The Yiddish Book Center's

Wexler Oral History Project

A growing collection of in-depth interviews with people of all ages and backgrounds, whose stories about the legacy and changing nature of Yiddish language and culture offer a rich and complex chronicle of Jewish identity.

Elliott Gould on Learning to Walk, John Wooden, and the Theme of Balance in His Life

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Elliott Gould, American actor, describes his earliest memory, learning to walk. He remembers being struck by the concept of balance—a concept that would follow him through his life and reemerge during his meeting with Coach John Wooden.

This is an excerpt from an oral history with Elliott Gould.

This excerpt is in English.

Elliott Gould was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1938.

This interview is part of the Yiddish and the Arts: musicians, actors, and artists series.

Other video highlights from this oral history

Rusty Water Guns and Baseball Bets: Elliott Gould Remembers Growing Up on Bay Parkway in Brooklyn

3 min 43 sec

"As Far As I'm Concerned, It's Here": Elliott Gould on the Place of Yiddish

1 min 54 sec

Elliott Gould on Meeting Barbra Streisand

2 min 40 sec

Elliott Gould's Mother Making Thanksgiving for Kosher Relatives

1 min 20 sec

"The Greater Part of Unorthodox is Orthodox": Elliott Gould's Personal Take on the Bar Mitzvah Tradition with His Own Grandson

1 min 24 sec

More information about this oral history excerpt

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