Actor. He was a prolific performer of stage, films and television, often seen in comedic roles. Born Louis Harold Jacobovitch into a Jewish family in Toronto, he began his career as a child performing in amateur productions, making his stage debut at age ten in the play "The Rabbi and the Priest" in 1924. He served as drama director of the Toronto Y.M.H.A. and was a veteran player of the Canadian Theatre by the late 1940s. He made his big screen debut in the 1953 film "Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?" However, his breakthrough role came in 1955 with his Broadway debut in the highly acclaimed drama "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1955 to 1957). He originated the role of 'Mr. Van Daan' and would reprise it in the 1959 motion picture adaptation. Throughout the 1960s, Jacobi had a string of fine stage performances in productions including Paddy Chayefsky's "The Tenth Man" (1959 to 1961), Neil Simon's "Come Blow Your Horn" (1961 to 1962), "Fade Out-Fade In" (1964 to 1965) and Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water" (1966 to 1968). Among his other film performances are as a Paris barkeeper in "Irma la Douce" (1963), "Cotton Comes to Harlem" (1970), a transvestite in Allen's "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask" (1972), a friendly florist in "Arthur" (1981), "Chu Chu and the Philly Flash" (1981), a talkative Brooklyn uncle in "My Favorite Year" (1982), a Polish Jewish immigrant in "Avalon" (1990) and philosopher Kurt Gödel in "I.Q." (1994). His many small screen guest appearances include the programs "Playhouse 90," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "That Girl," "Love, American Style," "Sanford and Son" and "St. Elsewhere." He played the title role in the short-lived 1976 series "Ivan the Terrible."
Actor. He was a prolific performer of stage, films and television, often seen in comedic roles. Born Louis Harold Jacobovitch into a Jewish family in Toronto, he began his career as a child performing in amateur productions, making his stage debut at age ten in the play "The Rabbi and the Priest" in 1924. He served as drama director of the Toronto Y.M.H.A. and was a veteran player of the Canadian Theatre by the late 1940s. He made his big screen debut in the 1953 film "Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?" However, his breakthrough role came in 1955 with his Broadway debut in the highly acclaimed drama "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1955 to 1957). He originated the role of 'Mr. Van Daan' and would reprise it in the 1959 motion picture adaptation. Throughout the 1960s, Jacobi had a string of fine stage performances in productions including Paddy Chayefsky's "The Tenth Man" (1959 to 1961), Neil Simon's "Come Blow Your Horn" (1961 to 1962), "Fade Out-Fade In" (1964 to 1965) and Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water" (1966 to 1968). Among his other film performances are as a Paris barkeeper in "Irma la Douce" (1963), "Cotton Comes to Harlem" (1970), a transvestite in Allen's "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask" (1972), a friendly florist in "Arthur" (1981), "Chu Chu and the Philly Flash" (1981), a talkative Brooklyn uncle in "My Favorite Year" (1982), a Polish Jewish immigrant in "Avalon" (1990) and philosopher Kurt Gödel in "I.Q." (1994). His many small screen guest appearances include the programs "Playhouse 90," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "That Girl," "Love, American Style," "Sanford and Son" and "St. Elsewhere." He played the title role in the short-lived 1976 series "Ivan the Terrible."
Bio by: C.S.
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BELOVED HUSBAND
DEVOTED SON
LOVING BROTHER AND UNCLE
A VERY SPECIAL MAN
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