Philip Laskowsky

Philip Laskowsky (; c.1884–1960) was a Polish-born American composer, arranger, bandleader, comedian and actor of the Yiddish theatre. He collaborated with a number of well-known figures of the American Yiddish theatre such as Boris Thomashefsky, Louis Gilrod, Isidore Lillian, Jacob Jacobs, and Rubin Doctor.

Biography Early life He was born Pinchas Laskowsky in Warsaw, Poland in the 1880s. His exact year of birth is uncertain; the Leksikon fun yidishn teater gives it as July 17, 1889, but in immigration documents Laskowsky usually indicated July 17, 1884 or sometimes 1886. His father was a lumber merchant and follower of the Radzymin Hasids.

It was in 1929 that he got his first high-profile job writing full compositions, becoming the director, conductor and composer at the Prospect Theatre with Nathan Goldberg and Jacob Jacobs. According to Pesach Burstein, Laskowsky spent several months recovering in bed from the injuries.

In the 1930s Laskowsky continued to be very productive in the Yiddish theatre, not only composing but also arranging the compositions of other composers for performance.

He died in New York on June 13, 1960. He was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in the Yiddish Theatrical Alliance section.

Selected list of plays and operettas he wrote music for

(1922, written by Boris Thomashefsky) (1924) (1927, written by Boris Thomashefsky)

(1933, written by Samuel Steinberg) (1935, written by Anshel Schorr) (1951, written by Israel Rosenberg) (Song of Love, 1951, written by Israel Rosenberg) (1951, written by Israel Rosenberg) (1955, written by Israel Rosenberg)