Ira J Bilowit

I'm still in shock and I don't know who, so long after Ira's death, will read this and know I miss him. I never met his children.

Ira and I, despite a gap in ages, were good friends for many years. I was a freshman, when first we met, at CCNY. He was a dramatist who returned to coach us at the college. We became close and he was very influential in my life. I'm 82 now. For no particular reason I can discern, suddenly today (January 2017), after many many years when we hadn't...

One of my sadder duties as Historian of the Drama Desk, will be to eulogize my long-time friend and colleague, Ira Bilowit at this year's annual DD Membership Meeting, an event he NEVER missed.

Ira was a true man of the theater and a true gentleman and I knew of him, long before I actually met him.

I had seen a college production of his wonderful musical adaptation, "Of Mice and Men" and was a faithful subscriber to his New York Theatre Review - even before it covered...

I only now find out about this great loss to so many who knew, loved and respected this brilliant man of letters. Ira and I became friends in the early '70s when we both worked at Show Business Newspaper. Up until two summers ago, when Ira stopped returning my calls - and I knew he was ill and just couldn't reach him - we would always get together every summer when I visited New York in the summer with my daughter. Ira was quite the ceramicist and silversmith, and he always made something...

Ira was a memorable character. He was a fabulous institutional memory in the American Theater Critics Association, to which I belonged 1996-2002. He was generous with his invaluable knowledge about theater and its business. We learned about his talent for metalworking. He even made some initial pins for some of the members. Ira was a treasure whose passing leaves so many of us with a sense of loss.

Ira was such a kind and generous man. Always quick with a smile or a comforting word. He taught me a lot about theatre and journalism, and the world in general. I shall miss him greatly. They really don't make men like him anymore.

Our deepest condolences to your family. I am sorry that we didn't here of his loss sooner. We are third cousins and my mother was Ethel Milchman. May he rest in peace. Debbie Milchman Rosen and Bob Rosen

Ira... I will miss those burning-bright eyes and your smile the width of the Grand Canyon. You were one of a kind. RIP

I will miss Ira at the theatre. Since our last names were close alphabetically we were often seated right next to each other. I will look for him mentally for a long time when I go to the theatre. God bless you, Ira.

A life truly well lived. Ira meant so much to me. He was an extraordinary man and an extraordinary artist. I will miss him immeasurably. My thoughts are with his family.