Herschel
Bernardi (October 30, 1923
– May 9, 1986) was an American actor and singer He is
best known for his supporting role in
the drama television series Peter Gunn (1958–1961) and his leading role in the comedy television series Arnie (1970–1972). The two series earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and 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. Born
in New York City, the younger
son of Berel Bernardi and Helen Bernardi, Herschel was appearing on the stages
of 2nd Avenue with his acting family before he could talk. In the 1930s,
Bernardi appeared in the Yiddish films of Edgar G. Ulmer and was later among those actors who made
the transition from Yiddish-speaking roles in film to American films. Herschel
was the brother of Jack Bernardi (who played Harvey Pulp in It's a Bikini World). 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,[4] for his portrayal of 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 with hundreds of films, commercials and cartoons to his credit and was
the original voice of StarKist Tuna animated character "Charlie the Tuna" as well as the original voice of
the Jolly Green Giant and
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.