Albert Almoznino
Encyclopedia
Albert Almoznino is an Israeli hand shadow artist. He gained international recognition in the years 1958-1975 when he performed his hand shadow skills in front of thousands of people at Radio City Music Hall
New York
, Paris Olympia
, Reno
Nevada
, "The Ed Sullivan Show
" and other places.
, Morocco
in 1923. He immigrated to Israel when he was 25 years old. In his early years as a new citizen he was earning his money by teaching art in elementary school. In 1953 he became a lab technician at Weizmann Institute of Science
and worked there, excluding the time his performances abroad, until his retirement.
He performed only as an amateur until Ed Sullivan
discovered him in a group of artists organized in Israel. Sullivan first featured him on his television program in 1958 together with Itzhak Perlman
, Nechama Hendel
and more talented young Israelis. At that tour he was guest artist in several more TV shows like "What's My Line?
" and "To Tell the Truth
". In 1965-1971 he went on tours at New York
, Paris
and Reno, Nevada
to perform at the great music halls like Radio City Music Hall
and Paris Olympia
.
In 1975 he was performing in South Africa
together with Yehoram Gaon
and Dudu Topaz
. Since then he perform in many TV shows in Israel and in children's VCR tapes.
In addition to his hand shadow art, Almoznino is a well known Israeli painter and stained glass
maker. He displayed his works in several exhibitions in Rishon Lezion, his home town, Tel Aviv
, and Ashdod.
Almoznino in his performances revived this ancient art using only small source flashlight, a white sheet—the screen and his hands.
With his two bare hands he created profiles of animal
s, plant
s, Americans cultural characters like cowboy
s, native Americans
, African Americans, and famous international politicians and celebrities.
His show featured orchestra music and short stories enacted by the characters to entertain the audience and make them laugh.
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Paris Olympia
Paris Olympia
The Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
, Reno
Reno
Reno is the fourth most populous city in Nevada, US.Reno may also refer to:-Places:Italy*The Reno River, in Northern ItalyCanada*Reno No...
Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, "The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
" and other places.
Biography
Albert Almoznino was born in Mogador (Essaouira)Essaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
in 1923. He immigrated to Israel when he was 25 years old. In his early years as a new citizen he was earning his money by teaching art in elementary school. In 1953 he became a lab technician at Weizmann Institute of Science
Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science , known as Machon Weizmann, is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only graduate and post-graduate studies in the sciences....
and worked there, excluding the time his performances abroad, until his retirement.
He performed only as an amateur until Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
discovered him in a group of artists organized in Israel. Sullivan first featured him on his television program in 1958 together with Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
, Nechama Hendel
Nechama Hendel
Nechama 'Nama' Hendel was an Israeli singer.She began in the IDF Nahal music troupe, and came out of the Tsahal music scene in the 1950s, first in the duet "Ran veNama" – with Ran Eliran – then later as a solo act...
and more talented young Israelis. At that tour he was guest artist in several more TV shows like "What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
" and "To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
". In 1965-1971 he went on tours at New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
to perform at the great music halls like Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
and Paris Olympia
Paris Olympia
The Olympia is a music hall in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Located at No. 28, Boulevard des Capucines, its closest métro/RER stations are Madeleine, Opéra, Havre – Caumartin and Auber....
.
In 1975 he was performing in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
together with Yehoram Gaon
Yehoram Gaon
Yehoram Gaon is a Jewish Israeli singer, actor, director, producer, TV and radio host, and public figure...
and Dudu Topaz
Dudu Topaz
Dudu Topaz was an Israeli TV personality, comedian, actor, screenwriter, playwright, author and radio and television host. In August 2009 he committed suicide during his arrest, after being criminally charged with conspiring violence against prominent media figures in Israel.In 2005, he was voted...
. Since then he perform in many TV shows in Israel and in children's VCR tapes.
In addition to his hand shadow art, Almoznino is a well known Israeli painter and stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
maker. He displayed his works in several exhibitions in Rishon Lezion, his home town, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, and Ashdod.
Shadowgraphy
The art of making hand shadows—shadowgraphy—was popular in the 19th century. Shadow portraits of people's profiles (silhouettes) were even cut from dark paper and framed. The darkest, sharpest shadows are made using candlelight. When the electric light came in to use shadowgraphy began to decline.Almoznino in his performances revived this ancient art using only small source flashlight, a white sheet—the screen and his hands.
With his two bare hands he created profiles of animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s, plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s, Americans cultural characters like cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s, native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, African Americans, and famous international politicians and celebrities.
His show featured orchestra music and short stories enacted by the characters to entertain the audience and make them laugh.
The Art of Hand Shadows
The Art of Hand Shadows by Albert Almoznino explains and illustrates how to make the shadow characters that Almoznino created. The necessary equipment is only a source of light like a candle and a white wall or screen.The characters in the book
- Almost every animal that one can imagine like: monkeyMonkeyA monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
, deerDeerDeer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, elephantElephantElephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
, wolf, birds, leopardLeopardThe leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, rabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, camelCamelA camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
, giraffeGiraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
and many more. - Plants like: cactusCactusA cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
and flowers. - Famous buildings like Eiffel TowerEiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
and churches. - Famous politicians like the US presidents from Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
to Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Others countries leaders like David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
and Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
. - Cultural images with them the contractor can make short stories like cowboys vs. Indians and MusketeerMusketeerA musketeer was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a dragoon or a cavalryman...
s fight. - Tales and fableFableA fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
s of animals.
See also
- Shadowgraphy
- Shadow playShadow playShadow play or shadow puppetry Shadow puppets have a long history in China, India, Turkey and Java, and as a popular form of entertainment for both children and adults in many countries around the world. A shadow puppet is a cut-out figure held between a source of light and a translucent screen...
- Félicien TreweyFélicien TreweyFélicien Trewey, born Félicien-François Trevey , was a French magician, mime, comedian, vaudevillian, tightrope walker, balance artist, dancer, musician, chapeaugraphist and shadowgraphist. The principal of Trewey's entertainment was balancing tricks, which at the time he was a grand master. He was...
- Raymond CroweRaymond CroweRaymond Crowe is an Australian mime artist, magician and cabaret performer. Originally from Adelaide, Raymond Crowe describes himself as Australia's only Unusualist....