I'm An American -- Paul Muni

On February 23, 1941 Paul Muni, spoke with Marshall E. Dimock, Second Assistant Secretary of Labor, about the importance of democracy. Muni shares he and his family’s first impression of the United States with Mr. Dimock. He explains why it is possible for immigrants to never become citizens. Muni encourages state and federal agencies to become more involved in immigrant’s talents and interests. He emphatically states, “Democracy has never been more vital than it is today.” The actor believes that although it is his job to carry out the vision of the writer, all writings today should be rooted in social thinking to be successful. Muni suggests complex problems of the world be tackled by young people in democracy. He closes the broadcast with a quote from a recent movie discussing suffrage. He reads, “When a monarch misrules he changes the people; when a president misrules the people change him.” Paul “Moony” Muni (b. Frederich Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund) was born on September 22, 1895 in Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary to a Polish Jewish family. In 1902, he and his family immigrated to Chicago and began performing at a Yiddish theater. Paul developed a talent for special effects makeup. At the age of twelve, he made his acting debut. He joined the Yiddish Art Theatre in New York in 1908 and was the star of the Yiddish stage in the 1920s. He landed his first Broadway role in 1926 and Hollywood film in 1929. The ambitious actor signed with Warner Brothers in the 1930s and became the company’s most prestigious star. Muni became known for his in-depth portrayal of historical figures.