Herman Timberg

Herman Timberg (April 18, 1891 – April 16, 1952) was a vaudevillian, actor and songwriter, a writer of sketches and dialogue for vaudeville and musicals, "active in nearly every field of show business." He was the brother of composer Sammy Timberg and uncle of the journalist Robert Timberg.

Herman Timberg was born April 18, 1891. While a teen he appeared in Gus Edwards's teenage acting troupe, "School Girls and School Boys" performing the one-act sketch comedy Primary No. 23. An unnamed critic noted that Timberg "caught exactly the flavor of the traditional Hebrew comedian...He was there with the inevitable parodies, which received the usual applause." When the show played in Chicago in 1907, a critic noted "Herman Timberg in a Hebrew boy character displayed genuine talent that promises to place him among the coming comedians." This was confirmed by another critic who caught the group on tour at the Alhambra Theatre in Los Angeles: "Herman Timberg is the bright particular star of the little company. The boy has developed into a real comedian, and is a great little worker, just busy all the time. His first-rate singing voice, clever dancing and natural comedy ability gives him a wide scope. Timberg never tires." Each season the Gus Edwards troop was retooled based on the talents of who was in the group at the time. By 1911, Timberg had achieved the distinction of being able to sing a solo song, "Love Me to a Yiddsha Melody."

Timberg's first solo attempt came in 1912 but was not received well. The reviewer wrote that the initial song followed by a five-minute monologue was ineffective, and suggested he drop the Jewish impersonation in favor of a characterization that could stand for "any foolish kid."

The following year Timberg married Hazel Rosebloom. In addition to announcing his wedding, Variety said that Timberg was to star in a play, Davy's Debut by Joe LeBrandt (the play was never produced).

Over the course of his varied career Timberg appeared in many vaudeville acts. A 1919 notice advertises Chicken Chow Mein being produced by Timberg and playing in Brighton Beach the week of August 18, with an opening scheduled at the Palace Theatre for September 1, 1919.

Beginning at least in 1920, Timberg often teamed with other performers. In 1920 he was performing "Little Bits" at the Palace, a sixteen-minute long skit with his sister Hattie Darling. A critic related that both played violins and both danced—Herman to a Russian step and Hattie to a waltz. This was followed by Herman doing a single dance, then both singing an interrupted duet, followed by imitations. One critic concluded that the act was too much to function as the penultimate number of the evening. By the time the act moved to the Brighton Theatre, another critic complimented Timberg calling him a "versatile artist, doing many things, and doing them well." This critic still complained of the Yiddish accent but was happy that no Yiddish phrases were used, noting that the imitations included portrayals of Al Jolson, Lew Fields, and George M. Cohan.

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