Oscar Teller

1902 Wien - 1985 Givatayim
Dr. Oscar Teller, born October 1, 1902 in Vienna, reciter, singer, cabaret artist, author, studied law at the Vienna University. With Viktor Schlesinger he founded 'The Original Jewish Heurigen-Duo Teller and Schlesinger' performing until 1935 and conducted a 'speaking chorus'. With Schlesinger and Fritz Stöckler he founded and until 1938 directed the 'Jüdisch-Politisches Cabaret' in Vienna, in 1934 he founded and directed the 'Jüdische Kunststelle', later on called 'Jüdische Kulturstelle', which brought about the 'Jüdisches Kulturtheater'. In his day-job he worked as Vienna sales representative for the Floridsdorfer Mineralölfabrik Shell. 1939 exile to the USA via Great Britain, where he was joined by his wife Berta Teller who twice had convoyed 'Kindertransport'-groups to Palestine. Working as door-to-door salesman and shoe seller, once again he founded a Jewish-Political cabaret, 'Die Arche', was engaged for summer gigs in the Catskill Mountains, and performed with the Players from Abroad. After his retirement he joined his daughter Friedl Teller-Blum (here as a baby) in Israel, became Chief Executive and teacher of the Institute for Speech Training in Ramat Gan and participated in international guest performances with German-spaking programs in israel, Great Britain and the USA. Oscar Teller is the author of 'Davids Witzschleuder', Darmstadt 1982, an anthology of Jewish humor. Oscar Teller has passed away July 10, 1985 in Givatayim. Update Primavera Driessen Gruber September 9, 2015