Albert Einstein: The Practical Bohemian

Last updated

Albert Einstein: The Practical Bohemian is a stage play that is the only show officially endorsed by the Einstein family. A quote from Albert Einstein's first cousin said that the family "felt as though they were in the presence of their dear cousin Albert." The one-man show opened in 1978 written and performed by actor-writer Ed Metzger in Los Angeles, California.

Since that time, he has presented it throughout the world, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The show, co-written by Metzger's wife Laya Gelff, is a portrayal about the man as well as the scientist, creating a portrait of one of the 20th Century's greatest minds, but who harbored dreams of being a solo violinist. The show highlights the curiosity that drove Einstein to seek answers to the mysteries of the universe. It shows his struggle as a pacifist, threatened by antisemitism and forced to flee Germany, and eventually disappointed that his scientific discoveries were used in the creation of nuclear weapons. [1] [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Einstein</span> German-born scientist (1879–1955)

Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Best known for developing the theory of relativity, he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Relativity and quantum mechanics are the two pillars of modern physics. His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from relativity theory, has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation". His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect", a pivotal step in the development of quantum theory. His intellectual achievements and originality resulted in "Einstein" becoming synonymous with "genius". Einsteinium, one of the synthetic elements in the periodic table, was named in his honor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philipp Lenard</span> Hungarian-German physicist

Philipp Eduard Anton von Lenard was a Hungarian-born German physicist and the winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1905 for his work on cathode rays and the discovery of many of their properties. One of his most important contributions was the experimental realization of the photoelectric effect. He discovered that the energy (speed) of the electrons ejected from a cathode depends only on the wavelength, and not the intensity, of the incident light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell–Einstein Manifesto</span> 1955 manifesto on the dangers of nuclear weapons

The Russell–Einstein Manifesto was issued in London on 9 July 1955 by Bertrand Russell in the midst of the Cold War. It highlighted the dangers posed by nuclear weapons and called for world leaders to seek peaceful resolutions to international conflict. The signatories included eleven pre-eminent intellectuals and scientists, including Albert Einstein, who signed it just days before his death on 18 April 1955. A few days after the release, philanthropist Cyrus S. Eaton offered to sponsor a conference—called for in the manifesto—in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Eaton's birthplace. This conference, held in July 1957, was to be the first of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Einstein Memorial</span> 1979 sculpture by Robert Berks in Washington, DC, US

The Albert Einstein Memorial is a monumental bronze statue by sculptor Robert Berks, depicting Albert Einstein seated with manuscript papers in hand. It is located in central Washington, D.C., United States, in a grove of trees at the southwest corner of the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences at 2101 Constitution Avenue N.W., near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Two replicas exist at the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

<i>I.Q.</i> (film) 1994 film by Fred Schepisi

I.Q. is a 1994 American romantic comedy film directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, and Walter Matthau. The original music score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith. The film, set in the mid 1950s, centers on a mechanic and a Princeton doctoral candidate who fall in love, thanks to the candidate's uncle, Albert Einstein.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile is a full-length play written by American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician Steve Martin in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain of Albert Einstein</span> Preserved brain of scientist Albert Einstein

The brain of Albert Einstein has been a subject of much research and speculation. Albert Einstein's brain was removed within seven and a half hours of his death. His apparent regularities or irregularities in the brain have been used to support various ideas about correlations in neuroanatomy with general or mathematical intelligence. Studies have suggested an increased number of glial cells in Einstein's brain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parkyakarkus</span> American comedian

Harry Einstein, known professionally as Harry Parke and other pseudonyms, most commonly Parkyakarkus, was an American comedian, writer, and character actor. A specialist in Greek dialect comedy, he became famous as the Greek chef Nick Parkyakarkus on the Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson radio programs, and later on a program of his own. He appeared in eleven films from 1936 to 1945. He was also the father of comedians and actors Albert Brooks and Bob Einstein.

Edward Metzger is an American actor and writer. Metzger is known for portrayals of famous men in history. He has portrayed Albert Einstein live on stage for over 30 years in his one-man show, Albert Einstein: The Practical Bohemian. He also portrayed Ernest Hemingway in his live on stage performances of Hemingway: On The Edge. He researched and wrote both one-man stage shows together with his wife, Laya Gelff Metzger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solo performance</span> Single person telling a story to entertain an audience

A solo performance, sometimes referred to as a one-man show or one-woman show, features a single person telling a story for an audience, typically for the purpose of entertainment. This type of performance comes in many varieties, including autobiographical creations, comedy acts, novel adaptations, vaudeville, poetry, music and dance. In 1996, Rob Becker's Defending the Caveman became the longest running solo play in the history of Broadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elsa Einstein</span> Cousin and 2nd wife of Albert Einstein (1873–1936)

Elsa Einstein was the second wife and cousin of Albert Einstein. Their mothers were sisters, thus making them maternal first cousins. The couple were also paternal second cousins. Born an Einstein, Elsa gave up the name when she took the surname of her first husband, Max Löwenthal; she and her daughters reverted to her maiden name after Elsa and Löwenthal's 1908 divorce.

Dennis Overbye is a science writer specializing in physics and cosmology and is the cosmic affairs correspondent for The New York Times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Einstein in popular culture</span> Overview of Albert Einstein in popular culture

Albert Einstein has been the subject of, or inspiration for, many works of popular culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious and philosophical views of Albert Einstein</span>

Albert Einstein's religious views have been widely studied and often misunderstood. Albert Einstein stated "I believe in Spinoza’s God". He did not believe in a personal God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings, a view which he described as naïve. He clarified however that, "I am not an atheist", preferring to call himself an agnostic, or a "religious nonbeliever." Einstein also stated he did not believe in life after death, adding "one life is enough for me." He was closely involved in his lifetime with several humanist groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political views of Albert Einstein</span>

Albert Einstein was predominantly known during his lifetime for his development of the theory of relativity and his work in the field of physics in general. However, his political views were of public interest through the middle of the 20th century due to his fame and involvement in political, humanitarian, and academic projects around the world.

Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Albert Einstein:

<i>Genius</i> (American TV series) 2017 TV series

Genius is an American anthology period drama television series developed by Noah Pink and Kenneth Biller which premiered on National Geographic. The first season, which aired between April and June 2017, followed the life of Albert Einstein, from his early years, through his time as a patent clerk, and into his later years as a physicist who developed the theory of relativity; the season is based on the 2007 book Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson. The second season, which aired between April and June 2018, followed the life and artistry of Pablo Picasso.

<i>Einstein: His Life and Universe</i> Book by Walter Isaacson

Einstein: His Life and Universe is a non-fiction book authored by American historian and journalist Walter Isaacson. The biographical analysis of Albert Einstein's life and legacy was published by Simon & Schuster in 2007, and it has received a generally positive critical reception from multiple fronts, praise appearing from an official Amazon.com review as well as in publications such as The Guardian and Physics Today.

<i>Subtle is the Lord</i> Biography of Albert Einstein by Abraham Pais

Subtle is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein is a biography of Albert Einstein written by Abraham Pais. First published in 1982 by Oxford University Press, the book is one of the most acclaimed biographies of the scientist. This was not the first popular biography of Einstein, but it was the first to focus on his scientific research as opposed to his life as a popular figure. Pais, renowned for his work in theoretical particle physics, was a friend of Einstein's at the Institute for Advanced Study in his early career. Originally published in English in the United States and the United Kingdom, the book has translations in over a dozen languages. Pais later released a sequel to the book in 1994 titled Einstein Lived Here and, after his death in 2000, the University Press released a posthumous reprint of the biography in 2005, with a new foreword by Roger Penrose. Considered very popular for a science book, the biography sold tens of thousands of copies of both paperback and hardcover versions in its first year. The book has received many reviews and, the year after its initial publication, it won both the 1983 National Book Award for Nonfiction, in Science (Hardcover), and the 1983 Science Writing Award.

References

  1. Richard F. Shepard (April 26, 1979). "Stage: Ed Metzger as Einstein; Genius and Pixie". New York Times. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  2. " Albert Einstein: Comic Genius? Ed Metzger's One-Man Show Tries to Add Human Dimension to the Image of the Brilliant Scientist" by Mark Chalon smith. Los Angeles Times Sep. 17, 1993