Zero Mostel

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Biography

Zero was born to parents Israel Mostel, an Eastern European Jew, and Cina "Celia" Druchs, also from a Jewish family. His mother was born…more

Born

2/25/1915, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Died

9/8/1977

Birth Name

Samuel Josh Mostel

Gender

Male

Credits

Star (1)

Role
- The Electric Company
  Spellbinder, Letterman's nemesis
  - S 6: Ep 0 Best of TEC
    4/26/99
  - S 6: Ep 131 Show 130B - Coach
    4/15/77
  - S 6: Ep 129 Show 129B
    4/14/77
  - S 6: Ep 128 Show 128B
    4/13/77
  - S 6: Ep 127 Show 127B
    4/12/77
  - + 646 More Credits
Guest Star (15)

Role
- The Muppet Show
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 2 Zero Mostel
    12/9/77
- The Mike Douglas Show
  Himself
  - S 15: Ep 16 Week of September 27, 1976
    9/27/76
- Dinah!
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 98 March 20, 1975
    3/20/75
- The Dick Cavett Show
  Himself
  - S 6: Ep 92 February 9, 1972
    2/9/72
  - S 5: Ep 71 January 1, 1971
    1/1/71
- The Dick Cavett Show
  Himself - Guest Host
  - S 5: Ep 189 June 18, 1971
    6/18/71
  - S 5: Ep 188 June 17, 1971
    6/17/71
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
  Self
  - S 4: Ep 15 Episode #81
    12/28/70
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
  Guest Preformer
  - S 4: Ep 6 Episode #72
    10/19/70
- This is Tom Jones
  Himself
  - S 3: Ep 2 October 2, 1970
    10/2/70
- The Dean Martin Show
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 1 Lena Horne / Zero Mostel / Buddy Ebsen
    9/19/68
- The Merv Griffin Show
  Himself
  - S 3: Ep 49 November 11, 1965
    11/11/65
  - S 12: Ep 136 March 25, 1975
    3/25/75
- The Play of the Week
  Estragon
  - S 2: Ep 27 Waiting for Godot
    4/3/61
- The Play of the Week
  Melamed
  - S 1: Ep 10 The World of Sholom Aleichem
    12/14/59
- Cavalcade of Stars
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 11 August 13, 1949
    8/13/49
  - S 1: Ep 22 October 29, 1949
    10/29/46
- Toast of the Town
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 38 Zero Mostel; Kitty Kallen; Gene Sarazen
    5/29/49
- Ford Theatre
  Banjo
  - S 1: Ep 4 The Man Who Came to Dinner
    1/16/49

Trivia and Quotes

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Trivia
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- Zero often improvised while on stage. The audience enjoyed it but the situation often left the other actors, who were unprepared for his improvision, speechless.
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- Gene Wilder has mentioned that at the dinner party celebrating the release of the movie The Producers, Zeor Mostel switched Gene's place card with Dick Shawn's, hence, allowing Gene to sit at the main table.
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- Gene Wilder, who remained a close friend of Zero's until his death, mentioned in his autobiography, Kiss Me Like A Stranger that he was initially terrified of Zero. However, the first time they were introduced, Zero got up and gave him a big kiss. Gene said in his autobiography that he was very grateful for the lesson and, for giving him a ride to work everyday.
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Quotes
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- Zero: (on his first meeting with Jerome Robbins, after Jerome named him and others before the House Un-American Activities Committee) Hiya, Loose Lips!
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- Zero: (on Jerome Robbins) Jerome Robbins may be a talented choreographer, but he is no mensch. It's thanks to him and people like him that Jack Gilford and I and countless others were blacklisted during the McCarthy era. I never thought, during the 1950s, that someday I'd ever work with Jerome Robbins. I also never thought I'd work again, period.
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- Zero: (on his name) If people know your name, you're famous. If they only know your face, it doesn't count. It's the name. One reason I became Zero was so if I accomplished only a middle level of fame, I still wouldn't be a zero. If you know my name, how can I be a zero? Smart, huh?
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