Jennie Moscowitz

Jennie Moscowitz (1867 or 1868 – July 26, 1953) was an American actress who built a career spanning both the English-language and Yiddish stages, becoming particularly recognized for her portrayals of Jewish mothers. Her Broadway appearances extended from 1913 to 1942.

Moscowitz was born in Iași, Romania, the eldest of four children. Her father worked as a tutor at court. She studied at the Conservatoire de Declamation in Iași, where she was the only Jewish student enrolled at the time. Her stage debut came at age thirteen in her hometown, when she played Nanine in a production of Camille that served as a command performance for Romania's king and queen. The production starred Sarah Bernhardt, who took an interest in the young Moscowitz and guided her professionally for the following five years.

Moscowitz traveled to the United States as a member of a troupe organized by two Russian impresarios. She took supporting roles with the Jewish Art Theatre, and through that work she acquired English, which opened the door to English-language stage work. Her Broadway debut came in The Melting Pot, and she achieved her first significant success on the English-speaking stage in The Auctioneer, a production in which she performed for six seasons. She subsequently spent another six seasons on Broadway and on tour portraying Mrs. Potash in Potash and Perlmutter, then continued in that character for two additional years in Partners Again, a sequel to the same production.

Her Broadway credits also included The Treasure, Kosher Kitty Kelly, The Song Writer, The Wooden Soldier, Excursion, and Counsellor-at-Law. The revival of Counsellor-at-Law arrived during her sixtieth year on stage, and her sons initially urged her not to take part. She persuaded them otherwise, telling them that performing was her life and something she loved. On radio, Moscowitz starred in the serials The Awakening and My Boy and was active as a dialectician.

In 1888, Moscowitz married Max Moscowitz, who operated the Eldorado, the first Jewish variety theater in New York City, and who managed her career for many years after their marriage. The couple had two sons and a daughter. Max Moscowitz died in 1947. Jennie Moscowitz died on July 26, 1953, at a home for the aged in the Bronx, New York City, at the age of eighty-five. Her papers, which include correspondence, personal documents, and scripts relating to both her career and private life, are held at the New York Public Library.