Courtesy of Wikipedia
Mickey Katz (June 15, 1909 – April 30, 1985) was an American musician and comedian. He was the father of actor Joel Grey and paternal grandfather of actress Jennifer Grey.
Meyer Myron Katz was born on Sawtell Court in Cleveland, Ohio, to a Jewish family. He was one of five children born to Johanna (née Herzberg) and Menachem Katz. Mickey lost an older sister to diphtheria when he was about four years old. Menachem supported the family as a tailor, but money was always tight in the Katz family. As children, Mickey and his siblings contributed to the family finances by entering amateur musical contests in the neighborhood theaters and bringing the prize money home to their parents. Even after graduating from high school, Mickey continued to support his family with the money he earned from his music.
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Tomorrow, June 16: Erich Segal
I have one of the last interviews of Mickey Katz before he passed away. He lived in a large, beautiful apt. on the Wilshire Blvd. near Santa Monica Blvd. I was talking to him about the revival of klezmer that began in the mid-70s and he lamented the fact that the revivalists that were making names for themselves had all but forgotten him. I asked him who he thought the best clarinetist of the revivalists was and he named Don Byron (Africa-American) who then played with the Klezmer Conservatory Band out of Boston. Lastly Katz was the first clarinetist to play Rhapsody in Blue with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. For all of his playing and singing that was “shtik” he was an incredible musician.
Wow, thanks for sharing, what a neat story!