Jacob Kalich
American actor, director, and producer of Yiddish theater productions
About Jacob Kalich
Lived 1891 – 1975 (aged 83–84). Jacob Kalich was an American actor, theatre director, theatrical producer, television actor, silent film actor and playwright.
Yankel "Jacob" Kalich (, 18 November 1891 – 16 March 1975) was a Yiddish theater actor, director, and producer.
Kalich was born in Rymanów, Galicia, Austria-Hungary in what is now Poland. He immigrated to America in 1914. He opened a theater in Philadelphia. He would go to New York to see Joseph Rumshinsky and would ask him for use of his operettas.
Kalish met actress Molly Picon when she was on the vaudeville circuit, stranded in Boston after an influenza epidemic had closed all the theaters. He hired her to work his Yiddish Theater Season at the Boston Opera House for two years. The two of them toured doing Yiddish theater in Europe after World War II going "anywhere they could find an audience of survivors."
He made the transition from doing Yiddish theater to being in Hollywood films, playing the role of "Yankel" in Fiddler on the Roof.
Personal life Kalish and his wife Molly Picon lived on a 12-acre farm in Mahopac, New York.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Jacob Kalich's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jacob Kalich's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jacob Kalich?
American actor, director, and producer of Yiddish theater productions
When was Jacob Kalich born?
Jacob Kalich was born in 1891 in Rymanów.
When did Jacob Kalich die?
Jacob Kalich died in 1975 in Mahopac.
What was Jacob Kalich's occupation?
Jacob Kalich was an actor, theatre director, theatrical producer, television actor, silent film actor and playwright.
What nationality was Jacob Kalich?
Jacob Kalich was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jacob Kalich. https://biography.guide/jacob-kalich/
MLA: "Jacob Kalich." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jacob-kalich/.
Chicago: "Jacob Kalich." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jacob-kalich/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:16 UTC