Harry Rubel, 92, an actor, director, filmmaker, photographer and artist of Kendall Park, died of heart failure Wednesday, Aug. 22, at the University Medical Center at Princeton.
He was born in New Brunswick on Dec. 24, 1914, where his father and mother, David and Janet, operated a family store on lower Church Street. He spent his life in New Brunswick until he joined the army in 1942, serving as a Sergeant Major in the European Theatre of Operations and earning three Combat Stars.
In the 1930s Mr. Rubel’s early passion was as an actor in New Brunswick, where he performed with the Habema Guild with Thelma Speilberger. He studied acting at The Actors Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, along with Tony Curtis (known then as Bernie Schwartz) and Rod Steiger. After the war he was invited to study directing with famed director Jose Quintero.
Mr. Rubel will be remembered for his work as one of New Jersey’s outstanding professional photographers. Upon returning from the war, he studied photography in New York and opened his first portrait studio in New Brunswick on Schureman Street. In the early 1950s he moved his studio to George Street, where Johnson & Johnson’s International Headquarters now stands. Even though he moved on to work for Filmtronics in Manhattan, he continued his love of photography and earned many awards for his black and white prints of New Brunswick and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. A number of these pieces are in the permanent collection of Johnson & Johnson. He also combined his love of the theatre and photography by creating a large body of work for the nationally acclaimed Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick.
His feature length documentary, "The Old Mill," was set at Neshanic Station and demonstrated the wet-on-wet technique of oil painter Valdi Maris. "The Old Mill" aired on PBS.
Mr. Rubel leaves behind an unfinished film of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which he filmed from its beginning at Bull Island to Raritan Bay.
He was among the early members of the fledgling Villagers Barn Theatre in Franklin Township, when it functioned out of the barn behind what is now O’Connors Restaurant. As a prize-winning theatre director, he earned statewide recognition for the Villagers with productions including Moliere’s "Sly Fox" and Larry Gelbart’s "The Brick and The Rose," which were showcased at McCarter Theater in Princeton and judged by esteemed artist Arthur Lithgow as part of the New Jersey Theatre League’s annual competitions. His last production for the Villagers was "My Fair Lady," produced on their new stage in the Franklin Township Municipal Complex. On New Year’s Eve 2005, the Villagers honored him with a newly created Founders’ Award.
Mr. Rubel also directed for other community theatre groups, including the East Brunswick Players, Circle Players in Woodbridge, Edison Valley Playhouse, and the Princeton Players. He was among the first to direct for the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders’ Plays in the Parks and counted "The King and I," "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" and "You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown" among his favorites.
In 1962, Mr. Rubel and his wife, Jacqueline, opened the Creative and Performing Arts, a multi-disciplinary summer arts camp in Griggstown, outside of Princeton.
When he could no longer work in the dark room, Mr. Rubel turned his creative talents to shooting painterly colored photographs of the canal; then to creating playful, geometric acrylic paintings; and most recently to assembling whimsical collages. His last collage was completed in December 2006. He continued displaying his work in area exhibitions coordinated by the Printmaking Council of New Jersey, the South Brunswick Arts Commission, the Plainsboro Library and the Princeton Photography Club. His last one man show was this year, in the South Brunswick Municipal Building.
Mr. Rubel also loved to teach, as all his daughters and grandchildren can attest. Among his star pupils, he counted East Brunswick architectural photographer, Rob Faulkner.
Harry’s daughter Sherry continues the family legacy as a portrait photographer.
Besides his wife Jacqueline, Harry leaves behind his daughter, Kaaren Sydney and grandsons, Sean and Dameon of Miami Beach, Florida; daughter Debi Rubel and son-in-law Sam Missimer of New Brunswick; and daughter Sherry Rubel, son-in-law Eddie Stephenson, grandchildren Dylan and Jessica of Kendall Park.
A memorial tree planting and celebration of his life is planned for Sunday, Sept. 9. Tax exempt contributions may be made in his name to the Villagers Theatre, 475 Demott Lane, Somerset, N.J. 08873. For questions call the Theatre at (732) 873-2710. For memorial celebration details call (732) 422-7438.

