Avner Eisenberg, affectionately known as "Avner the Eccentric," is a multi-talented American performer, born on August 26, 1948, in Atlanta, Georgia. This versatile artist has mastered the art of vaudeville, donning the roles of clown, mime, juggler, and sleight of hand magician with ease. As John Simon astutely observed in 1984, "Avner is a clown for the thinking man and the most exacting child."
Avner's educational background is as eclectic as his skills. He attended four different universities, exploring various majors before ultimately earning a theater degree from the University of Washington in 1971. He then took his talents to Paris, where he studied mime under the renowned Jacques Lecoq. Avner's time in Paris was interrupted by a stint as a puppeteer, a role that allowed him to hone his skills further.
Upon returning to the United States, Avner joined Carlo Clementi's Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre in California, where he taught and shared his expertise with others. He went on to perform at Renaissance fairs and on stages, showcasing his impressive range as a performer. Avner's big-screen debut came in 1985, when he played the title role in The Jewel of the Nile, a film that also featured his fellow vaudevillians, The Flying Karamazov Brothers.
Janet Maslin, in her review of the film, singled out Avner for special praise, stating, "Avner Eisenberg very nearly steals the film." Roger Ebert, in his review, echoed this sentiment, describing Avner as "a true comic discovery."
