Zero Mostel Quotes

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Mostel: If I appeared there, what if I did an imitation of a butterfly at rest? There is no crime in making anybody laugh. I don't care if you laugh at me.
Congressman Jackson: If your interpretation of a butterfly at rest brought any money into the coffers of the Communist Party, you contributed directly to the propaganda effort of the Communist Party.
Mostel: Suppose I had the urge to do the butterfly at rest somewhere?
Congressman Doyle: Yes, but please, when you have the urge, don't have such an urge to put the butterfly at rest by putting some money in the Communist Party coffers as a result of that urge to put a butterfly at rest.

Zero Mostel

There's a kind of silliness in the theater about what one contributes to a show. The producer obviously contributes the money... but must the actor contribute nothing at all? I'm not a modest fellow about those things. I contribute a great deal. And they always manage to hang you for having an interpretation. Isn't [the theater] where your imagination should flower? Why must it always be dull as shit?

Zero Mostel

Zero Mostel

Zero Mostel

Creative Commons

Born: February 28, 1915

Died: September 8, 1977 (aged 62)

Bio: Samuel Joel "Zero" Mostel was an American actor and comedian of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of comic characters such as Tevye on stage in Fiddler on the Roof. Mostel was a student of Don Richardson, using an acting technique based on muscle memory.

Known for:

The Producers (1967)
Panic in the Streets (1950)
The Angel Levine (1970)
Watership Down

Zero Mostel on Wikipedia

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