Beryl Bernay
Beryl Bernay was a children's TV host, as well as a painter, fashion designer, actor and amateur anthropologist.
Bernay was born Beryl Bernstein on 2 March 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were Russian immigrants. Her father was a garment worker, and her mother, Sade, sold stockings and taught kindergarten. Her father changed the family name to Berney when Beryl was a child, but Beryl changed the spelling to Bernay when she reached adulthood.[1]
She took acting classes with Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof. She performed in several shows, such as the 1955 production of Thornton Wilder's "The Skin of Our Teeth" with Helen Hayes and Mary Martin in Paris.[1]
While she was in Paris she went to the south of France to take portraits of Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. She sent the photos to Harper's Weekly, with an article she wrote, and which was published.[2]
Bernay was the creative force behind a children's television program called "All Join Hands" in 1962 which ran until 1965. The program was produced by the United Nation's Children's Fund. She and her puppet co-hosts narrated the show which explored countries all over the world. She also held different jobs at several other United Nations agencies.[1]
In 1977 Bernay went with Margaret Mead to help her during the famed anthropologist's last field trip to Bali.[3] Her photographs from this trip were exhibited at the Museum of Natural History in New York.[1]
Bernay died on 29 March 2020 from COVID-19 during the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic at the age of 94 in Manhattan, New York.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Steinhauer, Jennifer (2020-04-20). "Beryl Bernay, Children's TV Host with a Varied Career, Dies at 94". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- ^ "Westbeth artist reveals a remarkable life". The Villager. 2004-10-05. Retrieved 2020-04-22.
- ^ "Beryl Bernay Obituary". New York Time. 19 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
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