Outside observers are probably bewildered, wondering how is it possible that a people apparently possessed with more lamentations than all other peoples put together, whose history is one long stretch of mourning, tears and tragedy, should reveal more genius in comics than any other people in the world? Beginning with modern vaudeville and ending with classical comedy, you find the Jew the star comedian everywhere along the line. The Jew creates fun and everyone laughs.

Twenty years ago a German Jew published a book, The Undying Art. This book, full of humor, is to this day the only one of its kind in this field. There can be found among the great humorous writers of the nineteenth century an extraordinary large number of Jews. The comedy, 2as a literary production was discovered by Jews.

This remarkable phenomenon naturally has its causes, which I cannot delve into at present. I wish only to impart that originally Jews had no thoughts for comics. In the great books of our national literature, in the Bible and Talmud, the comical element is almost entirely lacking. Comic accomplishments of Jews are products of the Diaspora life.

Comedy, like humor, portrays contrast. To show this we must make comparisons. In exile Jews have absorbed comparisons and become imbibed not merely with humor, but ironic humor. We must not forget that Jewish tragedy is so deep and strong that it often becomes transformed into its opposite. It has been observed that great Jewish tragedians of the stage are also excellent comedians. Among non-Jews, such is seldom the case.

The Jewish theater, like Jewish life, is dramatic, melo-dramatic, and tragic. Its plays are mostly of this category. The comic element is merely supplementary to the drama. If there is a dearth of good Jewish dramas, of serious and sad plays, there are even fewer good Jewish comedies. If the Jewish comedian had to wait for the Jewish playwright to produce a comic script, he would have to find his bread elsewhere. Yet we have many comedians on the Jewish stage, all working. Our life is so tragically comic that even in the heaviest tragedies there is still place for the comedian. This explains the reason for the presence of the comedian on the stage of a generally dark Jewish setting. It is also the reason for the Jewish theater possessing so many comedians as well as tragedians. I did not know the late Mogulesko, but what I have learned of him makes me believe that he was no less a comedian than Adler a tragedian.

Of the great comedians in the Jewish theater in America, I know of no one more supple in action, keener in wit, or better in mimic than Sam Kestin.

Kestin has many foes among his colleagues, who claim he is more clown than actual comedian. I do not deny that there is some truth in this, which is rather to the advantage of Kestin, because not only is he a comic actor but a true Jewish comedian who brings forth true Jewish comedy better than any of his colleagues. A French comedian was once told he was a buffoon, which means a sort of French clown. To this he truthfully answered: "The traditions of French comedy begin with the buffoon." The same may be said of Sam Kestin. The tradition of Jewish comedy begins with the clown. Should this element be lacking, he would not deserve the title of Jewish comedian.

Then too, I wish to point out that while the tragedian can cast his role in one country or another; can play the French, German, English, and Russian plays, the comedian is more or less limited. His art is more local and nationalistic in scope than that of the tragedian. Adler could 5play in English to-morrow if he commanded enough of the language. But Kestin could not do so. The roots of comedy are more deeply embedded in folk life than anything presented by the tragedian, and is therefore only strong and productive to the extent to which he can draw his art from folk life. We understand then that Kestin, being a genuine Jewish comedian, must also be a clown, which is much to his advantage.

The greatness of Sam Kestin lies not so much in his mimic, though he is a very good one, but in his movements; just as reversely the strength of Ludwig Zatz lies not in his actions but in his mimics. The result is that Zatz must first make his grimace to call forth laughter, whereas Kestin awakes the laugh with his very entrance on the stage, every action of his means laughter.

I have often meditated on the rhythm of Kestin's movements and have 6gained the impression ,-it may be a personal one, -that his comic movements, which so readily call forth laughter, consist of two elements set in contrast, a male temperament and female grace. This contrast in itself is enough to make one laugh. Then too, Kestin,like all true comedians, has that quick comical retort. He creates of oppositions or contrasts true genuine art. For instance, if Kestin's comic object is a very tall man, Kestin will appear as a very small one. If the other is melancholy, he appears happy and joyful, contrary to the pessimist, developing thereby an amazing optimism. Most of Kestin's comics are not in the script; he creates them extemporaneously.

A. Shomer never dreamed that Kestin would transform the role of the Green Millionaire into what he did. The actions, movements, and optimism of that Chasedic jester that made the green millionaire famous is entirely Kestin's work. And yet, we cannot say that Sam Kestin idealizes his characterizations or recites his own comical scenes. I maintain he is first 7a realist, though he adds more to the script than the author of the book gives.

Kestin presents humanity. We can laugh of human interests only. In nature there is no comic. In mountains and forests, seas and deserts there is nothing to laugh about. Comics, as differentiated from tragics, presents humanity versus humanity. Nothing that is human is unknown to the true artist. A tragedian may be a patron or a peasant, but a comedian must be a good fellow and a good person. Not all good fellows are comedians, but all comedians must be good fellows. It gives me great happiness to say that Sam Kestin, being Sam Kestin, is a true comedian and a true good fellow. I only wish that this may be said of all Jewish actors.