(JTA) — Joseph Stein, who won a Tony Award for writing "Fiddler on the Roof," has died.
Stein died Sunday in Manhattan after fracturing his skull in a fall. He was 98.
Stein was the author of more than a dozen Broadway musicals, but is most well known for Fiddler, which won nine Tony Awards in 1965, including Stein’s Best Author of a Musical.
He began his career in writing after meeting comedian and actor Zero Mostel, who played Tevya in the original Broadway production of "Fiddler," and writing him some material, according to the New York Times.
Stein also wrote "Enter Laughing," a comedy, based on an autobiographical book by Carl Reiner about a Jewish boy who wants to become an actor, as well as "Zorba" and "Rags." He wrote screenplays for three shows including "Fiddler," and also wrote a handful of television projects.
Stein earned a degree in social work from Columbia University in 1937 and worked for a decade as a psychiatric social worker.
The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today.
