Herschel Bernardi (October 30, 1923 – May 9, 1986) was an American actor and singer. He is best known for his supporting role in the television detective series Peter Gunn (1958–1961) for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and his starring role in the comedy television series Arnie (1970–1972) which earned him two consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations.
On stage, Bernardi appeared in many Broadway musicals. He was nominated for two Tony Awards for his performances in the original production of Zorba and the 1981 revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
Biography Bernardi is known for his starring roles on Broadway, including Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba, and Bajour. He also appeared in many television programs, including Harbor Command and The Eleventh Hour (both with Wendell Corey) and State Trooper with Rod Cameron.
His career as a performer was affected by his being blacklisted for alleged involvement in the Communist Party in the 1950s.
From 1958 to 1961, Bernardi co-starred with Craig Stevens in Blake Edwards's television series Peter Gunn. He received his sole Emmy nomination, for Best Supporting Actor (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series - 1959, for his portrayal of somber police Lieutenant Jacoby.
In 1961, Bernardi guest-starred in a Bonanza episode ("The Smiler") as Clarence Bolling, the vengeful brother of a murdered man.
In 1963, he was cast as Mr. Otis, a teacher who mostly ignores his students, in the episode "I Don't Even Live Here" of the NBC education drama series Mr. Novak starring James Franciscus.
Bernardi starred in the CBS sitcom Arnie (1970-1972). He starred for two years as someone plucked from the loading dock of a flange company to become an executive. He was nominated for Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy in 1971 and 1972.
He voiced Woodhead the rocking horse in Filmation's Journey Back to Oz. He also provided the Cowardly Lion's singing voice while Milton Berle provided the character's speaking voice. He also appeared as Joe Vitelli in the 1977 TV miniseries Seventh Avenue.
In Hail to the Chief (1985), a comedy on ABC, Bernardi played Helmut Luger.
Bernardi was in several notable films, including Murder by Contract (1958); A Cold Wind in August (1961); The George Raft Story (1961); Irma La Douce (1963); Love with the Proper Stranger (1963); No Deposit, No Return (1976); and The Front (1976), a film about blacklisting in the entertainment industry. Bernardi was the victim of blacklisting during the 1950s, as were several other performers and the screenwriter and director on that film. Bernardi also narrated and emceed The Golden Age of Second Avenue, a 1969 film documentary about the Yiddish theatre movement on New York's Lower East Side of the early-to-mid 20th century (where Bernardi had launched his acting career).
Bernardi was a noted voiceover artist and narrator, contributing to hundreds of films, commercials and cartoons, including as the original voice of StarKist Tuna animated character "Charlie the Tuna" and original voice of the Jolly Green Giant. He was also the narrator of a long-running Tootsie Pop commercial, saying, "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? The world may never know."
Herschel Bernardi also had two minor record hits, 1967's "If I Were a Rich Man", reflecting his success as Tevye, and 1971's "Pencil Marks on the Wall".
In 1961, the Vanguard Recording Society issued "Chocolate Covered Matzohs", recorded 'live' in front of an audience at the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center of Los Angeles, California, which was a collection of sentimental and wryly humorous tales in Yiddish and English of Jewish immigration into the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century and also featured some songs.
His album, Fiddler On the Roof peaked at No. 138 on the Billboard Top LPs, during a five-week run on the chart. Death Bernardi died in his sleep of a heart attack in Los Angeles on May 9, 1986, at age 62. The New York Times chose his role in the first run of Fiddler on the Roof as his iconic performance:
"Husky and bearded, Mr. Bernardi was a versatile actor with many roles to his credit. But it was as Tevye, the poor milkman in the hamlet of Anatevka, that audiences remembered him most fondly."
"The character had been created on Broadway by Zero Mostel, who was followed on the boards by Luther Adler. As Tevye No. 3, Mr. Bernardi played the role 702 times on Broadway over three years, starting in November 1965." Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1937Green FieldsAvram-YankovCredited as Hershel Bernardi1938The Singing BlacksmithYoung YankelCredited as Hershel Bernardi1947Danger StreetCasino DoormanUncredited1958Stakeout on Dope StreetMr. Fennel1958Murder by ContractGeorge1959The Savage EyeKirk19591001 Arabian NightsThe Jinni of the Lamp (voice)1961A Cold Wind in AugustJuley Franz1961The George Raft StorySam1963Irma la DouceInspector Lefevre1963Love with the Proper StrangerDominick Rossini1963The Great Rights(voice)Short Film1964Send Me No FlowersTV Announcer (voice)Uncredited1964The HangmanNarratorShort Film1965The Man from Button WillowThe Captain / Saloon Man #1 (voice)1965Sean O'Casey: The Spirit of IrelandNarrator (voice)Short Film1967The Honey PotOscar LudwigScenes deleted1967Union Carbide: Super InsulationShort Film1970The Ghost Monster(voice)Short Film1970The Drifter(voice)Short Film1970The Proton PulsatorStrong Man / Diaper Man / Tornado Man (voice)Short Film1970The Shocker(voice)Short Film1971The Big FreezeStrong Man / Diaper Man / Tornado Man (voice)Short Film1972Journey Back to OzWoodenhead Pinto Stallion III (voice)1972The Paper MonsterStrong Man / Diaper Man / Tornado Man (voice)Short Film1976No Deposit, No ReturnSgt. Turner1976The FrontPhil Sussman
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1956–1958NBC Matinee TheatreBorachio / M. Plevian4 episodes1957Studio 57Episode: "A Little Care"1958The Walter Winchell FileEpisode: "Terror"1958SuspicionFather SalvadoreEpisode: "Comfort for the Grave"1958Harbor CommandTurk SavageEpisode: "Four to Die"1958Mike HammerJoe SaleEpisode: "A Shot in the Arm"1958The Court of Last ResortFrank KerloEpisode: "The Allen Cutler Case"1958State TrooperJake CarneyEpisode: "312 Vertical"1958ZorroManuel HernandezEpisode: "The Sergeant Regrets"1958Schlitz Playhouse of StarsEddieEpisode: "You'll Have to Die Now"1958M SquadVic GordonEpisode: "The Executioner"1958–1961Peter GunnLieutenant Jacoby102 episodes1961BonanzaClarence BollingEpisode: "The Smiler"1961Cain's HundredLouis StrodeEpisode: "The Penitent: Louis Strode"1961Top CatMuggsy (voice)Episode: "The Unscratchables"1961–1962Dr. KildareNathan Agurski / Pico2 episodes1962CheckmateNed HazlyEpisode: "The Renaissance of Gussie Hill"1962The DetectivesArizonEpisode: "The Con Man"1962The FlintstonesAgent / Detective / Doctor #1 / Silky (voice)4 episodes1962Sam BenedictInsp. Tony DelganoEpisode: "Twenty Aching Years"1962Naked CityGus Slate / Stanley Dorkner2 episodes1962The UntouchablesBenno Fisk / Julius Albert Vernon2 episodes1962–1963The Dick Powell TheatreChristopher Burton / Major Abrams2 episodes1962–1964Route 66Gerald Ward / Dr. Arthur Reisman2 episodes1962–1964InsightHost2 episodes1963Car 54, Where Are You?Governor's AideEpisode: "The Biggest Day of the Year"; uncredited1963Mr. NovakMr. OtisEpisode: "I Don't Even Live Here"1963The Eleventh HourBernie Miller / Harry Cizon2 episodes1964GrindlJoe BostickEpisode: "The Lucky Piece"1964Burke's LawKid McCoyEpisode: "Who Killed Marty Kelso?"1964Kraft Suspense TheatreJoe MontiEpisode: "Their Own Executioners"1964The DefendersGeorge Conn / Myron Bellmore2 episodes1964Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreMcCarthyEpisode: "The Sojourner"1964Vacation PlayhouseJerome P. BaggleyEpisode: "Hooray for Hollywood"1965Profiles in CourageGen. Daniel SicklesEpisode: "Edmund G. Ross"1965The Doctors and the NursesCarl GarsonEpisode: "The Witnesses"1965The Trials of O'BrienGrommetEpisode: "Bargain Day on the Street of Regret"1965The FugitiveCaptain Ames2 episodes1965SeawayCaptain PetroffEpisode: "Abraham's Hand"1966The Mighty HeroesStrong Man / Diaper Man / Tornado Man (voice)2 episodes1968The Red Skelton HourMuggsyEpisode: "Love Is an Itch You Can't Scratch"1968A Hatful of RainJohn Pope, Sr.TV movie1970But I Don't Want to Get Married!Walter BenjaminTV movie1970–1972ArnieArnie NuvoMain cast; 48 episodes1971Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InGuest Performer2 episodes; uncredited1972No Place to RunHyam MalshTV movie1972SandcastlesAlexisTV movie1974Judgement: The Trial of Julius and Ethel RosenburgTV movie1974The Story of Jacob and JosephLabanTV movie1975Lucas TannerBert NevinsEpisode: "Those Who Cannot, Teach"1976Good HeavensMorris KropotkinEpisode: "The Queen's Rook Club"1976Newman's DrugstoreCharles NewmanTV movie1977Seventh AvenueJoe Vitelli3 episodes1978ActorNahum Favel WeissenfreundTV movie1979$weepstake$Episode: "Episode #1.5"1981The Million Dollar FaceNick RavennaTV movie1985Murder, She WroteDet. Lt. Avery MendelsohnEpisode: "Capitol Offense"1985Hail to the ChiefHelmut LugerEpisode: "Pilot"1985The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the BibleGoliath (voice)Episode: "David and Goliath"1986Highway to HeavenEverett SolomanEpisode: "The Torch"1986The Magical World of DisneyBogosianEpisode: "I-Man"1986Taking It HomePapa Joe MorelliTV movie
Commercials YearTitleRoleNotes1969Tootsie Pop: How Many LicksAnnouncer (voice)
References
External links
Discography at SonyBMG Masterworks