Harry Goz, Broadway Tevye in Fiddler, Dies at 71

By Robert Simonson
October 1, 2003

Harry Goz, who was the fourth man to play Tevye in the original production of Fiddler on the Roof, died on Sept. 6 in a hospital in Manhasset, New York, the New York Times reported. He was 71.

Mr. Goz followed Zero Mostel, Luther Adler and Herschel Bernardi into the central role of Tevye the Dairyman in the classic Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical. He began his connection with the show as Benardi's understudy, and was called upon to take the stage 112 times during Bernardi's reign. When Bernardi finally left the show, Mr. Goz took over the part full-time for a year.

His first Broadway role was in the 1964 musical Bajour. He went on to star in Two by Two as Shem, replace Vincent Gardenia in Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue and play Molokov in the Broadway production of Chess—his last Broadway role.

He also acted in Fiddler on the road.

His films include "Marathon Man" and "Mommie Dearest." On television, he was seen in "Wiseguy," "Law & Order" and "Third Watch." Most recently, he provided the voiced of the crazed Captain Hazel 'Hank' Murphy on the animated series "Sealab 2021."

Harry Goz was born on Feb. 16, 1932. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and three children.