Schwartz moved to the U.S. in 1902 and in 1926 founded the Yiddish Art Theatre in New York. Also in 1926, Schwartz starred in and directed his first film, Souls in Exile (1926). His best known Hollywood film role was that of Ezra in the 1953 production of Salome (1953). In 1959, Schwartz traveled to Israel hoping to establish a theatre there, but he passed away after staging only one production. In 1991, Schwartz’s film Tevya (1939) was selected by the Library Of Congress to be added to the National Film Registry as one of the great American films of all time.