WHEN JEWS DECLARED: “WE WILL NEVER DIE”…SEE THESE PICTURES
To shatter the curtain of silence surrounding the slaughter of Europe’s Jews, Hollywood scriptwriter and playwright Ben Hecht in early 1943 conceived the idea of holding a dramatic pageant to publicize the plight of the Jews. With his show business connections Hecht was able to recruit prominent celebrities to take part, including Billy Rose as producer, Moss Hart as director, Kurt Weill to compose an original score, and Edward G. Robinson, Paul Muni, Sylvia Sydney, and Stella Adler in starring roles in the pageant, which he called We Will Never Die. Some 40,000 people attended the sold-out Madison Square Garden opening night performances. The Bergson Group also staged it in Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and at the Hollywood Bowl; in all, more than 100,000 people saw We Will Never Die.
Edward G. Robinson, Sylvia Sydney, and Paul Muni confer prior to the opening performance of We Will Never Die.
Billy Rose, producer of the pageant, addressing the cast. Author Ben Hecht is seated to his left; director Moss Hart is seated to his right.
Billy Rose interviewing Yeshiva College students seeking parts as extras.
Moss Hart, director of We Will Never Die.
Kurt Weill, who wrote an original score for the pageant.
The Bergson Group’s executive director, Yitshaq Ben-Ami (L) and executive vice chairman Gabriel A. Wechsler (R), in a Bergson Group publicity shot, described as “discussing ticket sales with Mrs. Frieda Zimmerman,” office manager.
Mrs. Julius Joelson, who handled financial matters related to the pageant.
Press contacts for We Will Never Die were handeld by, L to R, David Lipsky, Michael Mok, and Samuel Rosen.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt attending the Washington, D.C. performance of We WIll Never Die.
Harlan Stone, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, attending the Washington, D.C. performance of We WIll Never Die.
Dutch Ambassador Dr. A. Louden and his wife attending the Washington, D.C. performance We WIll Never Die.
Stella Adler, narrator for We Will Never Die.
Paul Muni, center.
Scenes from the Madison Square Garden performance:
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