Weinstein's (The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television) well-researched, generously documented biography of one of America's most successful entertainers posits that more than any other Jewish entertainer of his generation, Eddie Cantor (1892–1964) "helped his coreligionists in America and abroad though offstage activism." As Jewish life became more central to cultural and political life in New York in the 1920s, Cantor's influence on the stage and beyond also increased. With detailed analyses of some of Cantor's most famous sketches, Weinstein shows how the performer was able to present Jewish characters to the broader American public. His role in the anti-Nazi effort is also illuminated, as are his concerns about the anti-Semitism expressed by the influential Catholic priest Father Coughlin. These moral stands cost him sponsorships and radio air time. Cantor's opposition to McCarthyism and the Hollywood blacklist was a major focus in the early 1950s. Later sections follow Cantor's career in his twilight years, including his controversial and increasingly anachronistic use of "blackface" on his popular Colgate Comedy Hour. Failing health caused Cantor to fade from public prominence in the late 1950s, but his legacy is documented in an epilog.
VERDICT This highly recommended book will be of keen interest to readers in fields of Jewish culture and politics.—Herbert E. Shapiro, Lifelong Learning Soc., Florida Atlantic Univ., Boca Raton
