A Curious Profession: Jewish Impersonator

Salt Lake Tribune May 05, 1913

While researching something else I came across this curious article from the Salt Lake Tribune of May 05, 1913. This article praising Harry Cooper as as “Jewish impersonator.” It’s not clear from this article whether Cooper is Jewish himself or just an actor who specializes in playing Jews. According the article the actor was “a wonderful  impersonator of the typical Jew.”

So the question I have is: to what degree was being a “Jewish impersonator” a recognized profression? Or was this just an awkward phrase invented by a reporter of the Salt Lake Tribune? Was Cooper just a Jewish comedian, a precursor to Woody Allen and Jerry Seinfeld? Or is this something different? Any advice from historians out there would be appreciated.

You Say You Want a Revolution

Hannah Arendt: theorist of revolution

 

Over at the Globe and Mail, I try to place the current turmoil in the Middle East (and elsewhere) in the context of various theories of revolution. You can read the article here.