{{Short description|American actress (1867/1868–1953)}} '''Jennie Moscowitz''' ({{Birth based on age as of date |85|1953|07|26|noage=1}} – July 26, 1953) was an American actress who was known for portraying Jewish mothers<ref name="max obit" /> and was "equally well known on the English and Yiddish stages".<ref>{{cite news |title=Tribute to Actress: Jennie Moscowitz Honored for Her 55 Years on Stage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1943/06/28/archives/tribute-to-actress-jennie-moscowitz-honored-for-her-55-years-on.html |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=June 28, 1943 |page=15|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Early years== Moscowitz was born in Iași, Romania. Her father was a tutor at court, and she attended the Conservatoire de Declamation in Iași, the only Jewish student there at that time.<ref name="n">{{cite news |title=Jennie Moscowitz, 85, Yiddish Actress, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-nassau-edition-jennie-moscowit/127425812/ |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=Newsday (Nassau Edition) |date=July 28, 1953 |location=New York, New York City |page=57 S|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was the oldest of four children.<ref name="papers" />

==Career== Moscowitz debuted on stage in Iași when she was 13 years old, portraying Nanine in a production of ''Camille'',<ref name="nytobit" /> a command performance for Romania's king and queen.<ref>{{cite news |title=Says acting today is too mechanical |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/127594942/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=January 16, 1933 |page=3 B|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> It starred Sarah Bernhardt, "who took such a liking to the girl that she guided her professionally for the next five years."<ref name="nytobit" />

Moscowitz came to the United States as part of a troupe assembled by two Russian impresarios. She acted in supporting roles with the Jewish Art Theatre and learned English while doing so, thus gaining access to English-speaking roles.<ref name="nytobit" /> Her Broadway debut was in ''The Melting Pot'', and her "first notable success on the English-speaking stage" was in ''The Auctioneer'', in which she acted for six seasons.<ref name="55 years ago">{{cite news |title=Fifty-Five Years Ago Today Jennie Moscowitz Made Debut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-jennie-moscowit/127449380/ |access-date=July 2, 2023 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |date=June 27, 1943 |page=29|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> For another six seasons she portrayed Mrs. Potash in ''Potash and Perlmutter'' on Broadway and around the United States. She acted two more years in ''Partners Again'', a sequel to ''Potash and Perlmutter''.<ref name="55 years ago" /> Moscowitz's other Broadway credits included ''The Treasure'', ''Partners Again''), ''Kosher Kitty Kelly'', ''The Song Writer'', ''The Wooden Soldier'', ''Excursion'', and ''Counsellor-at-Law''.<ref name="ibdb">{{cite web |title=Jennie Moscowitz |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jennie-moscowitz-68383 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411081841/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jennie-moscowitz-68383 |archive-date=April 11, 2021}}</ref>

Explaining her success in the theater, Moscowitz said, "If I tried to act, I wouldn't be worth a nickel to a producer. It's because I behave like myself, like a real Jewish mother -- and that's what I am in private life -- that the people like me."<ref name="nytobit" /> Her sons tried to dissuade her from performing in a revival of the play ''Counsellor-at-Law'', which came during her 60th year on stage. They relented after she told them, "I love it. I want to do it. It's my life."<ref>{{cite news |title='Ma' Moscowitz Is Trouper 60 Years |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-jennie-moscowitz/127600686/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=The Miami News |agency=The New York Herald Tribune |date=May 3, 1943 |page=8|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>

On radio, Moscowitz starred in the serials ''The Awakening''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Ben |title=Listening In |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/127595362/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=Daily News |date=December 4, 1938 |location=New York, New York City |page=56|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> and ''My Boy''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Ben |title=Listening In |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/127595093/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=Daily News |date=March 24, 1934 |location=New York, New York City |page=30|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> and was active as a dialectician.<ref name="55 years ago" />

==Personal life and death== Jennie and Max Moscowitz married in 1888.<ref name="max obit">{{cite news |title=Max Moscowitz, 88, Ran Variety Houses |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/01/13/archives/max-moscowitz-88-ran-variety-houses.html |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 1947 |page=21|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He operated the Eldorado, the first Jewish variety theater in New York City, and after they married he managed her career for many years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Max Moscowitzes Wed 50 Years Ago: Ex-Theatre Manager and Actress to Celebrate Today |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1938/12/02/archives/max-moscowitzes-wed-50-years-ago-extheatre-manager-and-actress-to.html |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=December 2, 1938 |page=26|url-access=subscription}}</ref> They had two sons<ref>{{cite news |title=Max Moscowitzes Feted At Party |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/mount-vernon-argus-jennie-moscowitz/127595594/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=Mount Vernon Argus |date=December 3, 1938 |page=8|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> and a daughter.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jennie Moscowitz, Veteran Jewish Actress, Dies At 85 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/mount-vernon-argus-jennie-moscowitz/127611172/ |access-date=July 4, 2023 |work=Mount Vernon Argus |date=July 27, 1953 |page=2|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>

He died in 1947.<ref name="max obit" /> She died on July 26, 1953, in a home for the aged in the Bronx, New York City, aged 85.<ref name="nytobit">{{cite news |title=Jennie Moscowitz, Jewish Actress, 85: Performer Known for Mother Roles Is Dead--Made Her Debut in Rumania at 13 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/07/27/archives/jennie-mosc0wltz-jewish-actress-85-performer-knovn-for-mother-roles.html |access-date=July 1, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=July 27, 1953 |page=19|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Papers== The Jennie Moscowitz papers are housed at the New York Public Library. The collection includes correspondence, personal papers, and scripts related to her career and her private life.<ref name="papers">{{cite web |title=Jennie Moscowitz papers |url=https://archives.nypl.org/the/21566 |website=New York Public Library |access-date=July 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627200835/http://archives.nypl.org/the/21566 |archive-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moscowitz, Jennie}} Category:1860s births Category:1953 deaths Category:Actresses from Iași Category:American people of Romanian-Jewish descent Category:19th-century American actresses Category:20th-century American actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:Broadway theatre people