for the members of our union and his extraordinary achievements paved the way for so many. No one loved theater more, his union better or cherished actors like Theo did. He has left an indelible mark on generation of members past and generations of members to come. We thank you, Theo, for all you have done."
