Mike Burstyn

Mike Burstyn, born Michael Burstein on July 1, 1945, in the Bronx, New York, is an Israeli-American actor who has worked across the American, Israeli, and Yiddish stages as well as television in the United States, Israel, and the Netherlands. He holds dual Israeli-American citizenship.

Burstyn was born into a theatrical family. His parents, Pesach Burstein and Lillian Lux, were both Yiddish-language actors, and his first cousin was Borscht Belt comedian Jay Lester. From childhood, Burstyn performed in Yiddish theater productions mounted by his father, appearing in musicals and melodramas that included A Khasene in Shtetl. During this period he and his twin sister were billed as Motele and Zisele as part of a family act known as the Four Bursteins. Upon reaching adulthood, he pursued a broader career beyond the Yiddish stage.

His early screen work included leading roles in two major Israeli films: Shabbat HaMalka in 1965 and The Flying Matchmaker in 1966. In 1981, he participated in the Israeli heats of the Eurovision Song Contest performing the song "Sviv kol ha'olam," which placed sixth. That same period saw him host his own television program, De Mike Burstyn Show, which ran from 1978 to 1981.

Burstyn's Broadway career spanned from 1968 to 2002. His credits include The Megilla of Itzik Manger, an adaptation of his father's Yiddish production of Itzik Manger's Songs of the Megillah, which had been the longest-running Yiddish production in Israeli history. He also appeared in Barnum, where he succeeded Jim Dale in the title role, and later starred in Ain't Broadway Grand and Jolson The Musical. He additionally appeared in The Tale of the Allergist's Wife.

Off-Broadway, Burstyn received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Mayer in The Rothschilds in 1990. He received a second Drama Desk nomination for his work in On Second Avenue in 2005. In 2009, he starred in the title role of Lansky, a stage adaptation written by Joseph Bologna. The documentary film The Komediant chronicles the lives and careers of the Burstein family.