According to his publicist, actor Theodore Bikel, best known for his starring role as Tevye, the poor Jewish milkman, in the Broadway hit musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” died on Tuesday at age 91 at a Los Angeles hospital. His spokesman, Harlan Boll, said in a statement that the Austrian-born performer, who also created the stage role of Captain von Trapp in the original Broadway production of “The Sound of Music,” died of natural causes. Bikel began his run as Tevye in 1967 after the late Zero Mostel had originated the role. He went on to perform the part of the struggling Jewish dairyman, and such memorable songs as “Tradition” and “If I Were a Rich Man,” more than 2,000 times.
