Molly Picon
Molly Picon (Yiddish: מאָלי פּיקאָן; Malka Opiekun; February 28, 1898 – April 5, 1992) was an American actress of stage, screen, radio and television, as well as a lyricist and dramatic storyteller. She began her career in Yiddish theatre and film, rising to a star, before transitioning into character roles in English-language productions. She is most widely known for her role as Yente the Matchmaker in the 1971 musical film Fiddler on the Roof. |
Birth and Death Data: Born New York City (most populous city in the United States), Died April 5, 1992 (Lancaster (city in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1942
Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, lyricist, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 56 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | B-29369 | 10-in. | 1/30/1924 | Ch'hob a katar | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, lyricist, composer | |
| Victor | B-29370 | 10-in. | 1/30/1924 | Oi vet mich der rebe shmeitzen | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
| Victor | B-29973 | 10-in. | 5/7/1924 | Tzipke | Nellie Casman | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | B-29974 | 10-in. | 5/7/1924 | A bisel liebe un a bisele glick | Lucy Finkle | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | B-31926 | 10-in. | 2/9/1925 | Shmendrik is a kniaker | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-31927 | 10-in. | 2/9/1925 | Shmendrik in yeden land | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-32221 | 10-in. | 3/18/1925 | Dus zigainer madel | David Medoff ; Molly Picon | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | vocalist, lyricist | |
| Victor | B-32222 | 10-in. | 3/18/1925 | Bogden, der buch von manne shtanne | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
| Victor | BVE-34276 | 10-in. | 1/15/1926 | Molly Dolly | Nellie Casman | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BVE-34277 | 10-in. | 1/15/1926 | Wus zol ich tin as ich hob im lieb | Nellie Casman | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BVE-36836 | 10-in. | 10/18/1926 | Hot dog | Lucy Levin | Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BVE-36837 | 10-in. | 10/18/1926 | Wie is mein zivig | Lucy Levin | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BVE-37363 | 10-in. | 1/17/1927 | Oib es is geven git far mein mamen, is es git far mir | Lucy Levin | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BVE-37364 | 10-in. | 1/17/1927 | Di bist bashafen far mir | Lucy Levin | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
| Victor | BS-041374 | 10-in. | 10/2/1939 | Tif vi di nacht | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041375 | 10-in. | 10/2/1939 | In a yiddish shtetele | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041376 | 10-in. | 10/2/1939 | Dem zaidens nigun | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041377 | 10-in. | 10/2/1939 | Gram shtram | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041385 | 10-in. | 10/3/1939 | A Yiddishe chasene | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041386 | 10-in. | 10/3/1939 | Meine millionen | Abe Ellstein Orchestra ; Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041948 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Farges mich nit | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041949 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Tzu fiel | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041950 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Abe Gesund | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist, lyricist | |
| Victor | BS-041951 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Yiddish | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-041952 | 10-in. | 8/31/1939 | Yidel mit 'n fidel | Molly Picon | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Picon, Molly," accessed January 20, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102505.
Picon, Molly. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102505.
"Picon, Molly." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 20 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Molly Picon
Discogs: Molly Picon
Grove: Molly Picon
IMDb: Molly Picon
Britannica: Molly Picon
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Picon, Molly - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79099053
Wikidata: Molly Picon - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q467563
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/85974651
MusicBrainz: Molly Picon - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6a659104-ff3a-4770-8784-80b4b0025234
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/41820 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/41820
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