Born in New York City, into the Yiddish theatre, the younger son of Berel Bernardi and Helen Bernardi, Herschel was appearing on the stages of 2nd Avenue with his acting family before he could talk. In the 1930s, Bernardi appeared in the Yiddish films of Edgar G. Ulmer and was later among those actors who made the transition from Yiddish-speaking roles in film to American films. Herschel was the brother of Jack Bernardi (who played Harvey Pulp in "It's a Bikini World)."
Bernardi was in several notable films, including Murder by Contract (1958), A Cold Wind in August (1961), The George Raft Story (1961), Irma La Douce (1963), Love with the Proper Stranger (1963), No Deposit, No Return (1976), and The Front (1976), a film about blacklisting in the entertainment industry. Bernardi was the victim of blacklisting during the 1950s, as were several other performers and the Screenwriter and Director on that film. Bernardi also narrated and emceed The Golden Age of Second Avenue, a 1969 film documentary about the Yiddish theatre movement on New York's Lower East Side of the early-to-mid-20th century (where Bernardi had launched his acting career).
In 1961, the Vanguard Recording Society issued a long playing record (VRS9074) 'Chocolate Covered Matzohs', which was recorded 'live' in front of an audience at the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center of Los Angeles, California and was a collection of sentimental and wryly humorous tales in Yiddish and English of Jewish immigration into the US at the turn of the 20th century and also featured some songs.
In 1963, he was cast as Mr. Otis, a Teacher who mostly ignores his students, in the episode, "I Don't Even Live Here", of the NBC education drama series, Mr. Novak, starring James Franciscus.
Herschel Bernardi also had two minor record hits, 1967's "If I Were A Rich Man", reflecting his success as Tevye, and 1971's "Pencil Marks On The Wall".
In 1970, Bernardi was the lead in the CBS sitcom Arnie. Bernardi starred for two years as someone plucked from the loading dock of a flange company to become an executive. He voiced Woodhead the rocking horse in Filmation's Journey Back to Oz. He also provided the Cowardly Lion's singing voice while Milton Berle provided the character's speaking voice. He also appeared as Joe Vitelli in the 1977 TV miniseries Seventh Avenue.
Bernardi died in his sleep of a sudden heart attack in Los Angeles, California, on May 9, 1986. He was 62 years old and was survived by his wife, Terry, and son Michael; three children from a previous marriage, Adam, Beryl and Robin; and brothers Jack, also an actor, and Sam. Bernardi is buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
