Shimen Ruskin was born on February 25, 1907 in Vilna, Russian Empire [now Vilnius, Lithuania]. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), The Producers (1967) and Love and Death (1975). He was married to Kate Urkowitz and Rae Spiegel. He died on April 23, 1976 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Lee J. Cobb named him as a Communist, resulting in his blacklisting. Along
with ten scenarists, he shared an $80,000 out-of-court settlement from
MPAA in 1965.
Originally, his name was "Druskin," but he changed it after he went
into an acting career. All of his descendants carry the name
"Ruskin."
Was mainly of Polish and Russian ancestry.
Has a granddaughter who works in San Francisco as an English and
History teacher.