Obie Winner Jerome Eskow Dies at 84

Obie Award winner Jerome Eskow, a director, actor, and drama teacher, died in Manhattan on November 14 of Parkinson’s Disease. He was 84.

Eskow received the 1961-1962 Obie Award for Best Musical for Fly Blackbird, which he directed, and shared the award with the show’s creators, C. Jackson and James Hatch. His other directorial credits include the original musical adaptation of Of Mice and Men, and the London and Sweden premieres of the Frank Loesser musical The Most Happy Fella.

He chaired the Drama Department at New York City’s High School of the Performing Arts (now known as the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts), for nearly two decades until his retirement in 1987.

Eskow is survived by his wife, Libi; his daughter, Lisa Eskow; his grandson, Max Eskow Domel; and his brother, Seymour Eskow. A memorial service will be held for him at Riverside Memorial Chapel on Thursday, November 19 at 5pm.