Bella!, Noah Wyle, and the Other Schwimmer

 

American Masters (PBS) premiered “Bella! This Woman’s Place” on March 17. However, you can view the American Masters film on a PBS app or a website. You can watch “Bella!” (free) on PBS for about a month after the premiere. PBS members have much longer access. (Membership is $5 a month).

 

Here is a condensed version of the PBS description of Bella!

 

The documentary explores new revelations about BELLA ABZUG(1920-98) and her courageous battles on behalf of women, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community and more.

 

Born Bella Savitzky in New York, Abzug credited her early Jewish religious upbringing for her feminist ideologies. She majored in political science at Hunter College (NYC) and subsequently received a law degree from Columbia University.

 

During a time when women couldn’t get a credit card in their own name and other marginalized groups were fighting for political, social and economic rights, Abzug became an outspoken leader for equality. She opened The National Women’s Conference, the largest gathering of feminists, activists, and diverse women in U.S. history. She was one of the first feminists to be elected (1970) to Congress. She challenged an almost all-male Congress head first, blazing a path for future gender equality in all aspects of American government.

 

The documentary features archival footage, and never-before-seen home videos. New interviews for “Bella!” include many “key” women. Here are some: BARBRA STREISAND, 83, Nancy Pelosi, GLORIA STEINEM, 91, and Hillary Clinton.

 

Over time, I came to realize that “Pitt”, an HBO drama set in a Pittsburgh hospital, has a curious relation to “Jewish casting”. But I will get to that.

 

NOAH WYLE, 54, stars as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinvitch, the head of the hospital emergency ward. It became clear in the first season that Robby is Jewish.

 

A very dramatic moment came when Dr. Robby (Feb. 20, 2025) is seriously stressed-out. He locks himself in a small examination room and says the Shema.

 

Wyle, who is the son of Jewish father and an Episcopalian mother, spoke recently (Jan. 23) to “People” magazine (it’s a free read on-line). Wyle talked about being a Jewish doctor on Pitt. Wyle told People that he was never much religious, growing-up and he’s still not much religious.

 

He told “People” that JOHN WELLS, a Jewish executive producer, suggested that Robby should be a Jewish doctor. Wyle liked the idea—he said he had never played a Jewish character and Wyle’s “E.R.” doctor character, he said, was a total “WASP”.

 

In the 2nd season, 3rd episode, Dr,.Robby treats Yana, a Jewish burn victim whose PTSD from the (infamous) Pittsburgh synagogue shooting is triggered by fireworks.

 

Wyle told “Variety” that the mass killing (10 dead) rocked the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, and it was “such a significant event in the city” he felt it had to be addressed on screen.

 

Give Wyle “gold Jewish stars”. He wrote the episode, alone. Just him.

 

Irina Dubova played Yana. She was an actress in Russia before she came to the States. I couldn’t find out if she is Jewish.

 

Before I got into all I wrote above, I looked over all the cast members (many, many!) who acted in the 1st and 2nd season. Of course, I can’t be sure that there are no Jewish cast actors. But I was pretty sure. I put it down to “something just happened, no bad intentions.”

 

But then I noticed actress RUSTY SCHWIMMER, 64, showed up in season 2, episode 9. She plays Monica, a retired hospital clerk who returns to help out. It’s unclear if Monica will return.

 

I’ve seen Schwimmer’s name in credits for a long time. I did find out, years ago, that she is not related to the quite famous DAVID SCHWIMMER (“Friends”).

 

Rusty isn’t very famous, although she has acted in quite a few films and TV episodes. I finally found credible info that she is Jewish. And it’s cool: she is the narrator of a documentary called “Hava Nagila: The Movie” (2012). I didn’t know about this film. It has an amazing list of celebs kvelling about the song. Some: Harry Belafonte, Glen Campbell (!), LEONARD NIMOY, and singer REGINA SPEKTOR, now 46.

 

Now it’s my mission to find this film; streaming or DVD. Let you know.

 

I was going to say more about “The Gray House”, a Prime Video series about four anti-slavery Southern women who secretly help the Union during the Civil War. (All 8 episodes “dropped” on Feb. 26.)

 

I will “get into” the series next week, along with a quite clever and amusing remark that President John Quincy Adams really said about a prominent Jewish supporter of the Confederacy.