Broadway to Dim Lights in Honor of Tony and Oscar Nominee Theodore Bikel

The Broadway community will mourn the loss of acclaimed performer Theodore Bikel, who died on July 21 at the age of 91, by dimming the marquees of Broadway theaters in New York on July 24 at exactly 7:45pm for one minute.

A musical theater favorite, Bikel originated the role of Captain Georg von Trapp in the 1959 production of The Sound of Music, which earned him a Tony Award nomination. He also appeared on Broadway in 1958's The Rope Dancers, which also earned him a Tony nod, as well as Tonight in Samarkand, The Lark, Café Crown, Pousse-Café, and The Inspector General. Bikel's Oscar nomination came in 1958, for playing Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones.

Bikel appeared on stages around the world. He is known best for playing the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, which he performed more than 2,000 times. His last run as Tevye came in 2010 when he subbed in for an injured Topol during the North American tour.

Bikel cofounded the Newport Folk Festival along with Pete Seeger, Oscar Brand, and George Wein in 1959. In 1962, he cofounded the Actors Federal Credit Union and served as president of Actors' Equity in the late 1970s and early 1980s, supporting human rights. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to serve a six-year term on the National Council for the Arts. Bikel has also been president of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America since 1988.

Bikel is survived by two children and his wife, Aimee Ginsburg.