KENNETH FALLIN HONORS AL HERSHFELD WITH HIS ILLUSTRATIONS

                          Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish illustration by Ken Fallin

Al Hershfeld was known for his caricature drawings in the world of show business and politics. There was no doubt about his artwork as he would place the name of his daughter, Nina, in each of the pieces. Many of the black and white portraits were drawn with a single line.  Plays usually had the leads as a group when it came to Broadway shows. There was always a number next to his signature indicating how many times the name Nina appeared. No number meant that it was included only one time.  In fact it became a craze trying to spot them.  For instance, each Sunday a new one would appear in the entertainment section of the New York Times.  

He would be able to capture the essence of the play including costumes and sets. Hershfeld died in 2003 and some nicknamed him “The Line King.” When the off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway opened in 1984, a new illustrator, Kenneth Fallin made the scene with a poster and continued to do the cover for each of their cds and posters as they toured all over the world . He has been sketching in pen and ink ever since.

No Ninas. “What I have been doing for last few years is hiding my name, particularly as I also do illustrations for the Wall Street Journal. I recently did a cast caricature for the Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof. I had met Jackie Hoffman when she was in Once Upon a Mattress and was hired to draw the scenery. During the performances you would see my hand doing the drawing of such things as the castle and then it would fade.”

Ken has a permanent exhibit at New World Stages as you walk around the lobby. “They kept the exhibit even after the theatre was sold to the Schuberts. As for some of those that I did a portrait, Liza Minelli hates to have either a caricature or impersonation done of her. She asked if I can do one for her. Carol Burnett was another person that really didn’t care for a caricature. Everyone but Carol loved it.  She is most sensitive about her face.  I did one of Barbra Streisand in her gown that had a long slit revealing her leg. She called me one morning after receiving it from a friend saying, ‘I love that drawing. You captured my leg.’” 

Coming up are: Oklahoma, Burn This and Hadestown, all musicals.  If you happen to be there at the time, he does not sketch during the show but works from production photos.