Photo Coverage: T. Oliver Reid Gets A Surprise After DROP ME OFF IN HARLEM at The Metropolitan Room
By: Stephen Sorokoff Feb. 23, 2015
During World War ll actors were among the very few who were left untouched to do their craft in Germany. There was a women named Eleonore who started in theatre at age 12, acting on stage with her father, Heinrich Schroth. Eleonore was one of the last generations of the most famous acting family in Germany, dating back 5-6 generations (like our Barrymores). One branch of the family was French, and one of it's members was an actor and famous rebel in the French Revolution under Robespierre. His name was Collot d'Herbois. Eleonore later recalled of "touring" as an actor and having to travel to the next town in the back of a potato cart for the next show. Her father had to walk behind the cart because there wasn't room for him. It was the middle of winter and his shoes had worn out so he was almost barefoot. Her cousin, Hannelore Schroth, became the first famous movie star after the war, the German version of Elizabeth Taylor. Her Uncle, Carl-Heinz Schroth also became famous on film, and is known as one of the most famous historic German comic geniuses, actors, and directors. He had the longest running comedy series called"Karschunke und Sohn, which was an exact parallel to "Sanford and Son". Eleonore moved to the United States with her family in 1971.
Eleonore Schroth started teaching at North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA), which is also referred to as the "Julliard of the South". It is the performing arts school in Winston-Salem, NC, and many famous actors, singers, and musicians have come from there. Eleonore taught German & Theatre to many of these "stars of the future" such as, Terrence Mann, Mary-Louise Parker, Tim Guinea, and Tom Hulce. She loved her students and would come home and talk about them to her young daughter Maria. She invited her students over and cooked German food for them. Now here's the rest of the story!
Last night I ask my friend Maria, who is a food expert and knowledgable in music and theatre to join us and interview Bernie Furshpan at the Metropolitan Room. Bernie has a new menu and had invited us down for a tasting. I noticed T. Oliver Reid was performing that night and we stayed for his show. Maria had never seen his Cabaret Act. After the show while congratulating T., I mentioned that Eda and I had brought our friend Maria von Nicolai, who is Sirio Maccioni's assistant at Le Cirque. T. Oliver's faced turned quizzical and he asked if she was related to a German Acting family. I told him I didn't know. Well, Maria came over and after a few seconds they both realized that T. Oliver Reid was a student of Maria's mother Eleonore and they both remembered he had been over the house for those German dinners. Besides Maria and T. Oliver crying, anyone in ear shot of this unexpected reunion was tearing up. What a teacher and what a student!
Photo Credit: Stephen Sorokoff
Maria Von Nicolai & T. Oliver Reid
Maria Von Nicolai & T. Oliver Reid
Stephen Sorokoff, T. Oliver Reid, Maria Von Nicolai
Maria Von Nicolai & T. Oliver Reid
Brenda Braxton (Chicago),T. Oliver Reid, Ashley Stirbud
Brenda Braxton, T. Oliver Reid, Joseph Macchia
Maria Von Nicolai & EDa Sorokoff
Maria Von Nicolai & EDa Sorokoff
EDa Sorokoff, Joanne Furshpan, Bernard Furshpan, Maria Von Nicolai
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