FYVUSH FINKEL - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 08/25/1981 - HFSID 301185

FYVUSH FINKEL
A handwritten letter to John Willis, editor-in-chief of Theatre World, signed by the actor
Autograph Letter signed: "Fyvush Finkel", 1 page. 8½x11. No place, 1981 August 25. To "Dear Mr. Willis", in full: "Enclosed you'll please find a recent picture of myself for your files. It will be indeed an honor to have this picture in your files and perhaps to be published in your book. Hoping you are in the best of health Yours,". In 1965, Fyvush Finkel (1922-2016) landed a small part in the national touring company of Fiddler on the Roof, eventually making his Broadway debut in the role of Tevye the milkman in 1970 in the long-running Broadway company. Between Broadway and the touring company, Finkel spent twelve years with the production. He was a fifty-year veteran of Yiddish theater whose career received a shot in the arm in the early 1990s when he became a regular on the acclaimed CBS dramatic series Picket Fences (1992-1996). For the role, Finkel earned a 1994 Emmy Award, announcing at the televised ceremonies that he had waited 51 years for this moment. He went on to star in Boston Public (2000-2004) and Fantasy Island (1998-1999). Theatre World, founded in 1945 by Daniel Blum, is America's oldest annual record of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre, referenced by industry professionals, historians, students and theatre fans worldwide. Until 1998, when a separate nonprofit corporation was established, Theatre World's editorial staff bestowed the prestigious Theatre World Awards for outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway debuts. Screen World (from 1950) and Dance World (from 1966), administered from the same office, furnished comprehensive information on those entertainment genres. John A. Willis (1916-2010), active in Theatre World from the beginning, became its chief editor in 1965, holding that position until 2008. Willis is regarded as one of the foremost theatre and film historians of the 20th century. While producing (and presenting) the annual Theatre World Awards, Willis also served on the nominating committee for the Tony Awards. Theatre World, which received its own Tony for Excellence in Theatre in 2001, continues under chief editor Ben Hodges.Bowed and creased. Unevenly toned. Otherwise, fine condition.