Funeral Details

The Honorable Julian J. Frazin

Julian Frazin was born on Chicago's southside May 29, 1930 to Myron Frazin, a city worker and retailer and Hattie Balasky. When Hattie died when Julian was only two, Myron was left to raise Julian and his older sister Betty Mae (Chuck Ullman). He sought assistance from Hattie's sister Minnie (Buck Fryer) and Woodlawn Hall-Chicago home for Jewish Orphans, where Julian was raised until the age of twelve.
Julian went on to attend Hyde Park High School, Roosevelt University and University of Illinois-Chicago at Navy Pier, where he was later inducted into the prestigious Navy Pier Hall of Fame. His unique talent for humor and cartooning led him to a job as editorial cartoonist at the Hyde Park Herald. Following graduation, he entered Northwestern University College of Law, where he graduated in 1955, and later entered a law practice with Judge Albert Green and Virginia Bucko Green which became the general practice firm of Miller, Green and Frazin.
In the 1960's, Julian's life took a formative turn when he was asked to write for the Chicago Bar Association's well-known Christmas Spirits review. For over forty years, Julian's identity was synonymous with the "Bar Show" where he served as head writer and producer, creating unparalleled musical comedy reviews performed by a cadre of 100 talented lawyers, which lampooned political figures and current events-entertaining scores of lawyers and laymen alike in Chicago and throughout the U.S. and Canada. In its hey-day, the Bar Show performed for audiences of many, filling ballrooms in Chicago's top hotels for a week each year. Under Julian's leadership, in collaboration with Philip Citrin and E. Leonard Rubin, the Bar Show drew acclaim from CBS News, National Public Radio and The Wall Street Journal.
For 36 years he has had a loving creative partnership with his wife Rhona Frazin nee Berkowitz. Together they collaborated with jazz pianist and composer Larry Novak on popular songs and two childrens books, "Cuddles the Cattle Dog" and "A Little Dab of Paint."
With Chicago Tribune columnist Rick Kogan, he also wrote "Lords of the Levee" a bawdy historical musical about politicos Bathhouse John, Hinky Dink Kenna and wide open Chicago politics in the shadow of the 1903 Worlds Fair.
In 2019, with producer Bill Marovitz, he created "Miracle-the Musical" a Jeff award winning celebration of the 2016 World Series Winning Chicago Cubs. One of its songs "The Voice Above the Crowd" was performed on the field at the 2019 MLB All Star Game by Styx lead singer Dennis DeYoung.
For three decades, he has been the entertainment columnist for the Law Bulletin publication and he is a member of the American Theartre Critics Association.
In addition to his wife Julian is survived by his sons, Glenn of Santa Monica, CA and Howard of Boston, MA, scores of friends and Bar Show colleagues, his Lincolnwood Little Leaguers, many nieces and nephews, grandchildren James, Kai, Sidney and Steven Chuckas, as well as treasured friends, the late Sidney Drury and Kathy Chuckas and his best girl, Australian Cattle Dog, Bonnie Gray. He has served on the Boards of the Chicago Academy for the Arts and Parents Anonymous.
Judge Frazin's warmth, kindness, vibrant spirit, and enduring zest for life touched all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A Celebration of Life will be held this summer.
Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals-Skokie Chapel, 847.229.8822, www.cjfinfo.com