User:MikeNHumphrey/Temp.Henry Lynn

Henry Lynn was born July 21, 1895 in Bialystok, Poland, under Russian occupation. Frustrated by difficulties of obtaining a public university education and the general oppression of Jews, he emigrated to America, arriving in Boston in 1912. Initially he taught Hebrew in Boston and suburbs, Dorchester, Lynn, and Revere Beach. Soon he moved to New York City where he taught Hebrew, Polish and Russian, created several businesses, and worked as a news commentator on Yiddish Radio station, WEVD.

From 1932 to 1939, Henry was writer and/or producer/director of at least 10 Yiddish films, emphasizing Jewish family life and traditional values. He directed 9 Yiddish films. The first two: The Intolerance of 1933, and The Youth of Russia (1934), are documentaries and contain rare footage of historical events, e.g., labor union marches in New York City in the early 1930’s.

He is survived by his daughter, Lila Lynn, who appeared as a child in some of his films with her mother, Kitty.

The complete list of his known films is:

1.  Mothers of Today (1939) ... aka Hayntige Mames (USA: Yiddish title: YIVO translation) http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=95533&atid=2251&category=overview http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031673/ http://www.brandeis.edu/jewishfilm/Catalogue/films/mothersoftoday.htm

2.  A People Eternal (1939) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129296/

3.  The Power of Life (1938) ... aka Kraft von Leben, Die (USA: Yiddish title: alternative title) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030617/ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=499192&atid=2305&category=overview 4.  Where Is My Child? (1937)    ... aka Vu iz mayn Kind? (USA: Yiddish title: alternative title (YIVO translation)     ... aka Wo ist mein Kind?  (USA: Yiddish title: alternative title)     http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=95533&atid=2251&category=overview            http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029765/     http://www.brandeis.edu/jewishfilm/Catalogue/films/whereismychild.htm

5.  The Holy Oath (1937) ... aka Di Heylige Shvue http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=623315&atid=2231&category=overview

6.  Shir Hashirim (1935) ... aka Farbotene Liebe (USA: Yiddish title: reissue (YIVO translation)                              ... aka Forbidden Love  (USA: reissue title)      ... aka Song of Songs   (literal English title)      ... aka Verbotene Liebe (USA: Yiddish title: reissue title)     http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=561492&atid=2291&category=overview     http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026989/

7.  Bar-Mitzvah (1935) http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=490216&atid=2222&category=overview http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026096/

8.  The Youth of Russia (1934) ... aka The Yiddish Father ... aka Yiddisher Vater, Der  (USA: Yiddish title: reissue title) ... aka Yidisher Foter, Der   (USA: Yiddish title: reissue title (YIVO translation)     http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=502582&atid=2313&category=overview         http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026020/

9.  The Intolerance of 1933 (1933)  Semi-documentary, owned by Emgee Films, Reseda, California http://emgee.freeyellow.com/

10. The Unfortunate Bride (1932) ... aka Ungluckliche Kale, Die (USA: Yiddish title: alternative title) http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=561492&atid=2291&category=overview http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026020/

Many of his films used popular Yiddish theatre actors of the era: Morris Strassberg, Celia Adler http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0012120/, Dora Weissman, opera singer/actor, Boris Thomashefsky http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0859690/, actor/singer, Seymour Rechzeit, Michal Michalesko, and the popular radio star Esther Field. The production companies were Lynn Productions, Menorah, Empire Films, S & L Films, Sov-Am Films, Judea Films and Apex Films. Jack Stillman was the musical director of most of Henry Lynn’s films, several of which had excellent original compositions by Joseph Rumshinsky, Art Shryer, Ludwig Satz, and William Mercur. Music heightened the emotional drama of these films.

More details can be found at TCM and IMDb:

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant/participant.jsp?participantId=1170431|69402&afiPersonalNameId=null

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528690/

The National Center for Jewish Film at Brandeis University, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City have copies of some of these films. DVD’s and VHS copies of Mothers of Today, Where is my Child, Bar Mitzva are available from TCM, Brandeis, Ergo, and Israel-Store. The Intolerance of 1933 is available from Glenn Studio, EmGee Films in Reseda, California, http://emgee.freeyellow.com/. TCM offers the most complete synopses & production details of all Henry Lynn films http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?participantId=1170431|69402&afiPersonalNameId=null. ---

Review - Film Daily, 1939
Review of “Mothers of Today” (Hayntige Mames), Film Daily, 1939:

“Heavy tragedy, which seems to be an essential basis of all Yiddish dramas, is done to a turn in this new film and it should please the dyed-in-the-wool Yiddish fans. . .  . , the film has considerable merit. Cast members, with the exception of the talented Esther Field, were recruited from the stage for their initial appearance on the screen, and they give Miss Field adequate support. Henry Lynn directs the film feelingly.”

– Film Daily, 1939

A Brandeis description: Directed by Henry Lynn, 35mm DVD Mothers of Today includes the sole motion picture performance of radio star Esther Field, who was well-known ...